1467. gevah
Lexical Summary
gevah: pride

Original Word: גֵּוָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: gevah
Pronunciation: gheh-vah'
Phonetic Spelling: (gay-vaw')
NASB: pride
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H1466 (גֵּוָה - pride)]

1. pride

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
pride

(Aramaic) corresponding to gevah -- pride.

see HEBREW gevah

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to geah
Definition
pride
NASB Translation
pride (1).

Topical Lexicon
Occurrence and Setting

Strong's Hebrew 1467 גֵּוָה appears once, in Daniel 4:37, where King Nebuchadnezzar—fresh from seven years of humbling judgment—confesses that God “is able to humble those who walk in pride.” The term captures the self-exalting attitude God had just shattered in the Babylonian monarch. Because Daniel 4 is written in Aramaic, the word functions inside a Gentile royal court, highlighting that the issue of pride is universal and that the God of Israel rules every kingdom (Daniel 4:17, Daniel 4:25, Daniel 4:32).

Biblical Portrait of Pride

Though גֵּוָה occurs only here, Scripture repeatedly warns against the same sin:
Proverbs 16:18 – “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Isaiah 2:11 – “The proud look of man will be humbled and the loftiness of men brought low.”
James 4:6 – “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Daniel 4:37 therefore stands as a narrative confirmation of a doctrinal truth: divine opposition to pride is not mere rhetoric; it is historical reality.

Historical Significance

1. Babylon’s political grandeur. Nebuchadnezzar’s boast, “Is not this Babylon I have built… by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30), epitomized ancient Near Eastern kingship theology, which attributed near-divine status to monarchs.
2. God’s public vindication. By striking the king with madness (Daniel 4:33), the Lord demonstrated to the watching empire—as well as to exiled Judah—that He alone “does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth” (Daniel 4:35).
3. A testimony preserved. When Nebuchadnezzar’s reason returned, his written proclamation (Daniel 4:1-3, Daniel 4:37) became an official state document, ensuring that generations would hear how pride met divine resistance.

Theological Emphases

• Sovereignty. גֵּוָה exposes human pretensions that rival God’s throne (Psalm 2:1-4).
• Humility as grace. Nebuchadnezzar’s restoration shows that humiliation is a means to mercy. God did not merely crush; He corrected, so that the king might “praise and exalt and honor the King of heaven” (Daniel 4:37).
• Universality of God’s moral order. That a Gentile emperor is disciplined for pride signals that the Law-giver of Israel is Judge of all the earth (Genesis 18:25).

Intertextual Echoes

Daniel 4 bridges earlier and later revelations:

– It anticipates the humbling of proud Gentile powers like Persia (Isaiah 13:11) and Greece (Zechariah 9:3-4).

– It foreshadows the downfall of the ultimate arrogant ruler, “the man of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:4), whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow at His coming.

– It provides thematic precedent for Peter’s call: “Humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand, that He may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6).

Ministry Applications

1. Preaching. Daniel 4:37 supplies both warning and hope—warning that unchecked pride invites God’s intervention, hope that repentance leads to restoration.
2. Counseling. Those entangled in self-promotion can see in Nebuchadnezzar that God’s discipline is love aimed at renewal (Hebrews 12:6).
3. Leadership. Christian leaders may guard against platform-driven vanity by remembering that every achievement is a stewardship from God (1 Corinthians 4:7).
4. Cultural engagement. The narrative equips believers to critique modern “Babylons”—nations, corporations, or movements that exalt human achievement above divine authority—while still praying for their leaders’ conversion (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Christological Reflection

Where Nebuchadnezzar exalted himself and was abased, Jesus “humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death… Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place” (Philippians 2:8-9). Daniel 4:37 thus magnifies the One who models true greatness through humility and promises to share His exaltation with those who follow His path (Luke 14:11).

Personal Examination

• Do my ambitions serve God’s glory or my own?
• How do I respond when success tempts me to self-congratulation?
• Am I willing to let God’s corrective hand steer me toward humble worship?

By letting Nebuchadnezzar’s confession resonate, believers learn that pride is not merely a private vice but a cosmic offense—and that the Most High delights to replace גֵּוָה with genuine, God-centered praise.

Forms and Transliterations
בְּגֵוָ֔ה בגוה bə·ḡê·wāh begeVah bəḡêwāh
Links
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Englishman's Concordance
Daniel 4:37
HEB: וְדִי֙ מַהְלְכִ֣ין בְּגֵוָ֔ה יָכִ֖ל לְהַשְׁפָּלָֽה׃
NAS: those who walk in pride.
KJV: and those that walk in pride he is able
INT: who walk pride is able to humble

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 1467
1 Occurrence


bə·ḡê·wāh — 1 Occ.

1466
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