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גָּאָה

𐤂𐤀𐤄

gâʼâh

H1342 verb

SILEX Entry

Root גאה to rise, be high, be exalted, become proud

Definition

To rise or be lifted up, both in a physical and figurative sense. In its primary sense, the verb refers to being high, exalted, or elevated—whether describing physical elevation (e.g., waves rising high, a mountain's height) or states of power, victory, or majesty. The semantic range includes literal rising (of natural phenomena like seas or rivers), as well as metaphorical rising (social stature, triumph, pride, or exaltation).

Semantic Range

to rise, to mount up (physically), to be exalted, to be magnified, to triumph, to be majestic, to be haughty/proud, to be victorious, to swell (as of water), to increase (in status or power)

Root / Etymology

From the root גָּאֺה (גאה), which conveys the idea of rising, being high, or becoming prominent. The verb is primitive and does not appear to be derived from a more basic form, but rather itself functions as a root from which nouns (such as גָּאוֹן ga'ôn, 'pride, majesty'), and adjectives are formed. The core meaning is 'to rise, be high, be exalted.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, גָּאָה is used both literally and figuratively. Literally, it often describes things like the swelling or mounting up of bodies of water (e.g. the Red Sea in the Song of the Sea, Exodus 15:1, 21), or more generally, physical rising up. Figuratively, it frequently refers to states of majesty, greatness, or triumph, sometimes applied to YHWH's actions or nature (Exodus 15:1) and sometimes to human pride or haughtiness (Isaiah 5:16, 13:11). Notably, it is both positive (exaltation, victory) and negative (arrogance, haughtiness), depending on the subject and context. English translations often capture one aspect (gloriously, triumph, exalted), but may miss the ambiguity between positive elevation (majesty, renown, awe-inspiring status) and negative elevation (pride, arrogance). Over time, the word’s association with YHWH’s triumph and exaltation becomes prominent, especially in poetic and hymnic literature, but it continues to carry the double-edged sense of both legitimate and illegitimate elevation (exaltation vs. arrogance). Contrast with related roots such as רום (to be high, raised up in a more neutral or architectural sense) and נשא (to lift, carry, often with the focus on supportive raising rather than inherent greatness).

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to mount up; hence, in general, to rise, (figuratively) be majestic; gloriously, grow up, increase, be risen, triumph.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

גאה (g-ʾ-h) — to rise, be high, be exalted, become proud

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1341 גֵּא proud one
H1343 גֵּאֶה lofty
H1344 גֵּאָה self-exaltation
H1345 גְּאוּאֵל El has exalted
H1346 גַּאֲוָה in loftiness

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1342-02 גָאֹ֣ה gaoh HVqa He has triumphed rising high 2
H1342-01 גָּאָ֔ה gaah HVqp3ms gloriously he rose high 2
H1342-05 וְ֭/יִגְאֶה veyigeeh HC/Vqi3ms and it lifts up and he rises high 1
H1342-04 הֲ/יִֽגְאֶה hayigeeh HTi/Vqi3ms Can it grow up will he rise? 1
H1342-03 גָא֤וּ gau HVqp3cp had-risen they rose high 1

Occurrences in Scripture

7 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1342-02 Exodus 15:1 גָאֹ֣ה gaoh HVqa highly exalted rising high
H1342-01 Exodus 15:1 גָּאָ֔ה gaah HVqp3ms He has exalted he rose high
H1342-02 Exodus 15:21 גָאֹ֣ה gaoh HVqa He has triumphed rising high
H1342-01 Exodus 15:21 גָּאָ֔ה gaah HVqp3ms gloriously he rose high
H1342-03 Ezekiel 47:5 גָא֤וּ gau HVqp3cp had-risen they rose high
H1342-04 Job 8:11 הֲ/יִֽגְאֶה hayigeeh HTi/Vqi3ms Can it grow up will he rise?
H1342-05 Job 10:16 וְ֭/יִגְאֶה veyigeeh HC/Vqi3ms and it lifts up and he rises high
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