The rare Hebrew noun nehamah describes a growling or roaring sound — the deep, guttural vocalization of a lion or the groaning of a soul in distress. It is related to the verb naham (H5098, to growl/groan).
Nehamah appears in Proverbs 19:12: 'A king's rage is like a lion's roar (nehamah); his favor is like dew on the grass.' This vivid contrast illuminates the volatile power of human authority — capable of both devastating rage and refreshing blessing. The same imagery of the lion's roar is used for God himself in the prophets (Hosea 11:10; Amos 3:8), and ultimately for Christ as the 'Lion of Judah' (Revelation 5:5). Nehamah reminds us that authority carries weight — and those who hold it are accountable for what they growl and what they bestow.