Word Study for H1363 (גֹּבַהּ)

gôbahh /go'-bah/ Ask about this word

Meaningelation, grandeur, arrogance

KJV usageexcellency, haughty, height, high, loftiness, pride.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of gôbahh — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word gôbahh, represented by H1363, describes both physical and metaphorical elevation. It appears 17 times across 16 unique verses in the Bible. Its meaning encompasses concepts of literal height and stature, as well as the abstract qualities of loftiness, pride, and excellency.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, H1363 is used to denote both tangible measurements and moral attitudes. It describes the literal height of individuals like Goliath 1 Samuel 17:4 and entire peoples like the Amorites Amos 2:9. It is also used for architectural dimensions, such as the temple's porch 2 Chronicles 3:4 and the "so high that they were dreadful" rings in Ezekiel's vision Ezekiel 1:18. Metaphorically, it frequently refers to the sinful pride of the human heart, as when the wicked man's pride keeps him from seeking God Psalms 10:4, or when a "haughty spirit" precedes a fall Proverbs 16:18. In a positive sense, it can also denote grandeur, as in the height of heaven Job 22:12.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the meanings of height and pride:

H1361 gâbahh: As the primitive root of H1363, this verb means "to soar, i.e. be lofty; figuratively, to be haughty". It is used to describe a heart that is "lifted up" in pride Ezekiel 28:2 and is the action that leads to a state of gôbahh.
H1347 gâʼôwn: This noun for "arrogance or majesty" is used alongside H1363 to describe the "pride" that goes before destruction and the "haughty spirit" Proverbs 16:18, showing a strong overlap in meaning.
H6967 qôwmâh: Meaning "height" or "stature," this word is often used for physical dimension. It appears with H1363 to describe how a nation's stature was exalted and seen in its height Ezekiel 19:11.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H1363 centers on the contrast between divine excellency and human pride.

The Danger of a Haughty Heart: The word is frequently used to warn against arrogance. A "haughty spirit" is explicitly stated to come before "a fall" Proverbs 16:18. This principle is illustrated when the king of Assyria is judged because his heart was "lifted up in his height" Ezekiel 31:10. The only remedy is to be humbled, as Hezekiah was for the pride of his heart 2 Chronicles 32:26.
Physical vs. Divine Power: Physical height, a symbol of strength and dominance, is shown to be insufficient against God. God destroyed the Amorites, "whose height was like the height of the cedars" Amos 2:9. This demonstrates that earthly power and stature are ultimately subject to divine authority.
Legitimate vs. Illegitimate Loftiness: The word highlights a crucial distinction. While human pride is condemned, the height of heaven is where God resides Job 22:12. This establishes a proper order: loftiness and excellency are attributes of God, while human attempts to claim this status through arrogance are sinful and lead to judgment.

Summary

In summary, H1363 gôbahh is a multifaceted word that moves from the literal to the metaphorical. It can define the physical stature of a giant 1 Samuel 17:4 or the architectural scale of a temple 2 Chronicles 3:4, but its most significant use is in the moral realm. It serves as a powerful warning against pride and a "haughty spirit," which scripture declares leads to destruction Proverbs 16:18. Ultimately, the word gôbahh contrasts the fleeting and condemned height of human arrogance with the true and eternal excellency and loftiness that belong to God alone.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 17 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

גָּבְה
גֹבַהּ
גָּבְהֵי

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 16 verses across 8 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Ezekiel (6 verses); never once in the other 31.

1 Samuel

2 Chronicles

Job

Psalms

Proverbs

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

Amos

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.