Word Study for H6038 (עֲנָוָה)

ʻănâvâh /an-aw-vaw'/ Ask about this word

Meaningcondescension, human and subjective (modesty), or divine and objective (clemency)

KJV usagegentleness, humility, meekness.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʻănâvâh — 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 ʻănâvâh, represented by H6038, defines a state of humility, gentleness, or meekness. It appears 5 times across 5 unique verses in the Bible. The term stems from the word for being lowly or depressed and can describe human modesty or divine clemency.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its scriptural usage, H6038 is consistently presented as a virtue leading to exaltation and blessing. In Proverbs, it is positioned as a direct precursor to respect, with the text stating "before honour H3519 is humility H6038" (Proverbs 15:33, Proverbs 18:12). This concept is expanded in Proverbs 22:4, which connects humility with the "fear of the LORD" to yield "riches, and honour, and life." In Zephaniah 2:3, the "meek of the earth" are commanded to actively "seek meekness H6038," linking it to righteousness and potential deliverance from God's anger. Uniquely, the word is also used to describe a divine attribute in 2 Samuel 22:36, where God's "gentleness" is credited with making the speaker great.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning of humility and its opposite:

H6031 ʻânâh: This is a primitive root meaning to depress, abase, afflict, or humble oneself. It forms the foundational concept from which the state of humility arises, often through trial or deliberate submission Deuteronomy 8:2.
H6035 ʻânâv: Derived from H6031, this word describes one who is figuratively depressed in mind or circumstance, meaning humble, lowly, or meek. It is the state of the person who is told to "seek meekness" Zephaniah 2:3.
H1361 gâbahh: Meaning to be lofty or, figuratively, to be haughty. This term serves as a direct antonym to humility, as seen in the contrast: "the heart of man is haughty H1361, and before honour is humility H6038" Proverbs 18:12.
H3374 yirʼâh: This word for fear, particularly reverence for God, is explicitly linked with humility as a path to wisdom and life's blessings (Proverbs 22:4, Proverbs 15:33).

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H6038 is significant, establishing a core principle of spiritual life.

A Prerequisite for Honor: Scripture repeatedly establishes a divine pattern where humility precedes exaltation. The principle "before honour is humility" is a consistent theme, indicating that recognition and blessing from God are outcomes of a humble posture (Proverbs 15:33, Proverbs 18:12).
An Element of Righteousness: Humility is not a passive quality but an active pursuit. It is sought alongside righteousness H6664 and is a characteristic of the "meek of the earth" who follow God's judgment Zephaniah 2:3.
A Divine Characteristic: Humility and gentleness are not limited to human virtue. God Himself exhibits a form of it, described as a "gentleness" that shields and makes His people great, revealing it as a feature of divine power and salvation 2 Samuel 22:36.

Summary

In summary, H6038 is more than just a word for modesty; it is a foundational spiritual principle. It defines the posture required for receiving divine honor, the virtue that must be actively pursued alongside righteousness, and a characteristic of God Himself in His relationship with humanity. As a path to life and honor, ʻănâvâh is presented as an essential quality for those who fear the Lord.

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 and a verb across 5 occurrences, inflected in 2 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.

עֲנָוָה
עֲנֹתְ

Related Words

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

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 5 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Proverbs (3 verses); never once in the other 36.

2 Samuel

Proverbs

Zephaniah

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.