H1349 H1349
the proud - arrogant oppressors, those characterized by haughty presumption
This term denotes proud or arrogant people, likely oppressors who treat others with contempt. The Masoretic Kethiv (written text) and Qere (read text) differ here, with the Qere suggesting 'proudest oppressors' or literally 'proud doves' (an idiom for oppressive enemies). The psalm context describes persecution and scorn from those who hold the righteous in contempt. The proud are characterized by their disdain for the vulnerable and their practical atheism—living as if God does not see or care.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Psalm 123:4 laments, 'We have had more than enough of the contempt of the proud, of the scorn of the arrogant.' The psalmist speaks for the oppressed community enduring sustained mockery. Translations consistently render this as 'the proud' or 'the arrogant' (Spanish 'los soberbios'), with French's 'rebelle' (rebellious) capturing the proud's defiance. The definite article marks these as a recognized class of oppressors. 1×
AR["المُتَكَبِّرين"]·ben["অহঙ্কারীদের।"]·DE["der-proud"]·EN["the-proud"]·FR["à-rebelle"]·heb["ל-גאיונים"]·HI["घमण्डियों-के"]·ID["orang-orang-sombong"]·IT["[לגאיונים]"]·jav["saking-tiyang-gumunggung"]·KO["교만한-자들-에게서"]·PT["dos-soberbos"]·RU["надменных"]·ES["los-soberbios"]·SW["ya-wenye-kiburi"]·TR["kibirlilerin"]·urd["مغروروں-کی"]
Related Senses
H2896a 1. good (quality or moral) (305×)H7563 1. wicked person (259×)H7451c 1. moral evil or wickedness (234×)H5771 1. iniquity, sin, wrongdoing (222×)H6662 1. righteous person (substantive) (195×)G0266 1. sin, failure, transgression (173×)H2403b 1. sin, transgression (170×)H2617a 1. Covenant faithfulness, steadfast love (167×)H2398 1. Qal: to sin, commit sin (165×)H6666 1. righteousness, moral uprightness (145×)G5485 1. grace, divine favor (141×)H7451a 1. morally evil, wicked (129×)H2403b 2. sin-offering, sacrifice for sin (120×)G2570 1. good, right, excellent (98×)H6588 1. transgression, offense against God (88×)G0018 1. good (moral quality) (85×)H2896b 1. good, what is good (85×)H7451b 1. evil, wickedness (moral) (83×)H7451a 2. evil, harm, calamity (80×)G1342 1. righteous, upright (of persons) (70×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [גַּאֲיוֹן] adj. proud, גאייונים ψ 123:4 (Kt cf. Baer’s note, yet read prob. גַּאֲיוֹנִים; but Qr better, גְּאֵי יוֹנִים proudest oppressors, v. גֵּאֶה).