What the Bible Says About Pride

"Pride" appears 49 times in the King James Bible, "proud" 48 times and "proudly" 9 times. That's 106 times in all, in 100 verses, and all but 9 are in the Old Testament. The first is Exodus 18:11, "for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them". The first "pride" is in Leviticus 26:19 and the first "proud" in Job 9:13. The last is 1 John 2:16, "and the pride of life".

Of the 106, 46 stand for ga'on and six related words that Strong's Concordance traces to one Hebrew verb, ga'ah. Strong's defines ga'ah as "to mount up; hence, in general, to rise, (figuratively) be majestic." Another 28 stand for zud, "to seethe; figuratively, to be insolent," for its Aramaic counterpart and for three words Strong's derives from it. Below are passages on pride, each quoted word for word with its reference. Short notes give the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek words behind the English. A table near the end counts the words behind pride, and a list gives every verse where the King James text says it.

Pride goeth before destruction (Proverbs 16:18 and 19)

18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. (Proverbs 16:18-19)

"Pride" is ga'on. Strong's gives it the meaning of ga'avah, "arrogance or majesty; by implication, (concretely) ornament." "An haughty spirit" is gobah and ruach, and Strong's defines gobah as "elation, grandeur, arrogance." In verse 19 "an humble spirit" is shaphal and ruach. Shaphal is "depressed, literally or figuratively." "The proud" is ge'eh, "lofty; figuratively, arrogant," another word from ga'ah.

When pride cometh (Proverbs 11:2 and 13:10)

When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2)

Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom. (Proverbs 13:10)

Both prides are zadon, which Strong's defines as "arrogance" and derives from zud. Zud is the verb in Genesis 25:29, "And Jacob sod pottage". "Sod" is zud, and "pottage" is nazid, which Strong's derives from zud and defines as "something boiled, i.e. soup." In Proverbs 11:2 "the lowly" is tsana, "to humiliate." It comes once more, in Micah 6:8, "and to walk humbly with thy God".

A man's pride shall bring him low (Proverbs 29:23)

A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. (Proverbs 29:23)

"Pride" is ga'avah. "Shall bring him low" is shaphel, whose definition in Strong's opens "to depress or sink." "The humble" is shaphal, which Strong's derives from shaphel. It's the same word as "humble" in Proverbs 16:19.

Pride, and arrogancy (Proverbs 8:13)

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. (Proverbs 8:13)

"Pride, and arrogancy" is ge'ah and ga'on, two words from ga'ah side by side. Strong's defines ge'ah as "arrogance." The KJV prints ga'on 49 times. It's pride 19 times, excellency 10, majesty 7, pomp 5, arrogancy 3, swelling 3, excellent once and proud once. In Exodus 15:7 it's the "excellency" of "the greatness of thine excellency," and in Isaiah 2:10 the "majesty" of "the glory of his majesty". All three of its swellings are the swelling of Jordan, as in Jeremiah 49:19, "like a lion from the swelling of Jordan". The other two are Jeremiah 50:44 and Jeremiah 12:5, which is on the peace page. Zechariah 11:3 says "the pride of Jordan".

A proud look (Proverbs 6:16 to 19)

16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. (Proverbs 6:16-19)

"A proud look" is two Hebrew words, ayin, whose definition opens "an eye," and rum, whose definition opens "to be high actively, to rise or raise."

A proud heart (Psalm 101:5 and Proverbs 21:4)

Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer. (Psalm 101:5)

An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin. (Proverbs 21:4)

In both verses "proud" is rachab, which Strong's defines as "roomy, in any (or every) direction, literally or figuratively." The KJV prints rachab 21 times, large 8 times, broad 5, wide 3, proud 3, broader once and at liberty once. The third proud is in Proverbs 28:25, where the word for heart is nephesh. In Psalm 101:5 "an high look" is gabah, the adjective, with ayin. In Proverbs 21:4 it's rum, the noun, "(literally) elevation or (figuratively) elation," with ayin.

The pride of his countenance (Psalm 10:4)

The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. (Psalm 10:4)

"The pride of his countenance" is gobah and aph. Aph is the Hebrew word behind 176 of the KJV's 279 anger words, as the anger page shows, and its definition in Strong's opens "properly, the nose or nostril." Two verses earlier, Psalm 10:2 says "The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor," and that pride is ga'avah.

The proud waters (Psalm 124:4 and 5)

4 Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul: 5 Then the proud waters had gone over our soul. (Psalm 124:4-5)

"Proud" is zeydon, which Strong's derives from zud and defines as "boiling of water, i.e. wave." It's found nowhere else in the Old Testament. In Job 38:11, "and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?", proud is ga'on.

The children of pride (Job 41:34)

He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride. (Job 41:34)

"Pride" is shachats, which Strong's defines as "haughtiness (as evinced by the attitude)" and derives "from an unused root apparently meaning to strut." "The children of pride" is two Hebrew words, ben and shachats. They come together once more, in Job 28:8, where the KJV prints them "The lion's whelps". Shachats is found nowhere else. "High" is gaboah.

We have heard the pride of Moab (Jeremiah 48:29 and Isaiah 16:6)

We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud) his loftiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart. (Jeremiah 48:29)

We have heard of the pride of Moab; he is very proud: even of his haughtiness, and his pride, and his wrath: but his lies shall not be so. (Isaiah 16:6)

Jeremiah 48:29 has six words for pride, and five Hebrew words stand behind them. The "pride" of "the pride of Moab" and "his arrogancy" are both ga'on. "Proud" is ge'eh, "loftiness" is gobah, "his pride" is ga'avah and "haughtiness" is rum, the noun. Isaiah 16:6 has ga'on twice, in "the pride of Moab" and "his pride." "Proud" is ge', and "his haughtiness" is ga'avah. "His wrath" is ebrah, one of the words in the anger page's table.

The pride of thine heart (Obadiah 1:3 and 4)

3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? 4 Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD. (Obadiah 1:3-4)

"Pride" is zadon, as in Proverbs 11:2. "Exalt" is gabah, the verb, "to soar, i.e. be lofty; figuratively, to be haughty," and Strong's derives gobah from it, the "haughty" of Proverbs 16:18.

Pride, fulness of bread (Ezekiel 16:49 and 50)

49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good. (Ezekiel 16:49-50)

"Pride" is ga'on, and "they were haughty" is gabah, the verb of Obadiah 1:4.

Hezekiah humbled himself (2 Chronicles 32:25 and 26)

25 But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem. 26 Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah. (2 Chronicles 32:25-26)

"Was lifted up" is gabah, and the "pride" of "the pride of his heart" is gobah. "Humbled himself" is kana, whose definition in Strong's opens "properly, to bend the knee."

Those that walk in pride (Daniel 4:37 and 5:20)

Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase. (Daniel 4:37)

But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: (Daniel 5:20)

These verses are in Aramaic. In Daniel 4:37 "pride" is gevah, which Strong's gives the meaning of the Hebrew gevah, "exaltation; (figuratively) arrogance." "Abase" is shephal, the Aramaic counterpart of the shaphel in Proverbs 29:23. In Daniel 5:20 "pride" is zud, the Aramaic counterpart of the Hebrew zud.

God resisteth the proud (James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5)

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. (James 4:6)

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. (1 Peter 5:5)

"God resisteth the proud" and the words after it are the same eight Greek words in both verses. The KJV prints them a little differently, "but giveth grace unto the humble" in James and "and giveth grace to the humble" in 1 Peter. "The proud" is huperēphanos. Strong's derives it from huper, "over," and phainō, "to lighten (shine), i.e. show," and defines it as "appearing above others (conspicuous), i.e. (figuratively) haughty." "Resisteth" is antitassō, "to range oneself against, i.e. oppose." "The humble" is tapeinos. 1 Peter 5:6 and 7 are on the worry page.

He hath scattered the proud (Luke 1:51 and 52)

51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. (Luke 1:51-52)

"The proud" is huperēphanos again, and "them of low degree" is tapeinos, the "humble" of James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5. The KJV prints huperēphanos 5 times, and each is proud.

Out of the heart (Mark 7:21 to 23)

21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. (Mark 7:21-23)

"Pride" is huperēphania, which Strong's derives from huperēphanos and defines as "haughtiness." It's found nowhere else in the New Testament.

Lifted up with pride (1 Timothy 3:6)

Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. (1 Timothy 3:6)

"Being lifted up with pride" is one Greek word, tuphoō. Strong's defines it as "to envelop with smoke, i.e. (figuratively) to inflate with self-conceit" and traces it to tuphō, "to make a smoke, i.e. slowly consume without flame." Tuphoō comes three times in the New Testament. The KJV prints it "lifted up with pride" here, "proud" in 1 Timothy 6:4, "He is proud, knowing nothing," and "highminded" in 2 Timothy 3:4.

The pride of life (1 John 2:16)

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1 John 2:16)

"Pride" is alazoneia, "braggadocio, i.e. (by implication) self-confidence." It comes once more, in James 4:16, where the KJV prints it "boastings." Strong's derives it from alazōn, "braggart," which the KJV prints "boasters" in Romans 1:30 and 2 Timothy 3:2. In both of those verses "proud" stands beside it, and that proud is huperēphanos.

The words behind pride

The KJV says pride, proud or proudly 106 times. Counted by their Strong's numbers, the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek words in this table stand behind all 106.

The 46 are ga'on, ga'avah, ge'eh, ge'uth, ge'ah, ge' and ga'ayon. Strong's traces gevah, Hebrew and Aramaic, to ga'ah too, but through gev, "the back," and gevah's 3 aren't counted in the 46. Zud, zed, zadon, zeydon and the Aramaic zud are the 28 from zud. In Psalm 31:20 the "pride" of "the pride of man" is rokes, which Strong's defines as "a snare (as of tied meshes)." In Job 26:12 "the proud" is rahab, "bluster(-er)."

Every place the KJV says pride

Pride, proud and proudly come in these 100 verses.

• Exodus 18:11
• Leviticus 26:19
• 1 Samuel 2:3, 17:28
• 2 Chronicles 32:26
• Nehemiah 9:10, 9:16, 9:29
• Job 9:13, 26:12, 33:17, 35:12, 38:11, 40:11, 40:12, 41:15, 41:34
• Psalms 10:2, 10:4, 12:3, 17:10, 31:18, 31:20, 31:23, 36:11, 40:4, 59:12, 73:6, 86:14, 94:2, 101:5, 119:21, 119:51, 119:69, 119:78, 119:85, 119:122, 123:4, 124:5, 138:6, 140:5
• Proverbs 6:17, 8:13, 11:2, 13:10, 14:3, 15:25, 16:5, 16:18, 16:19, 21:4, 21:24, 28:25, 29:23
• Ecclesiastes 7:8
• Isaiah 2:12, 3:5, 9:9, 13:11, 16:6, 23:9, 25:11, 28:1, 28:3
• Jeremiah 13:9, 13:15, 13:17, 43:2, 48:29, 49:16, 50:29, 50:31, 50:32
• Ezekiel 7:10, 16:49, 16:56, 30:6
• Daniel 4:37, 5:20
• Hosea 5:5, 7:10
• Obadiah 1:3, 1:12
• Habakkuk 2:5
• Zephaniah 2:10, 3:11
• Zechariah 9:6, 10:11, 11:3
• Malachi 3:15, 4:1
• Mark 7:22
• Luke 1:51
• Romans 1:30
• 1 Timothy 3:6, 6:4
• 2 Timothy 3:2
• James 4:6
• 1 Peter 5:5
• 1 John 2:16

1 Samuel 17:28 and Job 9:13 are on the anger page, since each also says anger.

Worry, fear, grief, strength, love, forgiveness, hope, peace and anger

Worry, fear, grief, strength, love, forgiveness, hope, peace and anger have pages of their own. They're What the Bible Says About Worry, What the Bible Says About Fear, What the Bible Says About Grief, What the Bible Says About Strength, What the Bible Says About Love, What the Bible Says About Forgiveness, What the Bible Says About Hope, What the Bible Says About Peace and What the Bible Says About Anger. Every chapter quoted here can be read whole in Read the Bible.

How this page was made

Every verse is quoted from the 1769 standard text of the King James Version and checked word for word against two more digital copies. The printed KJV sets supplied words in italics, which this page doesn't show. Verse numbers follow the KJV. Hebrew Bibles number some of the verses named here differently, among them Daniel 4:37, which is 4:34 there, Job 41:34, which is 41:26, and Psalm 12:3, 31:20 and 40:4, which are 12:4, 31:21 and 40:5.

Hebrew and Aramaic words were identified with the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. Greek words were identified with STEPBible's tagged Greek New Testament. The counts of the words behind pride come from the Strong's numbers in the CrossWire Bible Society's KJV, each checked against the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible or STEPBible's Greek. In two verses the counts follow the Hebrew instead of the CrossWire numbers. In Jeremiah 48:29 CrossWire puts ga'avah on "his arrogancy" and ga'on on "his pride." The Hebrew has ga'on first and ga'avah second, the King James words follow the Hebrew's order through the verse, and Strong's lists arrogancy among ga'on's renderings but not ga'avah's. In Psalm 123:4 CrossWire puts three numbers on "the proud," where the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible has one word, ga'ayon. Greek counts follow the Textus Receptus as STEPBible gives it. Every Greek word the notes cite in a quoted verse stands in all eight Greek editions STEPBible compares. Some quoted words don't. "Be subject" in 1 Peter 5:5 stands in two of the eight, and the notes cite no Greek for words like it. STEPBible is a Tyndale House Cambridge project. STEPBible's data and the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible are both shared under CC BY 4.0. The definitions come from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890). If you find a mistake, tell us through the support page.

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