112Vengeance

naqam — Hebrew

Vengeance is judicial retribution reserved to the rightful authority — not private revenge, but the lawful requital that belongs to the one with standing to render it. “To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence” (Deuteronomy 32:35); “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith Yahuah” (Romans 12:19). Naqam is the just penalty exacted for wrong — and Scripture removes it from private hands precisely because it is a judicial act, reserved to Yahuah as Judge. To take vengeance is to render the wrong its due requital; that this belongs to Yahuah means the injured are not left to retaliate but may commit the matter to the One with authority to judge. Vengeance is the court’s requital, not the victim’s.

The Root

naqam (H5359) — vengeance, requital; the just retribution reserved to the rightful authority.

The Courtroom Word

A retribution term — lawful requital reserved to the authority with standing to render it.

Its Role in the Court

Wrong requires requital, and vengeance is it — but reserved to the rightful judge, not seized by the wronged. ‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay.’ Naqam is judicial retribution, removed from private hands because it is a court’s act. That it belongs to Yahuah frees the injured from retaliation: they commit the matter to the One with authority to judge. Vengeance is lawful requital rendered by the bench — the wrong repaid by the One with standing to repay it.

Proof Texts

Deuteronomy 32:35 “To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence.” Requital reserved to Yahuah.

Romans 12:19 “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith Yahuah.” Retribution removed from private hands.

Nahum 1:2 “Yahuah revengeth, and is furious.” The Judge’s just requital.

Psalm 94:1 “O Yahuah, to whom vengeance belongeth.” Vengeance as the court’s, not the victim’s.

In Plain Terms

Vengeance is judicial retribution reserved to the rightful authority — not private revenge. ‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith Yahuah.’ It is the just penalty for wrong, removed from private hands because it is a court’s act. That it belongs to Yahuah means the injured need not retaliate — they can commit the matter to the Judge.

Bring It Home

‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith Yahuah’ is not a threat so much as a relief: the wrong done to you is not yours to avenge — it belongs to the One with authority to judge. Naqam is judicial requital, reserved to the bench. You can hand the matter to the Judge instead of taking it into your own hands.

Courtroom Roles

Yahuah (the Judge) to whom vengeance belongs; who renders the just requital.
The wronged (the injured) commit the matter to the Judge rather than retaliate.
The wrongdoer (the liable) receives the lawful requital from the bench.

Where It Sits

IThere Is a Court

IIThe Court Runs on One Code

IIIYou Are Named on the Docket

IVThe Acquittal

VYour Life Is the Testing

VIIt Is All Entered as Evidence

VIIThe Bench Convenes

Movement VII — The Bench Convenes. The ruling is read, and each party is paid exactly what the record assigns.