גַּאֲוָה
𐤂𐤀𐤅𐤄
gaʼăvâh
H1346 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
State or quality of being exalted, lofty, or raised up, often referring to majesty, grandeur, or splendor, but also frequently indicating pride, arrogance, or haughtiness depending on context. In concrete usage, especially in poetic texts, can denote something elevated or imposing, such as a swelling, rising wave, or an ornament signifying distinction.
Semantic Range
exaltation, majesty, grandeur, pride, arrogance, haughtiness, swelling, ornament, something elevated or imposing
Root / Etymology
From the root גאה meaning 'to rise, be high, exalt oneself.' גַּאֲוָה is a feminine noun formation, originally signifying 'loftiness' or 'exaltation,' both in a physical and metaphorical sense.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In early biblical usage (e.g., in poetry such as Exodus 15:7 and Isaiah 28:1), גַּאֲוָה is often applied to Yahweh's majesty or might, emphasizing divine grandeur, power, or exaltation. In other contexts, especially wisdom literature and prophetic writings, it takes on a negative moral sense, signifying arrogance, pride, or haughtiness, qualities condemned as antithetical to humility. This dual usage reflects generic Hebrew patterns wherein a term for elevation or accomplishment acquires pejorative connotations when describing human attitudes or behavior. The concrete sense of 'swelling' (e.g., of waves, mountains) is relatively rare and poetic. English translations such as 'pride,' 'haughtiness,' or 'majesty' can be contextually accurate but seldom capture the full range depending on whether the referent is divine or human. The term is closely related to גָּאוֹן (ga'ōn, 'pride, majesty'), with גַּאֲוָה emphasizing either the state of exaltation or the attitude of self-exaltation, often contextually determined. Over time, the term's negative valence predominated in post-biblical Hebrew.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
xlit gaʻăvâh corrected to gaʼăvâh; from גָּאָה; arrogance or majesty; by implication, (concretely) ornament; excellency, haughtiness, highness, pride, proudly, swelling.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גאה (g-ʾ-h) — to rise, be high, exalt oneself
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1341 | גֵּא | proud one |
| H1342 | גָּאָה | he rose high |
| H1343 | גֵּאֶה | lofty |
| H1344 | גֵּאָה | self-exaltation |
| H1345 | גְּאוּאֵל | El has exalted |
Word Forms
12 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1346-04 |
גַאֲוָֽה | gaavah | HNcfsa |
pride | loftiness | 5 |
H1346-09 |
גַּאֲוָת֧/וֹ | gaavato | HNcfsc/Sp3ms |
his haughtiness | his loftiness | 3 |
H1346-01 |
בְּ/גַאֲוָ֛ה | begaavah | HR/Ncfsa |
in pride | in loftiness | 2 |
H1346-12 |
וְ/גַאֲוָת֖/וֹ | vegaavato | HC/Ncfsc/Sp3ms |
and his arrogance | and his loftiness | 1 |
H1346-10 |
וּ/בְ/גַאֲוָת֖/וֹ | uvegaavato | HC/R/Ncfsc/Sp3ms |
and in his excellency | and in his loftiness | 1 |
H1346-03 |
בְּ/גַאֲוָת֣/וֹ | begaavato | HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms |
with its surging | in his loftiness | 1 |
H1346-06 |
גַּאֲוָתֶ֑/ךָ | gaavatekha | HNcfsc/Sp2ms |
of your majesty | your exaltation | 1 |
H1346-11 |
וְ/גַאֲוַ֥ת | vegaavat | HC/Ncfsc |
and-pride | and loftiness-of | 1 |
H1346-05 |
גַּאֲוַ֣ת | gaavat | HNcfsc |
pride | loftiness of | 1 |
H1346-02 |
בְּ/גַאֲוַ֣ת | begaavat | HR/Ncfsc |
in-arrogance | in exaltedness of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
19 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1346-10 |
Deuteronomy 33:26 | וּ/בְ/גַאֲוָת֖/וֹ | uvegaavato | HC/R/Ncfsc/Sp3ms |
and in his excellency | and in his loftiness |
H1346-06 |
Deuteronomy 33:29 | גַּאֲוָתֶ֑/ךָ | gaavatekha | HNcfsc/Sp2ms |
of your majesty | your exaltation |
H1346-01 |
Isaiah 9:8 | בְּ/גַאֲוָ֛ה | begaavah | HR/Ncfsa |
in pride | in loftiness |
H1346-08 |
Isaiah 13:3 | גַּאֲוָתִֽ/י | gaavati | HNcfsc/Sp1cs |
my pride | my loftiness |
H1346-11 |
Isaiah 13:11 | וְ/גַאֲוַ֥ת | vegaavat | HC/Ncfsc |
and-pride | and loftiness-of |
H1346-09 |
Isaiah 16:6 | גַּאֲוָת֧/וֹ | gaavato | HNcfsc/Sp3ms |
his haughtiness | his loftiness |
H1346-09 |
Isaiah 25:11 | גַּֽאֲוָת֔/וֹ | gaavato | HNcfsc/Sp3ms |
his pride | his loftiness |
H1346-12 |
Jeremiah 48:29 | וְ/גַאֲוָת֖/וֹ | vegaavato | HC/Ncfsc/Sp3ms |
and his arrogance | and his loftiness |
H1346-07 |
Zephaniah 3:11 | גַּאֲוָתֵ֔/ךְ | gaavatekhe | HNcfsc/Sp2fs |
of-your-pride | your loftiness |
H1346-02 |
Psalms 10:2 | בְּ/גַאֲוַ֣ת | begaavat | HR/Ncfsc |
in-arrogance | in exaltedness of |