יָהִיר (ya.hir)
ya.hir
proud
H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A
Word Overview
The Hebrew adjective yahîr describes a person who is proud, arrogant, or haughty. It appears only twice in the Old Testament, both times to characterize negative spiritual attitudes rather than neutral confidence. In Proverbs 21:4, it defines the "haughty eyes" of the proud heart, linking arrogance directly to sinful conduct. Similarly, Habakkuk 2:4 contrasts this posture with the righteous person who lives by faithfulness.
The term carries a strong sense of self-exaltation and disdain for others. It is not merely about feeling superior but involves an outward display of that superiority. The sources note its close association with other words for pride, yet yahîr specifically emphasizes the visible, often contemptuous, nature of this arrogance. Translators typically render it as "proud" or "haughty," capturing the moral failure inherent in looking down on others.
This word serves as a sharp warning against self-importance. By using such specific language for pride, Scripture highlights how arrogance distorts one’s view of God and neighbor. The rarity of its usage underscores the seriousness with which biblical wisdom treats this particular sin. It reminds readers that true righteousness stands in direct opposition to haughty behavior.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word yahîr paints a vivid picture of arrogance that goes beyond simple confidence. It describes a haughty spirit marked by disdain for others, often visible in one’s eyes or actions. In Proverbs 21:4, this attitude is linked directly to sinful conduct, showing how self-exaltation distorts our view of God and neighbor.
When we encounter this term in Habakkuk 2:5, it highlights the insatiable nature of pride. The arrogant person, like death, can never be satisfied, constantly gathering more yet finding no peace. This rarity in Scripture underscores the seriousness with which biblical wisdom treats such sin.
Recognizing yahîr helps us see how easily we might slip into self-importance. It invites us to examine our hearts, ensuring that our confidence rests not in ourselves but in the faithfulness of God. True righteousness stands in direct opposition to this haughty behavior, calling us instead to humility and trust.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- arrogant2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יָהִ֖יר1×
- יָ֭הִיר1×
Key Verses
-
Habakkuk 2:5
Yes, moreover, wine is treacherous: an arrogant man who doesn’t stay at home, who enlarges his desire as Sheol; he is like death and can’t be satisfied, but gathers to himself all nations and heaps to himself all peoples.
Here, the arrogant man is compared to death, illustrating the insatiable and destructive nature of pride when it seeks to enlarge desires endlessly.