Lexical Summary nechamah: comfort, consolation Original Word: נֶחָמָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance comfort From nacham; consolation -- comfort. see HEBREW nacham NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom nacham Definition comfort NASB Translation comfort (1), consolation (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [נֶחָמָה] noun feminine comfort, suffix נֶחָמָתִי Psalm 119:50; Job 6:10. Topical Lexicon Overview נֶחָמָה (nechamah) denotes the inward consolation that steadies the believer amid distress. Unlike fleeting relief, the term speaks of a God-centered solace that restores courage, reinforces fidelity, and renews hope. Occurrences and Literary Settings 1. Job 6:10 – In the crucible of inexplicable suffering, Job declares, “It would still bring me comfort, and I would leap for joy in unrelenting pain, that I have not denied the words of the Holy One”. Comfort, here, is anchored in an unswerving commitment to God’s revelation despite agony. Both poems arise from extreme hardship, yet נֶחָמָה is portrayed not as an external change of circumstances but as an internal confidence produced by loyalty to God’s word. Theological Themes • Word-Rooted Consolation Comfort is inseparable from divine speech. In both passages the sufferer’s solace flows from received revelation: Job clings to “the words of the Holy One,” while the psalmist leans on “Your promise.” Comfort is thus a covenantal gift, issuing from God’s self-disclosure. • Perseverance and Integrity נֶחָמָה fortifies the righteous to withstand trials without moral compromise. The dynamic echoes Psalm 23:4, Isaiah 40:1, and ultimately finds fuller expression in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, where the God “who comforts us in all our troubles” equips believers to comfort others. • Life Amid Death-Like Circumstances In Psalm 119:50, comfort is explicitly linked to vitality: “has given me life.” The language anticipates the resurrection hope that courses throughout Scripture and culminates in Jesus Christ, who called Himself “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). Historical and Cultural Background Ancient Near Eastern laments often sought consolation through ritual or communal sorrow. Biblical faith redirects that quest to the living God whose spoken promises outweigh sociocultural mechanisms. In Israel’s worship, lament psalms taught the congregation to process grief by rehearsing God’s past faithfulness and future assurances, thereby transforming individual נֶחָמָה into corporate strength. Christological and Eschatological Trajectory Isaiah’s “Comfort, comfort My people” (Isaiah 40:1) employs a cognate root, foreshadowing Messianic deliverance. Jesus embodies and imparts ultimate comfort: Ministry Implications • Scriptural Immersion – Counselors and pastors guide sufferers to specific promises; comfort arises as these truths are internalized. Related Biblical Concepts – נִחֻם (nichum, sympathy) – emotional expression accompanying consolation. – שָׁלוֹם (shalom, peace) – the settled wholeness that results when God’s comfort permeates life. – חֶסֶד (chesed, steadfast love) – the covenant backdrop that secures lasting comfort. For Further Study Explore parallel texts: Psalm 23:4; Isaiah 49:13; Matthew 5:4; Romans 15:4. Trace the theme through Lamentations for corporate dimensions, and through the Johannine writings for Trinitarian insights into divine comfort. Forms and Transliterations נֶ֘חָ֤מָתִ֗י נֶחָמָתִ֣י נחמתי ne·ḥā·mā·ṯî neChamaTi neḥāmāṯîLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 6:10 HEB: וּ֥תְהִי ע֨וֹד ׀ נֶ֘חָ֤מָתִ֗י וַאֲסַלְּדָ֣ה בְ֭חִילָה NAS: But it is still my consolation, And I rejoice KJV: Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden INT: become is still my consolation rejoice sorrow Psalm 119:50 2 Occurrences |
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