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גָּאוֹן

𐤂𐤀𐤅𐤍

gâʼôwn

H1347 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Majestic self-exaltation, proud bearing, or overwhelming greatness; frequently denotes pride (in a negative ethical sense), grandeur or splendor (of God, nations, or nature), sometimes extending to the concrete aspect of adornment or prominent feature (e.g., of the Jordan's flood). It conveys both the concept of human pride or arrogance and the manifestation of majesty, especially in poetic or prophetic contexts.

Semantic Range

pride, arrogance, haughtiness, majesty, splendor, greatness, ornament, swelling (of river), prominent feature, excellence

Root / Etymology

From the root גָּאָה (g-ʼ-h), meaning 'to rise, be lofty, be exalted.' גָּאוֹן is a noun formation indicating a quality or state associated with being high, lofty, or exalted. The lexical sense derives from the physical notion of rising or swelling (as of water) and figuratively extends to emotional or social elevation (pride, majesty). The relationship to גַּאֲוָה (ga'avah, 'pride') is immediate and the words are often synonymous, though גָּאוֹן may more frequently emphasize grandeur or outward display.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, גָּאוֹן frequently describes both positive and negative qualities, depending on the referent. When applied to Israel, Judah, or other nations, it often signifies pride, arrogance, or unwarranted self-exaltation, subject to prophetic rebuke—especially in exilic and post-exilic writings. When referring to God or something divinely related (e.g. 'the majesty of YHWH'), the term overwhelmingly conveys honor, splendor, or overwhelming greatness. In some metaphorical or poetic contexts, as in references to the 'pride' or 'swelling' of the Jordan (Jer 12:5; 49:19), it indicates a literal rising or increased volume of water as a prominent or impressive feature. Later biblical and post-biblical usage (including the Dead Sea Scrolls) can retain both the positive and negative connotations. English translations often select 'pride' or 'arrogance' for negative contexts, and 'majesty,' 'excellence,' or 'glory' for positive, but rarely capture the original's capacity to encompass both prideful self-exaltation and awe-inspiring grandeur.

Translation Consistency

primary "pride" 44 occurrences

'Pride' is the most frequent and natural English rendering in the SILEX data and covers the dominant semantic range (arrogance, haughtiness, exaltation). It is idiomatic for both negative ethical senses and many poetic uses (where English often uses 'pride' or 'pride of' for splendor/majesty), so it provides consistent, readable rendering across contexts.

Alternatives (5 occurrences):
"loftiness" (1x) "majesty" (1x) "majesty of" (1x) "like the loftiness of" (1x) "arrogancy" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from גָּאָה; the same as גַּאֲוָהxlit gaʻăvâh corrected to gaʼăvâh; {arrogance or majesty; by implication, (concretely) ornament}; arrogancy, excellency(-lent), majesty, pomp, pride, proud, swelling.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

גאה (Geuel) — to rise, to be high, to be exalted

Root גאה to rise, be exalted, be lofty
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

14 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1347-03 גְּא֣וֹן geon HNcmsc pride lofty grandeur of pride of 23
H1347-01 בִּ/גְא֣וֹן bigeon HR/Ncmsc by-the-pride-of loftiness of pride of 5
H1347-07 גְּאֹנֽ/וֹ geono HNcmsc/Sp3ms of his majesty his loftiness his pride 4
H1347-02 גָּא֨וֹן gaon HNcmsa pride lofty exaltation lofty pride 3
H1347-06 גְּאוֹנְ/ךָ֖ geonekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms of your majesty your loftiness your pride 2
H1347-09 לְ/גָא֣וֹן legaon HR/Ncmsa for pride for exalted loftiness for pride 2
H1347-11 מִ/גְּא֣וֹן migeon HR/Ncmsc from the thicket rising-exaltation of from the pride of 2
H1347-12 וּ/גְאוֹנ֛/וֹ ugeono HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms and his pride and his loftiness and his pride 2
H1347-04 גְּאוֹנָ֑/ם geonam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their pride their loftiness their pride 1
H1347-05 גְּאוֹנָֽיִ/ךְ geonayikhe HNcmpc/Sp2fs your-prides your loftinesses your prides 1

Occurrences in Scripture

49 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1347-06 Exodus 15:7 גְּאוֹנְ/ךָ֖ geonekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms of your majesty your loftiness your pride
H1347-03 Leviticus 26:19 גְּא֣וֹן geon HNcmsc pride lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-07 Isaiah 2:10 גְּאֹנֽ/וֹ geono HNcmsc/Sp3ms of his majesty his loftiness his loftiness
H1347-07 Isaiah 2:19 גְּאוֹנ֔/וֹ geono HNcmsc/Sp3ms of his majesty his loftiness of his majesty
H1347-07 Isaiah 2:21 גְּאוֹנ֔/וֹ geono HNcmsc/Sp3ms of his majesty his loftiness his pride
H1347-09 Isaiah 4:2 לְ/גָא֣וֹן legaon HR/Ncmsa for pride for exalted loftiness for pride
H1347-03 Isaiah 13:11 גְּא֣וֹן geon HNcmsc arrogance lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-03 Isaiah 13:19 גְּא֣וֹן geon HNcmsc of pride lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-06 Isaiah 14:11 גְּאוֹנֶ֖/ךָ geonekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your pomp your loftiness your pride
H1347-03 Isaiah 16:6 גְאוֹן geon HNcmsc the pride lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-12 Isaiah 16:6 וּ/גְאוֹנ֛/וֹ ugeono HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms and his pride and his loftiness and his pride
H1347-03 Isaiah 23:9 גְּא֣וֹן geon HNcmsc pride lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-01 Isaiah 24:14 בִּ/גְא֣וֹן bigeon HR/Ncmsc in the majesty loftiness of pride of
H1347-10 Isaiah 60:15 לִ/גְא֣וֹן ligeon HR/Ncmsc a pride lofty majesty of for majesty of
H1347-01 Jeremiah 12:5 בִּ/גְא֥וֹן bigeon HR/Ncmsc in the pride loftiness of pride of
H1347-03 Jeremiah 13:9 גְּא֧וֹן geon HNcmsc pride lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-03 Jeremiah 13:9 גְּא֥וֹן geon-2 HNcmsc pride lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-03 Jeremiah 48:29 גְאוֹן geon HNcmsc of the pride lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-12 Jeremiah 48:29 וּ/גְאוֹנ֛/וֹ ugeono HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms and his pride and his loftiness and his pride
H1347-11 Jeremiah 49:19 מִ/גְּא֣וֹן migeon HR/Ncmsc from the thicket rising-exaltation of pride of
H1347-11 Jeremiah 50:44 מִ/גְּא֣וֹן migeon HR/Ncmsc from the thicket rising-exaltation of from the pride of
H1347-09 Ezekiel 7:20 לְ/גָא֣וֹן legaon HR/Ncmsa for pride for exalted loftiness for pride
H1347-03 Ezekiel 7:24 גְּא֣וֹן geon HNcmsc the pride lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-02 Ezekiel 16:49 גָּא֨וֹן gaon HNcmsa pride lofty exaltation lofty pride
H1347-05 Ezekiel 16:56 גְּאוֹנָֽיִ/ךְ geonayikhe HNcmpc/Sp2fs your-prides your loftinesses your prides
H1347-03 Ezekiel 24:21 גְּא֣וֹן geon HNcmsc the pride lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-03 Ezekiel 30:6 גְּא֣וֹן geon HNcmsc pride-of lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-03 Ezekiel 30:18 גְּא֣וֹן geon HNcmsc pride lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-03 Ezekiel 32:12 גְּא֣וֹן geon HNcmsc the pride lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-03 Ezekiel 33:28 גְּא֣וֹן geon HNcmsc pride lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-03 Hosea 5:5 גְאֽוֹן geon HNcmsc pride lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-03 Hosea 7:10 גְאֽוֹן geon HNcmsc the pride lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-03 Amos 6:8 גְּא֣וֹן geon HNcmsc pride lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-01 Amos 8:7 בִּ/גְא֣וֹן bigeon HR/Ncmsc by-the-pride-of loftiness of pride of
H1347-01 Micah 5:3 בִּ/גְא֕וֹן bigeon HR/Ncmsc in-majesty loftiness of pride of
H1347-03 Nahum 2:3 גְּא֣וֹן geon HNcmsc the pride lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-08 Nahum 2:3 כִּ/גְא֖וֹן kigeon HR/Ncmsc like the pride like the loftiness of like the loftiness of
H1347-04 Zephaniah 2:10 גְּאוֹנָ֑/ם geonam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their pride their loftiness their pride
H1347-03 Zechariah 9:6 גְּא֥וֹן geon HNcmsc the pride lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-03 Zechariah 10:11 גְּא֣וֹן geon HNcmsc pride lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-03 Zechariah 11:3 גְּא֥וֹן geon HNcmsc pride lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-03 Psalms 47:5 גְּא֨וֹן geon HNcmsc the pride lofty grandeur of the pride of
H1347-14 Psalms 59:13 בִ/גְאוֹנָ֑/ם vigeonam HR/Ncmsc/Sp3mp in their pride in their loftiness in their pride
H1347-13 Proverbs 8:13 וְ/גָא֨וֹן vegaon HC/Ncmsa and arrogancy and exalted grandeur and arrogancy
H1347-02 Proverbs 16:18 גָּא֑וֹן gaon HNcmsa pride lofty exaltation lofty pride
H1347-03 Job 35:12 גְּא֣וֹן geon HNcmsc the pride lofty grandeur of pride of
H1347-07 Job 37:4 גְּאוֹנ֑/וֹ geono HNcmsc/Sp3ms his majesty his loftiness his pride
H1347-01 Job 38:11 בִּ/גְא֥וֹן bigeon HR/Ncmsc on the pride loftiness of pride of
H1347-02 Job 40:10 גָֽא֣וֹן gaon HNcmsa majesty lofty exaltation lofty pride
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