5273. na'iym

Lexical Summary

na'iym: Pleasant, delightful, lovely

Original Word: נָעִים
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: na`iym
Pronunciation: nah-eem'
Phonetic Spelling: (naw-eem')
KJV: pleasant(-ure), sweet
Word Origin: [from H5276 (נָעֵם - pleasant)]

1. delightful (objective or subjective, literal or figurative)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

pleasanture, sweet

From na'em; delightful (objective or subjective, literal or figurative) -- pleasant(-ure), sweet.

see HEBREW na'em

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. נָעִים adjective pleasant, delightful (poetry); — absolute ׳נ Proverbs 22:18 +; construct נְעִים 2 Samuel 23:1 plural נְעִמִים Psalm 16:6, נְעִימִם 2 Samuel 1:23, נְעִימִים Proverbs 23:8; feminine נְעִמוֺת Psalm 16:11; —

1 delightful בְּחַיֵּיהֶם ׳הַנֶּאֱהָבִים וְהַנּ 2 Samuel 1:23 (of Saul and Jonath.); of wealth, ׳הוֺן יָקָר וְנ Proverbs 24:4; words Proverbs 23:8; of acts, etc.: ׳מַהטּֿוֺב וּמַהנּֿ שֶׁבֶת אַחִים גַּםיָֿחַ֑ד Psalm 133:1; singing praises to ׳י, Psalm 135:3; Psalm 147:1; keeping wise teachings Proverbs 22:18; as substantive = delight יְכַלּוּ יְמֵיהֶם בַּטּוֺב וּשְׁנֵיהֶם בַּנְּעִימִים Job 36:11 (of earthly prosperity); of spiritual delights Psalm 16:6; Psalm 16:11.

2 lovely, beautiful (physically), Songs 1:16 ("" יָפֶה). — Psalm 81:3; 2 Samuel 23:1 see II. נָעִים below II. נעם.

II. נָעִים adjective perhaps singing, sweetly sounding, musical; — absolute ׳כִּנּוֺר נ Psalm 81:3 sweetly-sounding lyre; construct, as substantive, ׳נְעִים זְמִרוֺת יִשׂ 2 Samuel 23:1 Israel's sweet singer of songs (compare Dr^{2Samuel 8:10 Löhr}; ᵑ9 egregius psaltes Israel, and so Ges Ew and others, from I. נעם; joy of the songs of Israel HPS, compare Klo Kit).

נעץ (√ of following; Late Hebrew נָעַץ prick, stick or thrust in, wedge in; ᵑ7 נְעַץ id.; Late Hebrew נַעֲצוּץ figurative of wicked person; ᵑ7 נַעֲצוּצָא = Biblical Hebrew).

Topical Lexicon

Root Idea and Thematic Thread

Across narrative, poetry, and wisdom texts, נָעִים signals a goodness that is sensed and celebrated because it flows from the covenant God. Its occurrences frame “pleasantness” as a quality that reaches its full meaning when directed toward or bestowed by the LORD.

Association with Worship and Music

• David, “the sweet psalmist of Israel” (2 Samuel 23:1), sets the benchmark for Spirit-filled artistry.
• Psalm 81:2—“Sing a song and beat the tambourine, play the pleasant lyre with the harp.”
• Psalm 135:3 and Psalm 147:1 declare that praising the LORD is intrinsically pleasant, teaching that beauty and truth converge in doxology.

Pleasantness of Divine Fellowship

Psalm 16 uses נָעִים for the believer’s inheritance (verse 6) and the “eternal pleasures” at God’s right hand (verse 11). Psalm 133:1 extends the thought corporately: “how good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!” Unity is thus both ethical and delightful, a foretaste of the communion of saints.

Royal and Historical Significance

David’s lament—“Saul and Jonathan, beloved and pleasant in life” (2 Samuel 1:23)—honors covenant loyalty even in a fractured monarchy. The term links royal dignity with relational beauty, foreshadowing the Messiah whose kingship and worship are perfectly joined.

Wisdom Literature and Human Experience

• Job 36:11 promises that obedience yields “years in pleasantness.”
• Proverbs 22:18 commends storing wise words so they “may be pleasant to you.”
• Proverbs 23:8 warns that false hospitality turns sweetness to disgust.
• Proverbs 24:4 portrays a well-ordered house “filled with rare and beautiful treasures,” picturing wisdom-shaped delight.
• Song of Songs 1:16 celebrates marital beauty: “How handsome you are, my beloved—yes, pleasant!”

Christological Fulfillment

Peter applies Psalm 16 to the resurrection (Acts 2:25-32), showing that the “eternal pleasures” are secured in Christ. The Father’s proclamation, “With Him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17), reveals the Son as the ultimate embodiment of נָעִים and the source of every lesser delight.

Pastoral and Homiletical Applications

1. Worship that centers on God’s character will be genuinely pleasant.
2. Church unity, grounded in Psalm 133, is both a duty and a joy.
3. Obedience and wisdom cultivate lives that are attractive to outsiders (Job 36:11; Proverbs 22-24).
4. Covenant marriage mirrors divine love (Song of Songs 1:16).
5. Funeral services may echo David’s lament, honoring “pleasant” relationships while pointing to resurrection hope.

Conclusion

נָעִים weaves a theology of beauty: what is truly pleasant is rooted in God, expressed in worship, embodied in righteous relationships, and fulfilled eternally in Jesus Christ.

Forms and Transliterations

בַּנְּעִימִֽים׃ בַּנְּעִמִ֑ים בנעימים׃ בנעמים הַנְּעִימִֽים׃ הנעימים׃ וְהַנְּעִימִם֙ וְנָעִֽים׃ וּנְעִ֖ים והנעימם ונעים ונעים׃ נְעִמ֖וֹת נָ֝עִים נָ֭עִים נָּעִ֑ים נָעִ֔ים נָעִ֣ים נָעִֽים׃ נעים נעים׃ נעמות ban·nə·‘i·mîm ban·nə·‘î·mîm bannə‘imîm bannə‘îmîm banneiMim han·nə·‘î·mîm hannə‘îmîm hanneiMim nā‘îm nā·‘îm naIm nə‘imōwṯ nə·‘i·mō·wṯ neiMot ū·nə·‘îm ūnə‘îm uneIm vehanneiMim venaIm wə·han·nə·‘î·mim wə·nā·‘îm wəhannə‘îmim wənā‘îm

Englishman's Concordance

2 Samuel 1:23
HEB: וִיהוֹנָתָ֗ן הַנֶּאֱהָבִ֤ים וְהַנְּעִימִם֙ בְּחַיֵּיהֶ֔ם וּבְמוֹתָ֖ם
NAS: beloved and pleasant in their life,
KJV: [were] lovely and pleasant in their lives,
INT: and Jonathan beloved and pleasant their lives their death

2 Samuel 23:1
HEB: אֱלֹהֵ֣י יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וּנְעִ֖ים זְמִר֥וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
NAS: of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist
KJV: of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist
INT: of the God of Jacob and the sweet psalmist of Israel

Job 36:11
HEB: בַּטּ֑וֹב וּ֝שְׁנֵיהֶ֗ם בַּנְּעִימִֽים׃
NAS: And their years in pleasures.
KJV: and their years in pleasures.
INT: prosperity and their years pleasures

Psalm 16:6
HEB: נָֽפְלוּ־ לִ֭י בַּנְּעִמִ֑ים אַף־ נַ֝חֲלָ֗ת
NAS: have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed,
KJV: are fallen unto me in pleasant [places]; yea, I have a goodly
INT: the lines have fallen pleasant Indeed my heritage

Psalm 16:11
HEB: אֶת־ פָּנֶ֑יךָ נְעִמ֖וֹת בִּימִינְךָ֣ נֶֽצַח׃
NAS: In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
KJV: at thy right hand [there are] pleasures for evermore.
INT: of joy your presence are pleasures your right forever

Psalm 81:2
HEB: תֹ֑ף כִּנּ֖וֹר נָעִ֣ים עִם־ נָֽבֶל׃
NAS: the timbrel, The sweet sounding lyre
KJV: hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp
INT: the timbrel lyre the sweet with the harp

Psalm 133:1
HEB: טּ֭וֹב וּמַה־ נָּעִ֑ים שֶׁ֖בֶת אַחִ֣ים
NAS: and how pleasant it is For brothers
KJV: Behold, how good and how pleasant [it is] for brethren
INT: good and how pleasant to dwell brothers

Psalm 135:3
HEB: לִ֝שְׁמ֗וֹ כִּ֣י נָעִֽים׃
NAS: to His name, for it is lovely.
KJV: unto his name; for [it is] pleasant.
INT: to his name for is lovely

Psalm 147:1
HEB: אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ כִּֽי־ נָ֝עִים נָאוָ֥ה תְהִלָּֽה׃
NAS: to our God; For it is pleasant [and] praise
KJV: unto our God; for [it is] pleasant; [and] praise
INT: to our God for is pleasant is becoming praise

Proverbs 22:18
HEB: כִּֽי־ נָ֭עִים כִּֽי־ תִשְׁמְרֵ֣ם
NAS: For it will be pleasant if you keep
KJV: For [it is] a pleasant thing if thou keep
INT: if will be pleasant if keep

Proverbs 23:8
HEB: וְ֝שִׁחַ֗תָּ דְּבָרֶ֥יךָ הַנְּעִימִֽים׃
KJV: and lose thy sweet words.
INT: And waste words sweet

Proverbs 24:4
HEB: ה֖וֹן יָקָ֣ר וְנָעִֽים׃
NAS: With all precious and pleasant riches.
KJV: with all precious and pleasant riches.
INT: riches precious and pleasant

Songs 1:16
HEB: דוֹדִי֙ אַ֣ף נָעִ֔ים אַף־ עַרְשֵׂ֖נוּ
NAS: [And] so pleasant! Indeed,
KJV: my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed
INT: are my beloved so pleasant Indeed our couch

13 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 5273
13 Occurrences

ban·nə·‘î·mîm — 2 Occ.
han·nə·‘î·mîm — 1 Occ.
nā·‘îm — 6 Occ.
nə·‘i·mō·wṯ — 1 Occ.
ū·nə·‘îm — 1 Occ.
wə·han·nə·‘î·mim — 1 Occ.
wə·nā·‘îm — 1 Occ.