גַּבְהוּת
𐤂𐤁𐤄𐤅𐤕
gabhûwth
H1365 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A state or quality of being high, elevated, or exalted; in figurative usage, an attitude or disposition characterized by pride or arrogance. The basic sense relates to height or elevation, both literal (physical stature or position) and metaphorical (superiority, haughtiness, pride).
Semantic Range
height, elevation, loftiness (physical and metaphorical), pride, haughtiness, arrogance
Root / Etymology
From the root גבה (g-b-h), which conveys the notion of being high, tall, or exalted. גַּבְהוּת is a feminine abstract noun form derived from this root, expressing the quality or state of height or elevation. The lexical meaning shifts from physical elevation to a figurative application denoting pride or arrogance.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, גַּבְהוּת more often appears with a negative connotation, especially in wisdom and prophetic literature, where it refers to human pride or arrogance that sets a person in defiant elevation above others—or above proper bounds. Its usage is mostly metaphorical, referring to a state of heart or spirit rather than literal altitude. The term frequently appears in contrast to humility (עֲנָוָה) and is associated with divine opposition to the proud. While some English translations render גַּבְהוּת as 'pride' or 'arrogance,' the underlying metaphor of height is important to understanding how ancient Israelites conceptualized these qualities. It is relatively rare in the biblical corpus and is distinct from other terms like רוּם (to rise, be high) or שָׂגָב (to be set securely on high), which focus more on secure height or strength than on the idea of prideful elevation. The term does not carry the collective or ethnic meaning attached to later English terms like 'Jew' or 'Judaism'; its usage is psychological or moral, not sociological. Over time, post-biblical Hebrew continues to use derivatives of גבה for both literal and figurative height, but the specific term גַּבְהוּת came to be coded almost exclusively for 'pride' or haughtiness in moral discourse.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from גָּבַהּ; pride; loftiness, lofty.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גבה (g-b-h) — to be high, to be exalted, to be lofty
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1361 | גָּבַהּ | he was lofty |
| H1362 | גָּבָהּ | loftiness |
| H1363 | גֹּבַהּ | in their loftiness |
| H1364 | גָּבֹהַּ | lofty |
| H3011 | יׇגְבְּהָה | High-Place |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1365-01 |
גַּבְה֤וּת | gavehut | HNcfsc |
haughtiness | loftiness of | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1365-01 |
Isaiah 2:11 | גַּבְה֤וּת | gavehut | HNcfsc |
haughtiness | loftiness of |
H1365-01 |
Isaiah 2:17 | גַּבְה֣וּת | gavehut | HNcfsc |
pride | loftiness of |