Lexical Summary gaboah: High, exalted, lofty Original Word: גָּבֹהּ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance haughty, height, higher, lofty, proud, exceeding proudly Or (fully) gabowahh {gaw-bo'-ah}; from gabahh; elevated (or elated), powerful, arrogant -- haughty, height, high(-er), lofty, proud, X exceeding proudly. see HEBREW gabahh NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom gabah Definition high, exalted NASB Translation haughtiness (1), haughty (2), high (22), higher officials (1), lofty (1), long (1), longer (1), longer one (1), official (2), proud (2), taller (1), very proudly (1), which is high (1), who are lofty (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs גָּבֹהַּ adjective high, exalted — 1 Samuel 9:2 15t.; גָּבוֺהַּ Psalm 138:6; construct גְּבֹהַּ 1 Samuel 16:7; גְּבַהּ (Ew§ 213 d) Psalm 101:5 3t.; plural גְּבֹהִים Ecclesiastes 5:7 5t.; feminine גְּבֹהָה Deuteronomy 3:5 6t.; plural גְּבֹהוֺת Daniel 8:3 2t.; גְּבֹהֹת Deuteronomy 28:52; — 1 high, lofty, tall, e.g. tree Ezekiel 17:24, tower Isaiah 2:15; Zephaniah 1:16, mountain Genesis 7:19; Psalm 104:18; Isaiah 40:9; Isaiah 57:7; Ezekiel 17:22; Ezekiel 40:2; compare phrases על כל גבעה גבהה upon every high hill 1 Kings 14:23; 2 Kings 17:10; Jeremiah 2:20; על גבעות הגבהות Jeremiah 17:2; עַלכָּֿלהַֿר גָּבֹהַּ Isaiah 30:25; Jeremiah 3:6; man 1 Samuel 9:2; tree גְּבַהּ קוֺמָה Ezekiel 31:3; horns Daniel 8:3; walls Deuteronomy 3:5; Deuteronomy 28:52; gallows Esther 5:14; Esther 7:9; gate Jeremiah 51:58; altar Ezekiel 41:22; high things Job 41:26; Ecclesiastes 12:5. 2 exalted in station Ezekiel 21:31; כִּי גָּבֹהַּ מֵעַל גָּבֹהַּ שֹׁמֵר וּגְבֹהִים עֲלֵיהֶם for high one above high one is watching, & the Most High over them Ecclesiastes 5:7 so Ew Zö and others, but Vrss De Now and others higher (earthly), potentates over them. 3 haughty Psalm 138:6; Isaiah 5:15; Isaiah 10:33; 1 Samuel 2:3; גְּבַהּעֵֿינַיִם Psalm 101:5; לֵב ׳ג Proverbs 16:5; רוּחַ ׳ג Ecclesiastes 7:8. 4. noun [masculine] loftiness, גִּבֹהַּ קוֺמַתוֺ 1 Samuel 16:7; compare גָּדוֺל 10, p. 153. Topical Lexicon Overview גָּבֹהַּ (gā·ḇō·ah) describes that which is high, lofty, tall, or exalted. Its thirty-seven occurrences spread across narrative, wisdom, poetic, and prophetic literature, allowing the Spirit to paint a multifaceted picture: literal elevation, social status, moral posture, and the incomparable supremacy of the LORD. Physical Height and Man-Made Structures 1. Natural elevation: “all the high mountains” (Genesis 7:19) and “the heavens are high” (Proverbs 25:3) employ גָּבֹהַּ for vertical distance. Divine Majesty and Transcendence גָּבֹהַּ testifies to the LORD’s transcendence. David exults, “He reached down from on high and took hold of me” (Psalm 18:16; 2 Samuel 22:17). God’s vantage point is never threatened, yet He stoops to save. The divine summons in Isaiah 57:15 (“the High and Holy One”) uses a cognate, reinforcing a theology of holy otherness that nevertheless dwells “with the contrite.” Moral and Spiritual Qualities Positive height becomes negative when applied to the heart: The same adjective that extols God exposes the peril of self-exaltation. Wisdom literature repeatedly contrasts the proud heart with the humble whom the LORD esteems (Isaiah 66:2). Human Authority and Social Hierarchy Ecclesiastes 5:8 notes that “one official is watched by a higher official, and there are even higher ones over them.” גָּבֹהַּ delineates bureaucratic layers, showing that earthly rank is relative and accountable to a still higher throne. Prophetic Usage: Judgment and Hope Prophets employ גָּבֹהַּ to announce judgment on structures of arrogance: Yet height also foreshadows restoration: Zechariah 14:10 envisions Jerusalem “remaining exalted,” hinting at eschatological security guaranteed by the LORD’s own elevation. Worship Setting and Temple Imagery Hezekiah “built towers” (2 Chronicles 32:5) and Manasseh repaired a “very high wall” (2 Chronicles 33:14). The Chronicler’s record links physical height with fortified worship space, but the prophets insist that true security lies not in altitude but in covenant fidelity. Messianic Reflection Though גָּבֹהַּ itself is not the usual verb for Christ’s exaltation, its theology converges on Philippians 2:9, where God “exalted” Jesus above every name. Earthly loftiness turns hollow beside the risen, ascended Lord, the ultimate embodiment of holy height. Pastoral and Ministry Applications • Humility: Leaders must guard against the subtle slide from God-given position to self-given pride. Key References Genesis 7:19; Deuteronomy 3:5; Deuteronomy 28:52; 2 Samuel 22:17; Psalm 18:16; Psalm 101:5; Proverbs 16:18; Proverbs 18:11; Proverbs 25:3; Ecclesiastes 5:8; Ecclesiastes 12:5; Isaiah 2:12–15; Ezekiel 1:18; Habakkuk 2:9; Zechariah 14:10. The term גָּבֹהַּ ultimately calls God’s people to behold true height in the LORD alone, walk humbly, and serve from the secure elevation granted by His grace. Forms and Transliterations גְּבֹ֥הַּ גְּבֹה֗וֹת גְּבֹהָ֗ה גְּבֹהָ֣ה גְבֹהִ֖ים גְבֹהָ֔ה גְבֹהָ֖ה גָּבֹ֑הַ גָּבֹ֖הַ גָּבֹ֖הַּ גָּבֹ֗הַ גָּבֹ֗הַּ גָּבֹ֙הַּ֙ גָּבֹ֜הַּ גָּבֹ֣הַּ גָּבֹ֤הַ גָּבֹ֥הַּ גָבֹ֜הַּ גבה גבהה גבהות גבהים הַ֭גְּבֹהִים הַגְּבֹה֣וֹת הַגְּבֹהִ֔ים הַגְּבֹהִ֖ים הַגְּבֹהֽוֹת׃ הַשְׁפִּֽיל׃ הגבהות הגבהות׃ הגבהים השפיל׃ וְ֝גָבֹ֗הַּ וְהַ֨גְּבֹהָ֔ה וְהַגְּבֹהִ֖ים וּגְבֹהִ֖ים וגבה וגבהים והגבהה והגבהים מִגָּבֹ֤הַּ מגבה gā·ḇō·ah ḡā·ḇō·ah gā·ḇō·ha gāḇōah ḡāḇōah gāḇōha gaVoah gaVoha gə·ḇō·ah gə·ḇō·hāh ḡə·ḇō·hāh ḡə·ḇō·hîm gə·ḇō·hō·wṯ gəḇōah gəḇōhāh ḡəḇōhāh ḡəḇōhîm gəḇōhōwṯ geVoah gevoHah gevoHim gevoHot hag·gə·ḇō·hîm hag·gə·ḇō·hō·wṯ haggəḇōhîm haggəḇōhōwṯ haggevoHim haggevoHot haš·pîl hashPil hašpîl mig·gā·ḇō·ah miggāḇōah miggaVoah ū·ḡə·ḇō·hîm ūḡəḇōhîm ugevoHim vegaVoah veHaggevoHah vehaggevoHim wə·ḡā·ḇō·ah wə·hag·gə·ḇō·hāh wə·hag·gə·ḇō·hîm wəḡāḇōah wəhaggəḇōhāh wəhaggəḇōhîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 7:19 HEB: כָּל־ הֶֽהָרִים֙ הַגְּבֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־ תַּ֖חַת NAS: so that all the high mountains KJV: upon the earth; and all the high hills, INT: all mountains the high after under Deuteronomy 3:5 Deuteronomy 28:52 1 Samuel 2:3 1 Samuel 2:3 1 Samuel 9:2 1 Samuel 16:7 1 Kings 14:23 2 Kings 17:10 Esther 5:14 Esther 7:9 Job 41:34 Psalm 104:18 Psalm 138:6 Ecclesiastes 5:8 Ecclesiastes 5:8 Ecclesiastes 5:8 Ecclesiastes 12:5 Isaiah 2:15 Isaiah 5:15 Isaiah 10:33 Isaiah 30:25 Isaiah 40:9 Isaiah 57:7 Jeremiah 2:20 37 Occurrences |