What does גָּבַהּ (gābah) mean in the Bible?
גָּבַהּ (gābah): Physical elevation to metaphorical pride: ascending literally becomes ascending in arrogance and self-exaltation against God's supremacy.
Hebrew · H1361
גָּבַהּ
To soar , i.e. be lofty ; figuratively, to be haughty
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גָּבַהּ H1361
Pronunciation gābah
What does גָּבַהּ (gābah) mean in the Bible?
גָּבַהּ (gābah): Physical elevation to metaphorical pride: ascending literally becomes ascending in arrogance and self-exaltation against God's supremacy.
Full entry for גָּבַהּ (H1361) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H1361?
The BSB source-word alignment has 34 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include are higher (2), high (2), is proud (2), It towered (2), and exalts them (1).
Where does גָּבַהּ (gābah) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at 1 Samuel 10:23. Its strongest book concentrations include Ezekiel (10), Isaiah (6), 2 Chronicles (4), Job (4).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It are higher 2× Isaiah 55:9
high 2× Job 35:5, Proverbs 17:19
is proud 2× Proverbs 18:12, Ezekiel 28:2
It towered 2× Ezekiel 19:11, Ezekiel 31:5
and exalts them 1× Job 36:7
and heightened it 1× 2 Chronicles 33:14
are haughty 1× Isaiah 3:16
as high 1× Psalms 103:11
be arrogant 1× Jeremiah 13:15
be haughty 1× Zephaniah 3:11
Exalt 1× Ezekiel 21:26
exalted 1× Isaiah 52:13
grew proud 1× Ezekiel 28:17
has grown proud 1× Ezekiel 28:5
his arrogance 1× 2 Chronicles 26:16
it became great 1× Ezekiel 31:10
on high 1× Psalms 113:5
proud 1× Psalms 131:1
soar 1× Job 39:27
tall 1× Ezekiel 17:24
taller 1× 1 Samuel 10:23
the heights 1× Isaiah 7:11
Thus they were haughty 1× Ezekiel 16:50
took delight 1× 2 Chronicles 17:6
upward 1× Job 5:7
was proud 1× 2 Chronicles 32:25
will be exalted 1× Isaiah 5:16
would become great 1× Ezekiel 31:14
you elevate 1× Jeremiah 49:16
you soar 1× Obadiah 1:4
Show sample aligned rows
1 Samuel 10:23 וַיִּגְבַּהּ֙ to taller Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 2 Chronicles 17:6 וַיִּגְבַּ֥הּ to took delight Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 2 Chronicles 26:16 גָּבַ֤הּ to his arrogance Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 2 Chronicles 32:25 גָבַ֖הּ to was proud Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 2 Chronicles 33:14 וַיַּגְבִּיהֶ֖הָ to and heightened it Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular Job 5:7 יַגְבִּ֥יהוּ to upward Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Job 35:5 גָּבְה֥וּ to high Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Job 36:7 וַיִּגְבָּֽהוּ׃ to and exalts them Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Job 39:27 יַגְבִּ֣יהַּ to soar Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Psalms 103:11 כִגְבֹ֣הַּ to as high Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row 1 Samuel 10:23
Aligned rows 34
Books represented 10
1 Samuel 1 2 Chronicles 4 Job 4 Psalms 3 Proverbs 2 Isaiah 6 Jeremiah 2 Ezekiel 10 Obadiah 1 Zephaniah 1
Source forms
גָּבַ֤הּ 3x gā·ḇah 2 Chronicles 26:16, Ezekiel 28:2, Ezekiel 28:17
וַיִּגְבַּ֥הּ 2x way·yiḡ·bah 2 Chronicles 17:6, Ezekiel 28:5
גָבַ֖הּ 1x ḡā·ḇah 2 Chronicles 32:25
גָבַ֣הּ 1x ḡā·ḇah Psalms 131:1
גָּבְהָ֣א 1x gā·ḇə·hā Ezekiel 31:5
גָֽבְהוּ֙ 1x ḡā·ḇə·hū Isaiah 3:16
גָבְה֥וּ 1x ḡā·ḇə·hū Isaiah 55:9
גָּבְה֥וּ 1x gā·ḇə·hū Job 35:5
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 5x 2 Chronicles 26:16, 2 Chronicles 32:25, Psalms 131:1, Ezekiel 28:2
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 4x 1 Samuel 10:23, 2 Chronicles 17:6, Isaiah 5:16, Ezekiel 28:5
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural 4x Job 35:5, Isaiah 3:16, Isaiah 55:9
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 2x Jeremiah 49:16, Obadiah 1:4
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute 2x Isaiah 7:11, Ezekiel 21:26
Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct 1x Psalms 113:5
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular 1x 2 Chronicles 33:14
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 1x Isaiah 52:13
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Physical elevation to metaphorical pride: ascending literally becomes ascending in arrogance and self-exaltation against God's supremacy.
Strong's H1361
Lexical occurrences 34 verses Word forms 2 forms 22 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Hosea 13:1-8 Source Gloss
to soar , i.e. be lofty ; figuratively, to be haughty
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Physical elevation to metaphorical pride: ascending literally becomes ascending in arrogance and self-exaltation against God's supremacy.
to soar, i.e. be lofty; figuratively, to be haughty BDB: be high Usage: exalt, be haughty, be (make) high(-er), lift up, mount up, be proud, raise up great height, upward.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 2 Aligned forms 22
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 14×
Perfect 2Chr 26:16 · 2Chr 32:25 · Ezek 28:2 · Ezek 28:17 · Ps 131:1 · Isa 3:16 · Isa 55:9 · Job 35:5 · Ezek 31:5 · Ezek 31:10 11×
Imperfect Ezek 31:14 · Prov 18:12 2×
Jussive Jer 13:15 1×
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 8×
Imperfect Jer 49:16 · Obad 1:4 · Job 5:7 · Job 39:27 4×
Infinitive absolute Ezek 21:31 · Isa 7:11 2×
Perfect Ezek 17:24 1×
Participle active Prov 17:19 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
to be high, exalted
To be high or exalted, often describing arrogance or self-elevation.
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 34 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
גָּבַהּ is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
The term captures the posture that provokes divine opposition and eventual humbling. Hosea 13:1-8
Prosperity breeds self-exaltation. Isaiah 3:16-4:1
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain