Lexical Summary yahir: Proud, arrogant Original Word: יָהִיר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance haughty, proud Probably from the same as har; elated; hence, arrogant -- haughty, proud. see HEBREW har NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition proud, haughty NASB Translation haughty (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs יָהִיר adjective proud, haughty, זֵד יָהִיר לֵץ שְׁמוֺ Proverbs 21:24 a presumptuous man, (who is) haughty, scoffer is his name (+ עוֺשֶׂה בְּעֶבְרַת זָדוֺן); גֶּבֶר יָהִיר וְלֹא יִנְוֶֿ֑ Habakkuk 2:5. Topical Lexicon Definition and Scope יָהִיר denotes one who is swollen with self-importance—an insolent, swaggering spirit that refuses humble dependence on God and spurns the wellbeing of others. Scripture consistently labels such self-exaltation a moral distortion that invites divine opposition (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). Canonical Occurrences Proverbs 21:24 and Habakkuk 2:5 are the only attestations of יָהִיר, yet they portray a sweeping biblical profile. • Proverbs 21:24: “Mocker is the name of the proud and arrogant man—he acts with excessive pride.” The term is paired with לֵץ (“scoffer”), showing that pride quickly issues in verbal contempt toward God and neighbor. • Habakkuk 2:5: “Indeed, because wine betrays him, a proud man is never at rest. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, and like death he is never satisfied; he gathers to himself all the nations and collects all the peoples as his own.” Here יָהִיר describes the Babylonian oppressor whose imperial ambitions mirror the bottomless craving of death itself. Historical and Cultural Setting In Near-Eastern cultures, honor and reputation carried immense social weight. Kings exhibited majesty by grand building projects, conquest narratives, and lavish feasts. Yet Israel’s prophetic tradition measured true greatness by covenant loyalty to Yahweh (Deuteronomy 17:14-20). Thus יָהִיר stands as an antithesis to the God-centered humility modeled by figures such as Moses (Numbers 12:3) and David (2 Samuel 7:18). Theological Significance 1. Rebellion against Divine Sovereignty. Pride challenges the First Commandment, replacing God with the self (Isaiah 14:13-14). Ministry and Pastoral Application • Diagnostic Mirror. יָהִיר exposes subtler congregational sins: boasting in ministry metrics, doctrinal superiority, or socioeconomic status (1 Corinthians 4:7). Broader Biblical Witness While יָהִיר is rare, its theme pervades Scripture: – Hebrew nouns גַּאֲוָה (ga’avah, “pride”) and גֵּאוֹן (geon, “arrogance”) in passages such as Psalm 10:4 and Isaiah 2:12. – Greek ὑπερήφανος (huperēphanos, “arrogant”) condemned in Romans 1:30 and 2 Timothy 3:2. – The antithetical virtue of humility celebrated in Micah 6:8; Matthew 5:3; 1 Peter 5:6. Christological Fulfillment Jesus embodies the antithesis of יָהִיר, entering Jerusalem “humble and mounted on a donkey” (Matthew 21:5, citing Zechariah 9:9). His voluntary humiliation on the cross (Philippians 2:8) reveals both God’s verdict upon human arrogance and the pathway to exaltation for those who follow Him. Eschatological Outlook Revelation portrays a final Babylon that recapitulates Habakkuk’s arrogant empire, boasting, “I sit enthroned as queen” (Revelation 18:7). Her sudden downfall affirms that every manifestation of יָהִיר will be overthrown when “the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ” (Revelation 11:15). Summary Though occurring only twice, יָהִיר serves as a vivid emblem of the pride God opposes and ultimately destroys. By contrasting the restless self-inflation of the arrogant with the restful trust of the righteous, Scripture calls believers to walk in humble dependence, assured that “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). Forms and Transliterations יָ֭הִיר יָהִ֖יר יהיר yā·hîr Yahir yāhîrLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Proverbs 21:24 HEB: זֵ֣ד יָ֭הִיר לֵ֣ץ שְׁמ֑וֹ NAS: Proud, Haughty, Scoffer, KJV: Proud [and] haughty scorner INT: Proud Haughty scorner are his names Habakkuk 2:5 2 Occurrences |
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