### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **nᵉhâmâh**, represented by `{{H5100}}`, conveys a powerful sense of **snarling, disquietness, or roaring**. Derived from the feminine of `{{H5098}}` נַהַם, it appears just **2 times** in **2 unique verses**, yet each instance presents a distinct and profound meaning.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical usage, `{{H5100}}` is used to describe both a massive, external force and an intense, internal turmoil. In Isaiah, it is compared to the powerful **roaring** of the sea, a sound that accompanies a day of darkness and sorrow upon the land [[Isaiah 5:30]]. In contrast, the Psalms use the word to describe the personal, internal **disquietness** of the heart, an anguish so profound that it causes the sufferer to roar out in pain [[Psalms 38:8]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help to frame the meaning of `{{H5100}}`:
* `{{H5098}}` **nâham** (to growl; mourn, roar(-ing)): As the primitive root of `{{H5100}}`, this word is used directly alongside it in [[Isaiah 5:30]] to describe the roaring sound of coming judgment.
* `{{H7580}}` **shâʼag** (to rumble or moan; mightily, roar): This verb describes the action resulting from the internal feeling of `{{H5100}}`, as the psalmist has "roared by reason of the disquietness" of his heart [[Psalms 38:8]].
* `{{H3220}}` **yâm** (a sea): This term provides the powerful natural image for the sound of `{{H5100}}` in [[Isaiah 5:30]], likening it to the immense and noisy surf of the sea.
* `{{H3820}}` **lêb** (the heart): This word identifies the source of the feeling in [[Psalms 38:8]], showing that the "disquietness" is a matter of deep internal feeling and emotion.
### Theological Significance
The conceptual weight of `{{H5100}}` is significant despite its rarity, highlighting two key themes:
* **Overwhelming Judgment:** The "roaring" described in Isaiah is not a random noise but the sound of an approaching force that brings darkness and sorrow, symbolizing an unstoppable and formidable power [[Isaiah 5:30]].
* **Profound Personal Suffering:** The "disquietness" of the heart in the Psalms points to a deep, internal anguish and turmoil that is too great to be contained, forcing an outward expression of roaring [[Psalms 38:8]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5100}}` is a potent term that captures both external, overwhelming power and internal, overwhelming anguish. It uniquely connects the fearsome roar of the sea with the deeply personal roar born from a troubled heart. Through its two occurrences, it illustrates how a single word can express both the cosmic scale of judgment and the intimate reality of personal suffering.
TRV