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Psalms 138:6 — Word Study

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WLCכִּי־ רָ֣ם יְ֭הוָה וְשָׁפָ֣ל יִרְאֶ֑ה וְ֝גָבֹ֗הַּ מִמֶּרְחָ֥ק יְיֵדָֽע׃

BSAThoughkîy the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] is on highrûwm [exalted, elevated] He attendsrâʼâh to the lowlyshâphâl [looks after, cares for, humble, those of low social status] but the proudgâbôahh [haughty, lifted up in pride] He knowsyâdaʻ [recognizes, has knowledge of] from afarmerchâq [at a distance, in a far-off place]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 138
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 6 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (ye.ye.Da') — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 138:6quick helps
In a sentenceThe LORD, though exalted, cares for the humble, while the proud are known to Him from a distance.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, reflecting on God's nature.
Where we areThis verse is part of a psalm of thanksgiving, celebrating God's attentiveness.
The hard wordיְיֵדָע
Take awayGod's care is for the humble, while the proud are distanced from His intimate knowledge.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectיהוה verbרוּם The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Psalms 138:6

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — A Psalm of Thanksgivinggenerated

5They will sing of the ways of the LORD, for the glory of the LORD is great.
6Though the LORD is on high, He attends to the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.
7If I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve me from the anger of my foes; You extend Your hand, and Your right hand saves me.
8The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me. O LORD, Your loving devotion endures forever— do not abandon the works of Your hands.

Psalm 138:6 reflects the psalmist's acknowledgment of God's majesty and His compassionate attention to those of lowly status. This verse emphasizes the contrast between God's exalted position and His care for the humble, while also noting that the proud are distanced from Him. The surrounding verses further illustrate God's greatness and His faithfulness to fulfill His purposes, as seen in Psalm 138:5 and Psalm 138:7.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 51:17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
2Psalm 113:5–6Who is like the LORD our God, the One enthroned on high?
31 Samuel 2:7–8The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts.
4Proverbs 3:34He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble.
5Isaiah 57:15For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.

The Key Word יְיֵדָע, ye.ye.Da'generated

The verb יָדַע (yada`) means 'to know' and encompasses a range of meanings including perception, recognition, and experience. In this verse, it indicates God's awareness and understanding of the proud, who are distanced from Him.

This form is in the imperfect tense, suggesting ongoing knowledge or recognition. The use of this verb highlights the relational aspect of God's knowledge, contrasting His intimate care for the humble with a more distant awareness of the proud.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations generally agree on the meaning of this verse.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The structure of the verse is built around two main clauses connected by a conjunction. The first clause presents God's exalted nature, while the second contrasts His care for the lowly with His distant knowledge of the proud.

The finite verb רָם (ram) governs the first clause, stating God's exaltation, while the verbs יִרְאֶה (yir'eh) and יְיֵדָע (ye.ye.Da') govern the actions concerning the lowly and the proud, respectively.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew יְיֵדָע is rendered as γινώσκει (ginōskei), which emphasizes knowledge and recognition. This choice aligns with the idea of God's awareness of the proud from a distance.

The use of ὑψηλὸς (hypsēlos) for רָם reflects the same concept of exaltation, maintaining consistency in the portrayal of God's nature.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 138:6 tells us that although the LORD is high and exalted, He cares for the humble and lowly. In contrast, the proud are known to Him from a distance. This verse shows God's compassion for those who are humble and His awareness of those who are proud.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the LORD is on high?

It means that God is exalted and holds a position of authority and power.

How does God care for the lowly?

God looks after and provides for those who are humble and of low social status.

Why does the verse mention the proud being known from afar?

It indicates that while God is aware of the proud, they are distanced from His intimate care and relationship.

What is the significance of this contrast in the verse?

The contrast highlights God's grace and compassion towards the humble while warning against the dangers of pride.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I experienced God's care in my own humility?
  2. How can I cultivate a humble spirit in my life?
  3. What are some examples of pride that I need to be aware of?
  4. How does understanding God's awareness of the proud affect my perspective on humility?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Early Church Fathers, such as Augustine, reference this verse to discuss God's relationship with the humble and the proud, illustrating the importance of humility in their teachings.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 138 354–430
See how he willed that kings should sing on their way, humbly bearing the Lord, not lifting themselves up against the Lord.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 138 →
Augustine of HippoSERMON 70A.2 354–430
Perhaps because [the psalm] said, “The Lord is sublime and observes lowly things,” you say to yourself, “Then he does not observe me.” What could be more unfortunate than you,
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 138 →
Augustine of HippoTRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF John 15:25.1 354–430
We have heard, and it is clear; we had gone outside, we have been sent within. “O would that I had found,” you said, “some high and lonely mountain! For, I believe, because God is on high,
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 138 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 138:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Though the Lord [be] high,.... Above all the earth, and all the nations of it, and the highest of men in it; above the heavens, and the angels there, who are his creatures and at his command; above

Read John Gill on Psalms 138 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 138 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Unto the lowly; unto such as are mean and obscure in the world; to me, a poor contemptible shepherd, whom he hath preferred before great princes, and to such as are little in their own eyes. But the proud he knoweth afar off; but for the great men of the world, who are lifted up in pride, he looks upon them as they do upon others, with scorn and contempt, and at a great distance, as disdaining to admit them into his presence. But the words may be, and by divers interpreters are, rendered otherwise, And he who is high, or the lofty one from afar, (i.e. from his high and holy place, even the highest heavens, where he dwells, notwithstanding that distance,) doth know them, or will own them. So…

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 138 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 138:6 Though the LORD [be] high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.Ver. 6. Though the Lord be high, &c.] Even "the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity," Isaiah 57:15. See on Psalms 113:6-7. Yet hath he respect unto the lowly] This maketh that ancient cry out, Videte magnum miraculum, See here a great miracle; God is on high; thou liftest thyself up, and he flieth from thee; thou bowest thyself down, and he descendeth unto thee (Aug. de Temp.). Low things he looketh close upon, that he may raise them higher; lofty things he knoweth afar off, that he may crush them down lower. The proud Pharisee pressed as near God as he could; the poor…

Read John Trapp on Psalms 138 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) Knoweth afar off.—Or, recognises from afar. From His exaltation Jehovah looks down alike on the lowly and on the proud, but it is to show a gracious interest in the former, while the latter are merely marked as persons to be kept at a distance. “Lowliness and humility are the court dress of God; he who wears them will please Him well.”

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 138 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 6. Though the Lord be high] Infinitely great as God is, he regards even the lowest and most inconsiderable part of his creation; but the humble and afflicted man attracts his notice particularly. But the proud he knoweth afar off.] He beholds them at a distance, and has them in utter derision.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 138 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

6. For though Jehovah is high, yet he seeth the lowly] Exalted as He is, Jehovah never loses sight of the lowly, and in due time raises them up (Exodus 3:7; Isaiah 57:15; Isaiah 66:2; Psalms 113:5 ff.): and the haughty he knoweth from afar; no distance hides them from His eye, and they cannot escape the punishment they deserve. Cp. Psalms 94:7 ff.; Job 22:12 ff.; and for know see note on Psalms 1:6.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 138 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Though the Lord be high - This might be rendered “For lofty is Yahweh - and the humble he sees - and the proud he knows from afar.” The idea is, that God - so high and exalted - sees and knows all of every rank among people.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 138 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Though the LORD is on high, He attends to the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

For though Yahweh is high, yet he looks after the lowly; but he knows the proud from afar.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Though the LORD is on high, He attends to the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Though the Lord is exalted, he takes note of the lowly, and recognizes the proud from far away.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

For though Jehovah is high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly; But the haughty he knoweth from afar.

RVARevised Version, American1894

For though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the haughty he knoweth from afar.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Though the LORD is high, yet hath he respect to the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

For the Lord is high: yet he beholdeth the lowly, but the proude he knoweth afarre off.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

For Jehovah is high; but he looketh upon the lowly, and the proud he knoweth afar off.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

For high [is] Jehovah, and the lowly He seeth, And the haughty from afar He knoweth.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

For YHWH [is] high, and He sees the lowly, || And He knows the haughty from afar.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

For exalted is the Lord, yet doth he regard the lowly; but the proud he punisheth from afar.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

For though Yahweh is high, yet he cares for the lowly, but the proud he knows from far off.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Thy knowledge is become wonderful to me: it is high, and I cannot reach to it.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Though the Lord is high above, he pays attention to the lowly; but he recognizes the proud a long way off.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Though the Lord is high, he sees those who are low; and he has knowledge from far off of those who are lifted up.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

כִּי(dm)clauseverbרָ֣ם[is].exaltedsubjectיְ֭הוָהYahwehוְand.[the]clauseobjectשָׁפָ֣לlowlyverbיִרְאֶ֑הhe.seesוְ֝and.[the]clauseobjectגָבֹ֗הַּproudprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfromמֶּרְחָ֥קa.distanceverbיְיֵדָֽעhe.knows

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text aligns with the Septuagint and the Dead Sea Scrolls, with all witnesses preserving the same wording and meaning throughout. This consistency highlights the reliability of the text across different traditions.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

כִּי־ רָ֣ם יְ֭הוָה וְשָׁפָ֣ל יִרְאֶ֑ה וְ֝גָבֹ֗הַּ מִמֶּרְחָ֥ק יְיֵדָֽע׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
כִּי־ὅτιרָ֣םὑψηλὸςיְ֭הוָהκύριοςוְשָׁפָ֣לκαὶיִרְאֶ֑הἐφορᾷוְ֝גָבֹ֗הַּὑψηλὰמִמֶּרְחָ֥קμακρόθενיְיֵדָֽע׃γινώσκει

8 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 11Q5a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

כי רם יהוה ושפל יראה וגבה ממרחק יידע

8 words on the leather.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Psalms 138:6כִּיforforכִּירוּם[is] exalte[is] exaltedרוּםיהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהשָׁפָלand [the] land [the] lowlyשָׁפָלרָאָהhe seeshe seesרָאָהגָּבֹהַּand [the] pand [the] proudגָּבֹהַּמֶרְחָקfrom a distfrom a distanceמֶרְחָקיָדַעhe knowshe knowsיָדַעשָׁפֵלto abaseto abaseשָׁפֵלהָיָהto beto beהָיָהגָּבַהּto exultto exultגָּבַהּרָחַקto removeto removeרָחַקיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעתְּרוּמָהcontributicontributionתְּרוּמָהקֶ֫רֶןhornhornקֶ֫רֶןנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאשֵׂעָרhairhairשֵׂעָרעוֹרskinskinעוֹרעֳנִיafflictionafflictionעֳנִינָבַטto lookto lookנָבַטחָתַתto to be dto to be dismayחָתַתטוֹבpleasantpleasantטוֹבאֲנִיIIאֲנִיבִּיןto understto understandבִּין
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Psalms 138:6

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

for [is] exalted Yahweh and [the] lowly he sees and [the] proud from a distance he knows
כִּי־ki- for H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

. Because, since

H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative

conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by

other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,

where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,

even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +

nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,

therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Particle
HTc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.

In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
for [is] exalted Yahweh and [the] lowly he sees and [the] proud from a distance he knows
רָ֣םram [is] exalted H7311 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
190× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb can mean to lift something or someone up, like a parent lifting a child, or to exalt oneself in pride. In the Bible, it's used to describe God lifting up the humble and bringing down the proud.
Amplified meaning
exalted, elevated
Tyndale gloss
to exalt
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רוּם (ruwm) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be high or exalted, covering a range of actions such as rising, lifting, and promoting. It can refer to physical elevation, like raising an ark or setting up a throne, as well as figurative exaltation, particularly in relation to God. The word also has a related form, רָמַם (ramam), which means to be wormy.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רוּם vb. be high, exalted, rise

Qal

be high, lit. rock (in fig.)

esp. of י׳

be raised, uplifted

be lifted, rise, of ark

Pō‛lēl

raise, rear, children

cause tree to grow

lift up

exalt, extol, acc. י׳

Pō‛lal be lift up

Hiph.

raise, rear, c. acc., hand

raise poor

lift up voice

(take into one's hand and) lift, take up, stone

set up, erect, stone

set on high, throne

lift up, exalt, c. acc. pers.

lift up and take away, remove

lift off and present, contribute, offer

Hoph. be taken off from; be abolished

Hithpō‛l. and he shall exalt and magnify himself above, etc.; I will raise myself

base

[רָמַם] vb. denom. be wormy;—Ex 16:20

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7311a רוּם be high, exalted, rise .. . be high, lit. rock (in fig.)

. esp. of י׳

. be raised, uplifted

. be lifted, rise, of ark

.. . raise, rear, children

. cause tree to grow

. lift up

. exalt, extol, acc. י׳

.be lift up

. . . . raise, rear, c. acc., hand

. raise poor

. lift up voice

. (take into one's hand and) lift, take up, stone

. set up, erect, stone

. set on high, throne

. lift up, exalt, c. acc. pers.

. lift up and take away, remove

. lift off and present, contribute, offer

. be taken off from; be abolished

. and he shall exalt and magnify himself above, etc.; I will raise myself

H7311b רָמַם vb. denom. be wormy

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7311 ruwm room

a primitive root; to be high actively, to rise or raise (in

various applications, literally or figuratively):--bring up,

exalt (self), extol, give, go up, haughty, heave (up), (be,

lift up on, make on, set up on, too) high(-er, one), hold up,

levy, lift(-er) up, (be) lofty, (X a-)loud, mount up, offer

(up), + presumptuously, (be) promote(-ion), proud, set up,

tall(-er), take (away, off, up), breed worms.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רוּם (rum) — to exalt.

1) to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be high, be set on high

1a2) to be raised, be uplifted, be exalted

1a3) to be lifted, rise

1b) (Polel)

1b1) to raise or rear (children), cause to grow up

1b2) to lift up, raise, exalt

1b3) to exalt, extol

1c) (Polal) to be lifted up

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to raise, lift, lift up, take up, set up, erect, exalt, set on high

1d2) to lift up (and take away), remove

1d3) to lift off and present, contribute, offer, contribute

1e) (Hophal) to be taken off, be abolished

1f) (Hithpolel) to exalt oneself, magnify oneself

Aramaic equivalent: rum (רוּם "to rise" H7313)

רָמַם (ra.mam) — be rotten.

(Qal) to be rotten, be wormy

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
for [is] exalted Yahweh and [the] lowly he sees and [the] proud from a distance he knows
יְ֭הוָהYah.weh Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, The covenant Name of God
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish

national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
for [is] exalted Yahweh and [the] lowly he sees and [the] proud from a distance he knows
וְשָׁפָ֣לve.sha.Fal and [the] lowly H8217 Conjunction
17× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to be low or humble, either in physical height or in social status, often used to describe someone's character or condition. It appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament, such as in Psalms and Proverbs. It signifies a lack of pride or arrogance.
Amplified meaning
looks after, cares for, humble, those of low social status
Tyndale gloss
low
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁפָל (shaphal) means low or humble, referring to both physical height and social status. It can describe a modest kingdom or a state of humiliation. The word is derived from a root meaning to depress, and it encompasses various nuances of being lowly or base.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁפָל adj. low

low, in height

of a modest, unambitious kingdom

humiliated

lowly, as subst.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8217 שָׁפָל low . low, in height

. of a modest, unambitious kingdom

. humiliated

. lowly, as subst.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8217 shaphal shaw-fawl'

from 8213; depressed, literally or figuratively:--base(-st),

humble, low(-er, -ly).

see HEBREW for 08213

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁפָל (sha.phal) — low.

1) low, humble

1a) low (in height)

1b) low (in station), humble (of condition or spirit)

1c) humiliated

1d) lowly (as subst)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Adj — Conjunction
HC/Aamsa
for [is] exalted Yahweh and [the] lowly he sees and [the] proud from a distance he knows
יִרְאֶ֑הyir.'Eh he sees H7200 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
1,300× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for provider means to see or look after, and is used to describe God's care for his people. It appears in various forms throughout the Bible, including in Genesis and other books.
Tyndale gloss
Provider
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָאָה (ra'ah) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to see' and encompasses a wide range of visual and perceptual actions, including looking, observing, and causing others to see. It can refer to both literal sight and figurative understanding, with various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as appearing or being visible. The entries indicate a rich semantic field without significant disagreement among lexicographers.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָאָה 1315 vb. see

Qal 1141

see, subj.

see, c. acc. rei

see, sq. acc. cl. or phr. of closer design

see, so as to learn to know

abs. see, have (power of) vision

see = perceive

look at, see, by direct volition

of mental observation

c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

see, c. acc. rei

Niph.

appear

be seen

be visible

Pu. appar. his bones are not detected

Hithp. recipr. look at each other

Hiph.

cause one to see something, shew

cause to experience something

cause to look intently at, to behold

Hoph.

be caused to see, be shewn

be exhibited to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7200a רָאָה see .. . see, subj.

. see, c. acc. rei

. see, sq. acc. + cl. or phr. of closer design

. see, so as to learn to know

. abs. see, have (power of) vision

. see = perceive

. look at, see, by direct volition

. of mental observation

. . c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

. see, c. acc. rei

. . appear

. be seen

. be visible

. appar. his bones are not detected

. recipr. look at each other

. . . cause one to see something, shew

. cause to experience something

. cause to look intently at, to behold

. . be caused to see, be shewn

. be exhibited to

H7200b רְאוּת look

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7200 ra'ah raw-aw'

a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in

numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive,

intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve,

behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have

experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look

(on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up,

upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide,

regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one

another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X

surely, X think, view, visions.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: see.

: see/show

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out

1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish

1a6) to look at, gaze at

1a7) to provide, choose

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to appear, present oneself

1b2) to be seen

1b3) to be visible

1c) (Pual) to be seen

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to see, show

1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be caused to see, be shown

1e2) to be exhibited to

1f) (Hithpael) to look at each other, face

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: examine.

: examine/consider

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
for [is] exalted Yahweh and [the] lowly he sees and [the] proud from a distance he knows
וְ֝גָבֹ֗הַּve.ga.Vo.ah and [the] proud H1364 Conjunction
41× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
High means elevated or powerful, like a tall mountain or a proud person, as described in Proverbs where pride comes before a fall.
Amplified meaning
haughty, lifted up in pride
Tyndale gloss
high
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word גָּבֹהַּ (*gaboah*) means high or exalted, covering meanings such as tall, lofty, and haughty. It can also refer to loftiness as a noun. The word is derived from a root meaning to elevate or be elevated, and it appears in contexts that emphasize height or pride.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גָּבֹהַּ adj. high, exalted

high, lofty, tall

exalted in station

haughty

n.[m.] loftiness

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1364 גָּבֹהַּ high, exalted . high, lofty, tall

. exalted in station

. haughty

. n. [m.] loftiness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1364 gaboahh gaw-bo'-ah

or (fully) gabowahh {gaw-bo'-ah}; from 1361; elevated (or

elated), powerful, arrogant:--haughty, height, high(-er),

lofty, proud, X exceeding proudly.

see HEBREW for 01361

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גָּבֹהַּ (ga.vo.ah) — high.

adj

1) high, exalted

1a) high, tall

1b) high (in position)

1c) proud, haughty

n m

2) loftiness

Also means: ga.vah (גָּבֹהַּ "high" H1362)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Adj — Conjunction
HC/Aamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ See PRIDE

for [is] exalted Yahweh and [the] lowly he sees and [the] proud from a distance he knows
מִמֶּרְחָ֥קmi.mer.Chak from a distance H4801 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
18× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Merchaq means a distant place or far country, often used to describe a location that is far away. It can also imply a sense of remoteness or separation. This word is used in the Bible to describe geographical distance.
Amplified meaning
at a distance, in a far-off place
Tyndale gloss
distance
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מֶרְחָק (merchaq) refers to a distant place or distance, often implying remoteness. It can be used adverbially to describe something that is far off. The word is derived from a root meaning to be distant, and it appears in contexts relating to physical distance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֶרְחָק n.m. distant place, distance

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4801 מֶרְחָק distant place, distance

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4801 merchaq mer-khawk'

: from 7368; remoteness, i.e. (concretely) a distant place;

often (adverbially) from afar:--(a-, dwell in, very) far

(country, off). See also 1023.

see HEBREW for 07368

see HEBREW for 01023

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֶרְחָק (mer.chaq) — distance.

distant place, distance, far country

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
for [is] exalted Yahweh and [the] lowly he sees and [the] proud from a distance he knows
יְיֵדָֽע׃ye.ye.Da' he knows H3045 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
945× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.
Amplified meaning
recognizes, has knowledge of
Tyndale gloss
to know
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָדַע (yada`) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to know,' encompassing a wide range of senses including perception, recognition, and experience. It can refer to knowing someone intimately or being skilled in a task. The word has various forms, indicating actions such as making known or being made known. Lexicons note its use in both literal and figurative contexts, but there is no significant disagreement among them.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָדַע 943 vb. know

Qal

know, learn to know

perceive

perceive and see; find out and discern

discriminate, distinguish

know by experience

recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

consider

not know = not expect

know a person, be acquainted with

know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

be skilful in

abs. have knowledge, be wise

Niph.

be made known, be or become known, of things

make oneself known of pers.

be perceived

be instructed

Pi. cause to know

Pu. known

Hiph. make known, declare

Hoph. made known

Hithp. make oneself known

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3045 יָדַע know .. . know, learn to know

. perceive

. perceive and see; find out and discern

. discriminate, distinguish

. know by experience

. recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

. consider

. not know = not expect

. know a person, be acquainted with

. know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

. . know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

. be skilful in

. abs. have knowledge, be wise

. . be made known, be or become known, of things

. make oneself known of pers.

. be perceived

. be instructed

. cause to know

. known

. make known, declare

. made known

. make oneself known

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3045 yada` yaw-dah'

a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing);

used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally,

euphemistically and inferentially (including observation,

care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation,

punishment, etc.) (as follow):--acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted

with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware,

(un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X

could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to)

discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel,

can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause

to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have

(knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be

learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X

prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man

of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָדַע (ya.da) — to know.

1) to know

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to know

1a1a) to know, learn to know

1a1b) to perceive

1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern

1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish

1a1e) to know by experience

1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess

1a1g) to consider

1a2) to know, be acquainted with

1a3) to know (a person carnally)

1a4) to know how, be skilful in

1a5) to have knowledge, be wise

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed

1b2) to make oneself known

1b3) to be perceived

1b4) to be instructed

1c) (Piel) to cause to know

1d) (Poal) to cause to know

1e) (Pual)

1e1) to be known

1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle)

1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare

1g) (Hophal) to be made known

1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself

Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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