Lexical Summary gaavah: Pride, arrogance, majesty, exaltation Original Word: גַּאֲוָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance excellency, haughtiness, highness, pride, proudly, swelling From ga'ah; arrogance or majesty; by implication, (concretely) ornament -- excellency, haughtiness, highness, pride, proudly, swelling. see HEBREW ga'ah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom gaah Definition majesty, pride NASB Translation arrogance (2), back (1), haughtiness (1), majesty (3), pride (8), proud (2), proudly (1), swelling pride (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs גַּאֲוָה noun feminine majesty, pride (compare Syriac  ) — Job 41:7 6t.; construct גַּאֲוַת Proverbs 29:23 2t.; suffix גַּאֲוָתִי Isaiah 13:3 8t.; — 1 rising up, swelling of the sea Psalm 46:4. 2 majesty, of Israel Deuteronomy 33:29, Moab Isaiah 16:6 = Jeremiah 48:29, scales of crocodile Job 41:7, of God Deuteronomy 33:26; Psalm 68:35. 3 pride, haughtiness Psalm 10:2; Psalm 31:19; Psalm 31:24; Psalm 36:12; Psalm 73:6; Proverbs 14:3; Proverbs 29:23; Isaiah 9:8; Isaiah 13:11; Isaiah 25:11; עליזי גאותי my proudly exulting ones Isaiah 13:3 compare Zephaniah 3:11. Topical Lexicon Scope of the Word in Scripture Across its nineteen occurrences the term moves on a spectrum from noble “majesty” (of God) to condemnable “pride” (of creatures). The same root that celebrates the splendor of the LORD unmasks the self-exaltation that provokes His judgment. Divine Majesty • Deuteronomy 33:26: “There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to your aid.” When applied to God the word extols His unrivaled greatness, inviting Israel to trust the One whose loftiness is life-giving, not oppressive. Moses anchors covenant security in this majestic character, while the psalmist makes God’s exaltation the rallying cry for worship. Human Arrogance Exposed • Psalm 10:2: “In pride the wicked pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes they devise.” Used of people, the word diagnoses a heart posture that displaces dependence on God. The wisdom books repeatedly contrast such arrogance with humility, showing that downfall, not dignity, is its harvest. Cosmic and Poetic Imagery • Job 41:15 views Leviathan’s interlocking scales as “his pride,” portraying untamable chaos clothed in insolent strength. National Haughtiness and Divine Judgment • Isaiah 16:6; Jeremiah 48:29 catalog Moab’s overbearing self-confidence. The prophets expose collective arrogance as a covenant violation. Whether Moab, Babylon, or even Jerusalem, national exaltation that ignores the Holy One invites decisive humbling. God’s sovereignty over history ensures that pride never has the last word. Pastoral and Ministry Implications 1. Worship: Magnifying the LORD’s majesty redirects attention from self to the throne (Deuteronomy 33:26). Christological Fulfillment Pride’s antithesis is found in Jesus Christ, who “humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death” (Philippians 2:8). The incarnate Lord embodies the true “majesty” of God while embracing utter lowliness, thereby overturning sinful arrogance and inviting His people into the same pattern (Matthew 11:29). Summary The word gathers two seemingly opposite realities—God’s incomparable loftiness and humanity’s illegitimate self-exaltation. Scripture upholds divine majesty as the ground of salvation and exposes creaturely pride as the seed of ruin. The gospel finally answers both themes: God stoops in Christ to save, and the proud are called to bow before the One whose exaltation alone brings life. Forms and Transliterations בְּגַאֲוַ֣ת בְּגַאֲוָ֛ה בְּגַאֲוָ֥ה בְּגַאֲוָת֣וֹ בגאוה בגאות בגאותו גַּ֭אֲוָה גַּֽאֲוָת֔וֹ גַּאֲוַ֣ת גַּאֲוָ֑ה גַּאֲוָת֑וֹ גַּאֲוָת֧וֹ גַּאֲוָתִֽי׃ גַּאֲוָתֵ֔ךְ גַּאֲוָתֶ֑ךָ גַאֲוָ֑ה גַאֲוָֽה׃ גאוה גאוה׃ גאות גאותו גאותי׃ גאותך וְגַאֲוַ֥ת וְגַאֲוָת֖וֹ וּבְגַאֲוָת֖וֹ ובגאותו וגאות וגאותו bə·ḡa·’ă·wā·ṯōw bə·ḡa·’ă·wāh bə·ḡa·’ă·waṯ bəḡa’ăwāh bəḡa’ăwaṯ bəḡa’ăwāṯōw begaaVah begaaVat begaavaTo ga’ăwāh ḡa’ăwāh ga’ăwaṯ ga’ăwāṯêḵ ga’ăwāṯeḵā ga’ăwāṯî ga’ăwāṯōw ga·’ă·wā·ṯe·ḵā ga·’ă·wā·ṯêḵ ga·’ă·wā·ṯî ga·’ă·wā·ṯōw ga·’ă·wāh ḡa·’ă·wāh ga·’ă·waṯ Gaavah gaaVat gaavaTech gaavaTecha gaavaTi gaavaTo ū·ḇə·ḡa·’ă·wā·ṯōw ūḇəḡa’ăwāṯōw uvegaavaTo vegaaVat vegaavaTo wə·ḡa·’ă·wā·ṯōw wə·ḡa·’ă·waṯ wəḡa’ăwaṯ wəḡa’ăwāṯōwLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 33:26 HEB: שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ בְעֶזְרֶ֔ךָ וּבְגַאֲוָת֖וֹ שְׁחָקִֽים׃ NAS: And through the skies in His majesty. KJV: in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. INT: the heavens to your help his majesty the skies Deuteronomy 33:29 Job 41:15 Psalm 10:2 Psalm 31:18 Psalm 31:23 Psalm 36:11 Psalm 46:3 Psalm 68:34 Psalm 73:6 Proverbs 14:3 Proverbs 29:23 Isaiah 9:9 Isaiah 13:3 Isaiah 13:11 Isaiah 16:6 Isaiah 25:11 Jeremiah 48:29 Zephaniah 3:11 19 Occurrences |
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