גֵּאָה (ge.ah)
ge.ah
pride
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun ge’ah denotes pride, appearing only once in the Old Testament at Proverbs 8:13. In this context, it is listed alongside fear of the Lord as a defining characteristic of wisdom. The word captures an attitude of arrogance or haughtiness that stands in direct opposition to reverence for God.
Its singular occurrence highlights how rare and specific this term is within Scripture. While other words for pride exist, ge’ah serves as a concise label for the self-exalting spirit that wisdom rejects. The text presents it not merely as an emotion, but as a fundamental stance of the heart that must be abandoned to possess true understanding.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ge'ah appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, found in Proverbs 8:13. Wisdom declares that fearing the Lord means hating this specific kind of pride. It is not just a feeling of confidence, but an arrogant stance that elevates self above God. This single occurrence shows how seriously Scripture takes the attitude of self-exaltation.
When we encounter this word, it invites us to examine our own hearts. Do we trust in our own understanding more than in God's guidance? True wisdom begins with reverence for the Creator. By rejecting pride, we open ourselves to receive the fear of the Lord as a gift.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- pride1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- גֵּ֘אָ֤ה1×
Key Verses
-
Proverbs 8:13
The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.
This verse uniquely links ge'ah directly with the 'fear of Yahweh,' defining wisdom's primary enemy.