Biblical Insights about Pride

Pro 16:18 Pride¹³⁴⁷ goeth before destruction,⁷⁶⁶⁷ and a haughty¹³⁶³ spirit before a fall.³⁷⁸³

Everybody knows somebody who is vain. The Bible says God hates pride. Pride in Proverbs 16:18 and Proverb 16:5 below is גּאון gâ'ôn (pronounced gaw-ohn'). It means arrogancy, majesty, pomp. It comes from the word גּאה gâ'âh (pronounced gaw-aw') to mount up.

The Hebrew word for haughty is גּבהּ gôbahh (pronounced go'-bah) and it means grandeur, arrogance. It stems from the Hebrew word גּבהּ gâbahh (pronounced gaw-bah') to soar, to be lofty.

The word destruction is שׁבר sheber (pronounced sheh'-ber) or שׁבר shêber (pronounced shay'-ber). It means fracture, ruin or affliction. It in turn comes from שׁבר shâbar (pronounced shaw-bar'), which means to burst or to break off, crush, destroy.

Likewise, the word fall in Hebrew is כּשּׁלון kishshâlôn (pronounced kish-shaw-lone') and it means tottering. It comes from כּשׁל kâshal (pronounced kaw-shal'): to totter, waver, falter or stumble.

The word abomination is תּעבה tô‛êbah (pronounced to-ay-baw') or תּועבה tô‛êbah (pronounced to-ay-baw'). This word means disgusting or an abhorrence, and idolatry. It stems from another Hebrew word תּעב tâ‛ab (pronounced taw-ab'), which means to loathe or to detest.

Pro 16:5 Every one that is proud¹³⁶² in heart is an abomination⁸⁴⁴¹ to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

Matthew Henry in his book, "Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible," says:

Pride will have a fall. Those that are of a haughty spirit, that think of themselves above what is meet, and look with contempt upon others, that with their pride affront God and disquiet others, will be brought down, either by repentance or by ruin. It is the honour of God to humble the proud. It is the act of justice that those who have lifted up themselves should be laid low. Proud men are frequently most proud, and insolent, and haughty, just before their destruction, so that it is a certain presage that they are upon the brink of it. When proud men set God's judgments at defiance, and think themselves at the greatest distance from them, it is a sign that they are at the door; witness the case of Benhadad and Herod.

Dan 4:30 The king spoke, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?

Dan 4:31 While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.