niqqum

Niqqum is a Hebrew noun typically translated as retribution, punishment, or vengeance. It derives from the Hebrew root נקם (nun-kuf-mem), which carries the sense of avenging or repaying. The form niqqum conveys the abstract concept or outcome of vengeance rather than a specific act.

In biblical and rabbinic literature, niqqum refers to punishment meted out by a just authority, often in response to wrongdoing or injustice. It is commonly framed within broader themes of divine justice, righteousness, and moral accounting, and it is sometimes discussed alongside mercy or restoration as part of the divine or communal order. The term appears in prophetic and liturgical contexts to articulate the idea that wrongs will be addressed and balance restored through consequences or corrective action.

In modern Hebrew, niqqum is used in theological, ethical, and scholarly discourse to discuss punishment, accountability, and the moral architecture of justice. It is primarily a formal or formal-theological term rather than everyday speech, where more colloquial words for punishment or revenge may be used. The concept remains closely tied to questions of divine justice, collective accountability, and the relationship between punishment and restoration within Jewish thought.

Overall, niqqum denotes a principled notion of consequence in response to wrongdoing, framed within religious and ethical discussions of how justice is administered and how balance is restored.