Original Word: גֵּוָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: gevah
Pronunciation: gheh-vah'
Phonetic Spelling: (gay-vaw')
KJV: lifting up, pride
NASB: pride, confidence
Word Origin: [the same as H1465 (גֵּוָה - back)]

1. exaltation
2. (figuratively) arrogance

lifting up, pride

The same as gevah; exaltation; (figuratively) arrogance -- lifting up, pride.

see HEBREW gevah

Word Origin
from gaah
Definition
pride
NASB Translation
confidence (1), pride (2).

גֵּוָה noun feminine pride (contracted for גַּאֲוָה Ew^{§ 62 b, 73 b} compare Aramaic Daniel 4:34 & ᵑ7) —

1 pride Job 33:17; Jeremiah 13:17.

2 lifting up Job 22:29 an exclamation, up! Ew Di De and others; but pride Hi Dr^{§ 154 n.} (ed. 3).

גֵּאָיוֺת see גַּיְא.

I. גֵּוָה see below גאה.

גוה (project, be convex?).

Etymology and Nuance

גֵּוָה (gevah) depicts an inward elevation of self—an attitude of haughty self-reliance that resists submission to God. Unlike the more public, boastful גָּאוֹן (gaon), gevah points to the hidden posture of the heart that silently revels in its own prominence.

Canonical Distribution

1. Job 22:29 – Eliphaz assures Job that God “will save the humble person,” contrasting divine rescue with the overthrow of the proud (gevah).
2. Job 33:17 – Elihu states that God speaks “to turn a man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride (gevah),” highlighting pride as a moral danger needing sovereign restraint.
3. Jeremiah 13:17 – Jeremiah weeps “in secret for your pride (gevah),” revealing the prophet’s anguish over Judah’s concealed arrogance that would soon invite judgment.

Theological Significance

1. Hidden Rebellion: Gevah exposes pride as more than outward swagger; it is the inward refusal to acknowledge dependence on Yahweh. Scripture consistently frames such pride as the root of sin (Proverbs 16:18; cf. Genesis 3:5).
2. Divine Opposition: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). Gevah attracts divine resistance, while humility invites salvation (Job 22:29).
3. Covenant Faithfulness: Jeremiah’s tears disclose how gevah threatened Judah’s covenant relationship. Persistent inward pride hardened the nation against repentance, leading to exile (Jeremiah 13:9–10).
4. Instrument of Sanctification: Elihu portrays God’s interventions—dreams, afflictions, and instruction—as means “to keep man from pride” (Job 33:17). The Lord’s discipline serves redemptive purposes, steering His people toward humility.

Contrast with Other Hebrew Terms for Pride

• גָּאוֹן (gaon) – conspicuous glory or boasting; often used of national splendor.
• זָדוֹן (zadon) – insolent presumption, overt arrogance.
• רוּם (rum) – lofty self-exaltation.

Gevah, by contrast, emphasizes the inward elevation of heart that may precede or accompany these more visible forms.

Ministry and Pastoral Application

• Self-Examination: Because gevah is concealed, shepherds must urge believers to pray, “Search me, O God” (Psalm 139:23).
• Counseling Suffering Saints: Eliphaz misapplied the truth; humility does not guarantee immunity from trial. Yet Job 22:29 reminds counselors to point sufferers away from self-justification toward humble trust in God’s deliverance.
• Prophetic Compassion: Jeremiah models tearful intercession for a people blinded by pride. Leaders today should grieve, not gloat, over hidden arrogance within the church.
• Discipline as Mercy: Like Elihu, pastors may interpret divine interruptions—illness, loss, thwarted plans—as gracious restraints aimed at rooting out pride.

New Testament Continuity

The Greek ταπεινοφροσύνη (tapeinophrosyne, humility) answers gevah’s peril. Jesus, “gentle and humble in heart” (Matthew 11:29), embodies the antidote. His cross humbles human boasting (1 Corinthians 1:29) and His exaltation confirms God’s pattern: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12).

Summary

Gevah exposes pride’s most insidious form: an unseen elevation of self that resists God. Scripture’s three occurrences, set in wisdom literature and prophetic lament, frame pride as both personal and communal ruin. Yet they also proclaim hope: the LORD “will save the humble person” (Job 22:29). The call remains—to heed God’s warnings, embrace humility, and find deliverance in the Messiah who humbled Himself for our salvation.

גֵּוָ֑ה גֵוָ֑ה גוה וְגֵוָ֖ה וגוה gê·wāh ḡê·wāh geVah gêwāh ḡêwāh vegeVah wə·ḡê·wāh wəḡêwāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts