גֹּ֫בַהּ (go.vah)
go.vah
height
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 10 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun govah denotes physical elevation, such as a high place or mountain peak, but it frequently carries a moral dimension in Scripture. While it can describe literal altitude, it often symbolizes exaltation or grandeur, reflecting a status that is lifted above others.
This word appears ten times in the Bible, with significant usage in Job, II Chronicles, and Amos. In these contexts, govah frequently describes the arrogance of nations or individuals who pride themselves on their elevated position. For instance, Amos uses it to condemn the haughtiness of Israel, linking physical height with spiritual pride.
The term bridges the concrete and the abstract, illustrating how ancient Hebrew thought connected spatial elevation with social or moral superiority. Translators often render it as "haughtiness" when the context implies arrogance, capturing the idea that being high up can become a source of dangerous pride rather than mere physical fact.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word govah brings together two ideas that often feel separate: physical height and spiritual pride. In ancient thought, being high up was not just a matter of geography; it was a symbol of status, power, and influence. When Scripture uses this term, it reminds us that elevation can be dangerous if it leads to arrogance. The Bible frequently warns against letting our position or achievements become a source of self-exaltation, as this pride often distances us from God.
Yet this word also points to the vastness of God’s creation and His supreme authority. In Job, the imagery of height is used to describe the heavens and the stars, highlighting how small human understanding is compared to divine wisdom. We are invited to look up not with pride, but with awe. When we recognize that true dignity comes from God alone, we can let go of the need to elevate ourselves above others.
This tension between earthly pride and heavenly humility is a central theme in Scripture. It challenges us to examine where we place our confidence. Are we resting in our own strength and status, or are we grounded in the grace that lifts us up? By acknowledging God’s sovereignty, we find peace in knowing that our worth is not defined by how high we climb, but by whose hands hold us.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 10 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- height/ his2×
- in/ [the] haughtiness of1×
- haughtiness/ its1×
- haughtiness of1×
- and/ the/ height1×
- and/ dignity1×
- according to/ [the] haughtiness of1×
- [was] like/ [the] height of1×
- [the] heights of1×
- [the] height of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- גֹּ֣בַהּ2×
- כְּ/גֹ֤בַהּ1×
- כְּ/גֹ֣בַהּ1×
- וָ/גֹ֑בַהּ1×
- וְ/הַ/גֹּ֖בַהּ1×
- גָּבְהֵ֣י1×
- גָּבְה֧/וֹ1×
- גָּבְה֕/וֹ1×
- גָּבְה֔/וֹ1×
- בְּ/גֹ֣בַהּ1×
Key Verses
-
Amos 2:9
Yet I destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.
This verse uses the physical height of the Amorite trees to illustrate God's power to destroy even the most formidable earthly strength.
-
Job 11:8
They are high as heaven. What can you do? They are deeper than Sheol. What can you know?
Here, height is used metaphorically to describe the limits of human knowledge when compared to the vastness of God's wisdom.
-
II Chronicles 32:26
However, Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that Yahweh’s wrath didn’t come on them in the days of Hezekiah.
This occurrence highlights the contrast between pride and humility, showing how Hezekiah’s response prevented divine wrath.