Word Study for H5091 (נָהָה) | Strong's Concordance

nâhâh /naw-haw'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto groan, i.e. bewail; hence (through the idea of crying aloud), to assemble (as if on proclamation)

KJV usagelament, wail.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of nâhâh — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word nâhâh, represented by H5091, is a primitive root meaning to lament or wail. It appears 3 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible. The word conveys a deep sense of groaning and bewailing, sometimes associated with a public outcry or assembly for mourning.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, H5091 is used to express profound sorrow and mourning, often in a collective or prophetic context. The house of Israel lamented after the LORD during the time the ark was in Kirjathjearim, signifying a national turning 1 Samuel 7:2. The prophet Ezekiel is commanded to wail for the multitude of Egypt, a symbolic act of mourning for their impending downfall Ezekiel 32:18. In Micah, the term is part of a prophetic utterance of judgment, where a parable is taken up against the people, who will lament with a "doleful lamentation" over being utterly spoiled Micah 2:4.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide a fuller picture of the context of lamentation:

H5092 nᵉhîy (an elegy; lamentation, wailing): This noun is derived directly from H5091 and often refers to the audible expression of grief. It is used for bitter weeping and wailing for a nation under judgment Jeremiah 9:19.
H5093 nihyâh (lamentation; doleful): This feminine form is used alongside H5091 to intensify the expression of sorrow, as in the phrase "doleful lamentation" found in the prophecy against the people of Israel Micah 2:4.
H4912 mâshâl (byword, like, parable, proverb): This word is often paired with expressions of mourning or judgment. A lament H5091 can be part of a "parable" or taunt taken up against a fallen people, connecting their downfall to a memorable, instructive saying Micah 2:4.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H5091 lies in its function as a response to divine action, whether in judgment or in a call to repentance.

A Sign of Prophetic Judgment: The act of wailing is frequently commanded by prophets to illustrate the severity of God's coming judgment. It serves as a living parable of the sorrow that will befall a nation, as when Ezekiel is told to wail for Egypt Ezekiel 32:18 or when Micah prophesies that the people will lament their utter ruin Micah 2:4.
An Expression of National Repentance: Beyond judgment, to lament can also signify a collective turning of the heart back to God. The lamentation of Israel after the LORD in 1 Samuel demonstrates a national desire for reconciliation and the restoration of God's presence after a long absence of the ark 1 Samuel 7:2.

Summary

In summary, H5091 nâhâh, while used only a few times, captures a profound and specific type of mourning. It is not merely private sadness but a public and often prophetic wail in response to God's actions. Whether signifying the sorrow of divine judgment or the turning of a nation in repentance, nâhâh communicates a deep groaning that acknowledges the gravity of sin, loss, and the relationship between God and His people.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 3 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

יִּנָּהוּ
נָהָה
נְהֵה

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 3 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in 1 Samuel, Ezekiel, and Micah (1 verse each); never once in the other 36.

1 Samuel

Ezekiel

Micah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.