זָדוֹן (za.don)
za.don
arrogance
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 10 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Definition
Definition
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word זָדוֹן describes an arrogance that goes beyond simple confidence. It is a stubborn pride that refuses to listen to authority or correction. In Deuteronomy, this attitude is linked to disobedience against God’s appointed leaders, showing how it disrupts community and trust.
When we face situations where we feel superior or dismissive of others’ advice, we are walking in the spirit of זָדוֹן. Proverbs reminds us that this pride leads to shame and quarrels, while humility opens the door to wisdom. Recognising this tendency helps us stay teachable.
God sees the heart’s posture. Instead of relying on our own height or strength, we can choose to trust in God’s guidance. This word invites us to examine where we might be resisting correction and to seek a spirit that values others and honours God.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 10 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- with/ presumption2×
- pride2×
- with/ pride1×
- arrogance/ your1×
- arrogance1×
- [the] presumption of1×
- [the] arrogance of1×
- O arrogance1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- זָדוֹן֙1×
- זָדֽוֹן\׃1×
- זָד֔וֹן1×
- זָ֭דוֹן1×
- זְדֹנְ/ךָ֗1×
- זְד֤וֹן1×
- זְד֣וֹן1×
- בְּ֭/זָדוֹן1×
- בְּ/זָדוֹן֙1×
- בְ/זָד֗וֹן1×
Key Verses
-
Deuteronomy 17:12
The man who does presumptuously in not listening to the priest who stands to minister there before Yahweh your God, or to the judge, even that man shall die. You shall put away the evil from Israel.
This verse defines arrogance as a deliberate refusal to listen to the priest or judge, marking it as a serious breach of covenant order.
-
Proverbs 13:10
Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is with people who take advice.
Here, pride is directly identified as the root cause of quarrels, contrasting sharply with the wisdom found in those who accept advice.
-
Obadiah 1:3
The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high, who says in his heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’
The prophet uses this word to describe Edom’s deceptive confidence in their natural defenses, showing how pride blinds people to their vulnerability.