Word Study for H5098 (נָהַם) | Strong's Concordance

nâham /naw-ham'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto growl

KJV usagemourn, roar(-ing).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of nâham — 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 nâham, represented by H5098, is a primitive root defined as to growl; mourn, roar(-ing). It is a specific term that appears only 5 times in the Bible across 5 unique verses, carrying a dual meaning that encompasses both the sound of a predator and the anguish of human grief.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H5098 describes two distinct types of deep, guttural sound. It is used to depict the fearsome roar of an aggressor, such as a lion seizing its prey Isaiah 5:29 or the overwhelming sound of the sea in a day of judgment Isaiah 5:30. A wicked ruler over the poor is compared to a roaring lion Proverbs 28:15. Conversely, the word also expresses a profound internal suffering, as when one is to mourn at the end of life as their body is consumed Proverbs 5:11 or to mourn in quiet desperation over iniquity Ezekiel 24:23.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the two primary meanings of H5098:

H5100 nᵉhâmâh (snarling; disquietness, roaring): This feminine form is directly related to nâham and is used alongside it to describe the powerful roaring of the sea, emphasizing the sound of overwhelming judgment Isaiah 5:30.
H7580 shâʼag (to rumble or moan; [idiom] mightily, roar): Often used in parallel with H5098, this word also describes the roar of a lion, but it is more broadly applied to the voice of God roaring from Zion Jeremiah 25:30.
H1058 bâkâh (to weep; generally to bemoan): This word for outward weeping is explicitly contrasted with the internal groaning of nâham. In Ezekiel, the people are told they will not weep but will instead mourn H5098 for their iniquities Ezekiel 24:23.
H738 ʼărîy (a lion): This is the animal most associated with the roaring aspect of nâham. The image of a roaring H5098 lion H738 is used to illustrate the predatory nature of a wicked ruler Proverbs 28:15.

Theological Significance

The use of H5098 carries significant thematic weight, illustrating concepts of judgment and consequence.

The Sound of Judgment: In Isaiah, the "roar" is not just a noise but the sound of impending destruction. Whether likened to a lion or the sea, it signifies an inescapable and terrifying force executing judgment Isaiah 5:30.
Predatory Power: The term is used in Proverbs to characterize the oppressive nature of a wicked ruler. The "roaring" lion is a metaphor for a leader who preys on the vulnerable, linking the sound to dangerous and unjust authority Proverbs 28:15.
Internal Anguish of Sin: In contrast to outward lament, nâham depicts a deep, personal groaning. It is the sound of mourning over the consequences of one's actions, as seen when one's flesh is consumed Proverbs 5:11 or when pining away for iniquities Ezekiel 24:23.

Summary

In summary, H5098 is a potent word that captures a specific kind of deep, resonant sound. Though used sparingly, it effectively communicates two powerful ideas: the terrifying roar of an external threat bringing judgment and the profound, internal groan of personal anguish and regret. It illustrates how a single term can convey both a predator's growl and a sinner's mourning.

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 5 occurrences, inflected in 4 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.

יִנְהֹם
נְהַמְתֶּם
נָהַמְתָּ
נֹהֵם

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 5 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Proverbs and Isaiah (2 verses each); never once in the other 36.

Proverbs

Isaiah

Ezekiel

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.