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נָחַם

𐤍𐤇𐤌

nâcham

H5162 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To experience a change of emotion or resolve, specifically to feel regret, sorrow, or compassion leading to a change of action or attitude. In various contexts, can signify consoling or comforting others, or being moved to pity. Sometimes used in reflexive or passive sense, denoting experiencing remorse or being comforted after sorrow. The semantic range includes to regret, to change one's mind, to have compassion, to comfort, and to experience relief from distress.

Semantic Range

to feel regret, to relent, to change one's mind, to experience sorrow, to be comforted, to comfort, to have compassion, to be consoled, to be sorry, to reconsider, to express relief

Root / Etymology

Root: נחם. The basic meaning of the root appears to refer originally to a deep emotional movement, typically associated with sighing, groaning, or heavy breathing, as in a physical response to grief, regret, or compassion. From this root, the verb נָחַם developed the sense of being emotionally moved, leading to a shift in purpose, attitude, or behavior. The derived forms convey more specific meanings of comfort, compassion, regret, or repentance depending on context.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, נָחַם is used with a range of emotional intensities and in both positive and negative senses. For example, it can denote Yahweh's 'relenting' or 'changing of intent' in response to human behavior (e.g., Genesis 6:6, Exodus 32:14), which is often translated as 'repent' or 'relent,' though the emphasis is on a change in sense of purpose rather than theological 'repentance.' When applied to humans, it can mean being sorry for something done, seeking comfort after a loss, or showing compassion to another (as in comforting mourners). The concept of 'repentance' does not align here with later developed notions of penitence or confession; rather, it centers on inner emotional movement resulting in a changing course. Modern English translations such as 'repent,' 'relent,' 'console,' and 'comfort' each capture only part of the nuanced emotional and behavioral shift described by the term. The term is distinct from שׁוּב (shuv), which denotes a return or turning back, and is more oriented toward the emotional or volitional shift than physical motion. Usage in exilic and post-exilic periods may reflect heightened emphasis on comfort (e.g., Isaiah 40:1). Later rabbinic usage and translation tradition (e.g., Septuagint's metanoeō) can introduce theological concepts of repentance, but the biblical nuance is broader and more relational or emotional in character.

Translation Consistency

primary "comfort" 28 occurrences

Most natural and frequent renderings across the occurrences are in the comfort/console semantic area (comfort, comforted, comforting). "Comfort" is a flexible, natural English verb that covers both causative and passive/reflexive uses (to comfort, to be comforted) and can idiomatically cover related senses of being moved, relieved, or having one’s resolve changed. Choosing "comfort" gives the most consistent, easily understood base verb for all forms of נָחַם.

Alternatives (22 occurrences):
"moved to regret" (5x) "relented" (3x) "relent" (3x) "moved to relent" (3x) "consoling" (1x) "people will change their minds" (1x) "compassion" (1x) "moved to pity" (1x) "sorry" (1x) "regretted" (1x) "who relents" (1x) "relenting" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself); comfort (self), ease (one's self), repent(-er,-ing, self).

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

נחם (Menachem) — to comfort, to console, to show compassion

Root נחם to be moved emotionally, to regret, to comfort
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4505 מְנַחֵם Comforter
H5100 נְהָמָה like roaring of
H5149 נְחוּם Comforted One
H5150 נִחוּם my consolations
H5151 נַחוּם Comforted-one

Word Forms

49 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H5162-17 נִחָ֔ם nicham HVNp3ms has comforted one who relents relented 11
H5162-32 וַ/יִּנָּ֣חֶם vayinachem HC/VNw3ms and relented and he was moved to regret and he relented 9
H5162-13 מְנַחֵ֔ם menachem HVprmsa comforter Comforter Comforter 7
H5162-09 לְ/נַחֲמֽ/וֹ lenachamo HR/Vpc/Sp3ms to comfort him to comfort him to comfort him 6
H5162-19 נִחַ֗מְתִּי nichameti HVNp1cs I am sorry I was moved to regret I was moved to regret 6
H5162-36 וְ/נִחַ֖ם venicham HC/VNq3ms and relent and he was moved to relent and be moved to relent 6
H5162-39 וְ/נִֽחַמְתִּי֙ venichameti HC/VNq1cs and I will relent and I was moved to relent and I will relent 4
H5162-48 יִנָּחֵ֑ם yinachem HVNi3ms repent he will be moved to relent he was moved to pity 4
H5162-04 אֶנָּחֵ֑ם enachem HVNi1cs I will be relieved I will be moved with regret I will be comforted 3
H5162-12 מְנַחֲמִ֑ים menachamim HVprmpa comforters comforting ones comforting ones 3

Occurrences in Scripture

108 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H5162-44 Genesis 5:29 יְנַחֲמֵ֤/נוּ yenachamenu HVpi3ms/Sp1cp will comfort us he will comfort us he will comfort us
H5162-32 Genesis 6:6 וַ/יִּנָּ֣חֶם vayinachem HC/VNw3ms and regretted and he was moved to regret and it was moved to regret
H5162-19 Genesis 6:7 נִחַ֖מְתִּי nichameti HVNp1cs I am sorry I was moved to regret I was moved to regret
H5162-32 Genesis 24:67 וַ/יִּנָּחֵ֥ם vayinachem HC/VNw3ms and was comforted and he was moved to regret and he was comforted
H5162-15 Genesis 27:42 מִתְנַחֵ֥ם mitenachem HVtrmsa is consoling himself one consoling himself one consoling himself
H5162-09 Genesis 37:35 לְ/נַחֲמ֗/וֹ lenachamo HR/Vpc/Sp3ms to comfort him to comfort him to comfort him
H5162-07 Genesis 37:35 לְ/הִתְנַחֵ֔ם lehitenachem HR/Vtc to be comforted to comfort oneself to be comforted
H5162-32 Genesis 38:12 וַ/יִּנָּ֣חֶם vayinachem HC/VNw3ms and he was comforted and he was moved to regret and he was comforted
H5162-30 Genesis 50:21 וַ/יְנַחֵ֣ם vayenachem HC/Vpw3ms And he comforted and he comforted and he comforted
H5162-48 Exodus 13:17 יִנָּחֵ֥ם yinachem HVNi3ms change their minds he will be moved to relent the people will change their minds
H5162-33 Exodus 32:12 וְ/הִנָּחֵ֥ם vehinachem HC/VNv2ms and relent be moved to regret and be moved to regret
H5162-32 Exodus 32:14 וַ/יִּנָּ֖חֶם vayinachem HC/VNw3ms and-relented and he was moved to regret and he relented
H5162-43 Numbers 23:19 וְ/יִתְנֶחָ֑ם veyitenecham HC/Vti3ms that he should repent and he will relent and he will relent
H5162-49 Deuteronomy 32:36 יִתְנֶחָ֑ם yitenecham HVti3ms will have compassion he will comfort himself he will have compassion
H5162-48 Judges 2:18 יִנָּחֵ֤ם yinachem HVNi3ms he-was-moved-to-pity he will be moved to relent he was moved to pity
H5162-31 Judges 21:6 וַ/יִּנָּֽחֲמוּ֙ vayinachamu HC/VNw3mp and were sorry and they were moved to regret and they were moved to regret
H5162-17 Judges 21:15 נִחָ֖ם nicham HVNrmsa were sorry one who relents were sorry
H5162-19 1 Samuel 15:11 נִחַ֗מְתִּי nichameti HVNp1cs I regret I was moved to regret I was moved to regret
H5162-48 1 Samuel 15:29 יִנָּחֵ֑ם yinachem HVNi3ms repent he will be moved to relent it will be moved to relent
H5162-06 1 Samuel 15:29 לְ/הִנָּחֵֽם lehinachem HR/VNc that he should repent to be moved to relent to be moved to relent
H5162-17 1 Samuel 15:35 נִחָ֔ם nicham HVNp3ms regretted one who relents he regretted
H5162-09 2 Samuel 10:2 לְ/נַחֲמ֛/וֹ lenachamo HR/Vpc/Sp3ms to comfort him to comfort him to comfort him
H5162-12 2 Samuel 10:3 מְנַֽחֲמִ֑ים menachamim HVprmpa comforters comforting ones comforting ones
H5162-30 2 Samuel 12:24 וַ/יְנַחֵ֣ם vayenachem HC/Vpw3ms and comforted and he comforted and he comforted
H5162-17 2 Samuel 13:39 נִחַ֥ם nicham HVNp3ms he was comforted one who relents he was comforted
H5162-32 2 Samuel 24:16 וַ/יִּנָּ֤חֶם vayinachem HC/VNw3ms and relented and he was moved to regret and he relented
H5162-04 Isaiah 1:24 אֶנָּחֵ֣ם enachem HVNi1cs I will be relieved I will be moved with regret I will be comforted
H5162-26 Isaiah 12:1 וּֽ/תְנַחֲמֵֽ/נִי utenachameni HC/Vpi2ms/Sp1cs and you comfort me you comfort me and you comfort me
H5162-08 Isaiah 22:4 לְ/נַֽחֲמֵ֔/נִי lenachameni HR/Vpc/Sp1cs me to comfort me to comfort me
H5162-16 Isaiah 40:1 נַחֲמ֥וּ nachamu HVpv2mp Comfort Offer comfort! Comfort!
H5162-16 Isaiah 40:1 נַחֲמ֖וּ nachamu-2 HVpv2mp comfort Offer comfort! Comfort!
H5162-17 Isaiah 49:13 נִחַ֤ם nicham HVpp3ms has comforted one who relents has comforted
H5162-17 Isaiah 51:3 נִחַ֨ם nicham HVpp3ms will comfort one who relents comforts
H5162-17 Isaiah 51:3 נִחַם֙ nicham-2 HVpp3ms will comfort one who relents will comfort
H5162-14 Isaiah 51:12 מְנַחֶמְ/כֶ֑ם menachemekhem HVprmsc/Sp2mp who comforts you the one comforting you the one comforting you
H5162-01 Isaiah 51:19 אֲנַחֲמֵֽ/ךְ anachamekhe HVpi1cs/Sp2fs shall comfort you I will deeply comfort you will comfort you
H5162-17 Isaiah 52:9 נִחַ֤ם nicham HVpp3ms has comforted one who relents has comforted
H5162-20 Isaiah 54:11 נֻחָ֑מָה nuchamah HVPp3fs comforted she was comforted comforted
H5162-04 Isaiah 57:6 אֶנָּחֵֽם enachem HVNi1cs Should I be comforted? I will be moved with regret I will be comforted
H5162-10 Isaiah 61:2 לְ/נַחֵ֖ם lenachem HR/Vpc to comfort to bring comfort to comfort
H5162-22 Isaiah 66:13 תְּנַחֲמֶ֑/נּוּ tenachamenu HVpi3fs/Sp3ms comforts him she comforts him comforts him
H5162-02 Isaiah 66:13 אֲנַ֣חֶמְ/כֶ֔ם anachemekhem HVpi1cs/Sp2mp will comfort you I will comfort you will comfort you
H5162-24 Isaiah 66:13 תְּנֻחָֽמוּ tenuchamu HVPi2mp you shall be comforted you will be comforted you will be comforted
H5162-19 Jeremiah 4:28 נִחַ֖מְתִּי nichameti HVNp1cs I will relent I was moved to regret I will not relent
H5162-17 Jeremiah 8:6 נִחָם֙ nicham HVNsmsa repented one who relents one who relents
H5162-05 Jeremiah 15:6 הִנָּחֵֽם hinachem HVNc of relenting to be moved to relent of relenting
H5162-09 Jeremiah 16:7 לְ/נַחֲמ֣/וֹ lenachamo HR/Vpc/Sp3ms to comfort him to comfort him to comfort him
H5162-39 Jeremiah 18:8 וְ/נִֽחַמְתִּי֙ venichameti HC/VNq1cs I will relent and I was moved to relent and I will relent
H5162-39 Jeremiah 18:10 וְ/נִֽחַמְתִּי֙ venichameti HC/VNq1cs then I will relent and I was moved to relent and I was moved to relent
H5162-17 Jeremiah 20:16 נִחָ֑ם nicham HVNp3ms relented one who relents he relented
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