With ghemulah derived from gamel (H1580), meaning to retribute or to repay.   This name is used especially within the context of YHVH as the Judge executing justice in righteousness.

YHVH Ghemulah is, however, also YHVH Tseva’ot, or YHVH of hosts. We see the interaction between these two names in the judgement against Babylon in Jer 51:54-57: Listen! A cry from Baḇel, and great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans, because יהוה is ravaging Baḇel, and shall silence her loud voice. And her waves shall roar like great waters, the noise of their voice shall resound, because the ravager shall come against her, against Baḇel, and her mighty men shall be captured. Every one of their bows shall be broken, for יהוה is Ěl Ghemulah (El of recompense), He shall certainly repay. “And I shall make her rulers drunk, and her wise men, her governors, and her deputies, and her mighty men. And they shall sleep a lasting sleep, and not awake,” declares the Sovereign, whose Name isיהוה  Tseva’ot.  A similar judgement is spoken over Edom while announcing the escape for Israel in the same breath in Obadiah 1:15-17. The same is also true in Is 3:10.

Now we understand why HE exclaims Vengeance is mine!! in Deut 32:35 and Heb 10:30-31.  It is because He is YHVH Ghemulah, the One that repays. The evil done by His enemies and the enemies of those standing at His altar, at His banner, will in due time be repaid.  His people can focus on fighting off fear, doubt and unbelief.  They can stand firm and steadfast, doing good in assured hope that justice will be done. Let’s listen to Rom 12:18-21 in this regard: [F]or it has been written, “Vengeance is Mine, I shall repay,” says יהוה. [Therefore] … if your enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him a drink, for in so doing you shall heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Precious is it to know that ghemulah is also translated as the ripening of a crop, the reward, of a harvest. This indicates the time when the judgement and justice will take place: at the time of evil’s ripening like the harvest of a well-prepared crop.  We must leave the task of repayment to YHVH Ghemulah and rest, as Solomon states in Prov 20:22 Do not say, “I repay evil.” Wait for יהוה, and He saves you.

Take note though, as it was, so it will be: there is one more judgement installed for Babylon. In Rev 18 we read: Baḇel the great is fallen, is fallen, because all the nations have drunk of the wine, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the power of her riotous living… [thus] Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. Render to her as she indeed did render, and repay her double according to her works. In the cup which she has mixed, mix for her double. And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their merchandise any more. The merchants of evil will be repaid by having no one to buy their evil – because justice has been served by the One who repays, YHVH Ghemulah.