H6038 H6038
humility, meekness; the quality of being humble or lowly, foundational to fearing the Lord
The abstract noun for humility or meekness, closely related to the adjective 'humble/meek.' Proverbs presents humility as the pathway to honor: 'Before honor comes humility' (15:33, 18:12), and pairs it with fear of the Lord as producing riches, honor, and life (22:4). Zephaniah calls the humble to 'seek humility' along with righteousness as preparation for the day of the Lord (2:3). The term represents a core biblical virtue—the opposite of pride—marked by appropriate self-assessment before God and others. The multilingual evidence (Spanish 'humildad,' French 'humilité') maintains the virtue terminology consistently.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The virtue of humility or meekness, especially before God. Three occurrences in Proverbs (15:33, 18:12, 22:4) link humility with honor, fearing God, and blessing. Zephaniah 2:3 exhorts the humble to 'seek humility,' making it an active pursuit. The term embodies the biblical ideal of appropriate lowliness that acknowledges God's supremacy and leads to exaltation. 4×
AR["التَّواضُعِ", "التَّوَاضُعَ", "تَواضُعٌ"]·ben["নম্রতা", "নম্রতার", "বিনয়"]·DE["Demut"]·EN["comes-humility", "humility"]·FR["humilité", "ענוה"]·heb["ענווה"]·HI["नम्रता", "नम्रता-का"]·ID["kerendahan-hati"]·IT["[ענוה]", "comes-humility", "humility"]·jav["andhap-asor"]·KO["겸손과", "겸손을", "겸손이니라"]·PT["humildade"]·RU["смирение", "смирения"]·ES["humildad"]·SW["ni-unyenyekevu", "unyenyekevu"]·TR["alçakgönüllülük", "alçakgönüllülük-gelir", "alçakgönüllülüğü", "alçakgönüllülüğün"]·urd["عاجزی-ہے", "فروتنی", "فروتنی-کا"]
Related Senses
G2309 1. want, desire (166×)G0025 1. to love actively (133×)H0157 1. love (verb, active Qal) (129×)H8055 1. Qal: rejoice, be glad (123×)H7453 1. neighbor, fellow man (120×)G0026 1. of love (115×)H1058 1. Qal: to weep, cry (112×)H0954 1. to be ashamed, feel shame (Qal) (95×)H8057 1. joy, gladness, delight (90×)H2781 1. disgrace, shame, dishonor (68×)G2307 1. will, desire, purpose (63×)G5463 1. rejoice, be glad (63×)G0027 1. beloved (61×)H8130 1. Qal: to hate, detest (60×)G5479 1. (59×)G1680 1. (53×)H8130 2. Qal ptcp: hater, enemy (53×)H0014 1. be willing, want (51×)H0157 2. lover, friend (Qal participle substantive) (51×)H1945 1. woe (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† עָנָו (?; LagBN 48) n.m. poor, afflicted, humble, meek;—עָנָו Nu 12:3 (Kt; Qr עָנָיו is to ensure the—ָ according to Di Köii 1, 76); elsewhere pl. עֲנָוִים Is 29:19 + 11 times + Kt עֲנָוִים Is 32:7 ψ 9:19 (Qr עֲנִיִּים); Qr עֲנָוִים ψ 9:13; 10:12 Pr 3:34; 14:21; 16:19 (Kt עניים); cstr. עַנְוֵי Zp 2:3 + 2 times, + Kt ענוי (Qr עֲנִיֵּי) Am 8:4 (so Jb 24:4 van d. H.; but עֲנִיֵּי Kt and Qr Baer…