המה

Abarim Publications' online Biblical Hebrew Dictionary

המה הוא

The form המה (hmh) is used by two distinct roots which don't seem to have much to do with each other. One is a verb; the other the third person pronoun:

המה I

The words המה (hemma) and הם (hem) are the plural masculine third person independent nominative pronoun: both mean "they". BDB Theological Dictionary states that there isn't an "appreciable distinction in usage, except probably in so far as the longer or shorter form was better adapted to the rhythm of particular sentences".

The feminine version is הנה (henna) and sometimes הן (hen). The latter only occurs in combination with prefixes, forming constructions like בהן (behen).

The singular versions of these pronouns are: הוא (hu) for the masculine 'he' and 'it,' and היא (hi) for the feminine 'she' and 'it.' Note that the form הוא (hw') is also a verb, namely הוא (hawa'), which is an unusual variant of the more common verbs הוה (hawa I) and היה (haya), and all mean 'to be'.

Hebrew and English differ strongly in the use of these pronouns and literal translations are rarely either possible or prudent.

המה II

The verb המה (hama) can't be interpreted with a single translation. It reflects noise and unrest, usually accompanied with strong feelings (Isaiah 17:12, Jeremiah 5:22). Translations range from to cry aloud to murmur, and from rage to being troubled. Its derivations are:

The masculine noun המון (hamon), denoting a multitude of people that makes a lot of noise or displays much unrest (1 Samuel 14:19, Isaiah 13:4). The nature of this word is quite aptly reflected when it denotes the sound of torrential rain: 1 Kings 18:41.
The feminine noun המיה (hemya), rather negatively denoting the sound of harps. This word occurs once in the Bible, in Isaiah 14:11.

נהה

The verb נהה (naha) means to wail or lament. It's thought to be onomatopoeic; the tearful counterpart of the familiar "haha". It occurs a mere three times, most spectacularly in Micah 2:4: ונהה נהי נהיה (wenaha nehi nehiya), "...and lament a lament of lamenting."

Unlike groaning or lamenting from pain or sudden misfortune, the lamenting described by this verb was a formal reaction to a sad but controlled occasion (1 Samuel 7:2, Ezekiel 32:18), which spawned an industry of professional mourners; the glum counterparts of the more familiar professional merrymakers (musicians, entertainers) that we moderns still have in our societies.

The Greek equivalent of our verb נהה (naha) is κλαιω (klaio), which relates to the verb κλαω (klao), to break, which in turn translates the verb רעע (ra'a'), to break, from which comes the noun רע (ra'), which is the common Hebrew word for evil. The opposite of the Hebrew idea of evil is the familiar word שלום (shalom), which is commonly translated with peace but which literally means whole or unbrokenness.

From our verb derive four nouns, whose subtle difference are so small that all end up with pretty much the same meaning in English. But to give a hint: in Hebrew, masculinity describes the tendency to be alone (and thus mostly isolated instants), whereas femineity describes the tendency to be many (and thus mostly prolonged periods or many sessions of mourning):

The masculine noun נהי (nehi), meaning a mourning or a lamentation (Amos 5:16, Jeremiah 9:10, Ezekiel 2:10).
The feminine noun נהיה (nihya), meaning a lamenting (Micah 2:4 only).
The masculine noun ני (ni), a wailing (Ezekiel 27:32 only)
The masculine noun הי (hi), a wailing, a woe (Ezekiel 2:10).

נהם

The verb נהם (naham) describes a muffled groaning: of a sick and dying person (Proverbs 5:11, Ezekiel 24:23), or of a lion whilst devouring its prey (Proverbs 28:15, Isaiah 5:29). In the latter verse, our verb describes the sound a lion makes when he has seized its prey and carries it off in its mouth, as contrasted by its much more expressive roar whilst pouncing upon the prey (שאג, sha'ag). The formidable theologian Gesenius linked this verb נהם (naham) to the verbs המה (hama), see above, and נאם (na'am), see next.

From our verb נהם (naham) come:

The masculine noun נהם (naham), meaning a growling; of an angry king (Proverbs 19:12 only).
The feminine noun נהמה (nehama), also meaning a growling, of the sea (Isaiah 5:30), or a groaning, of someone with an anguished heart (Psalm 38:9).

נאם

The root נאם (na'am) appears to describe a labored utterance (the Arabic cognate means to sigh or groan). The noun נאם (ne'um) is used solely to describe the utterances of prophets and oracles, who spoke vicariously for YHWH. The formula נאם יהוה (ne'um yhwh) occurs a few dozen times from Genesis 22:16 on, and throughout all prophets except Habakkuk and Jonah. In Numbers 24:3 and 24:15 our noun occurs in conjunction with Balaam: the man whose eye is opened, who hears the words of El, sees the vision of Shaddai (24:4), and knows the knowledge of Elyon (24:16). In 2 Samuel 23:1 our noun describes the last words of David. In Proverbs 30:1, it describes a man's (namely Agur) utterance to Ithiel. In Psalm 36:1, our noun is linked to a personification of transgression. From this noun comes:

The denominative verb נאם (na'am), to utter a prophetic utterance. This verb occurs in Jeremiah 23:31 only: "Behold, I am against the prophets," is the utterance of YHWH, "who use their tongues and utter; thus is the utterance."