The Hebrew zaam means to be indignant, to express hot displeasure, or to pronounce a curse. It carries the force of God's righteous wrath — a burning moral outrage against sin and wickedness.
Unlike human anger, divine zaam is always justified and purposeful. The prophets invoked it to describe God's response to idolatry and injustice (Nahum 1:2). It is also used of the nations raging against God's purposes (Psalm 7:11). The word reminds us that God is not morally neutral — He responds to evil with holy indignation.