Proverbs 16:18

King James Version 1611 (Original)

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

לִפְנֵי־שֶׁ֥בֶר גָּא֑וֹן וְלִפְנֵ֥י כִ֝שָּׁל֗וֹן גֹּ֣בַהּ רֽוּחַ׃

Transliteration

Before-šeḇer gāʾôn and-before-kiššālôn gōḇah rûaḥ

Grammar Details

• *lipnê*: preposition - before
• *šeḇer*: noun, masculine, singular - breaking/destruction/ruin
• *gāʾôn*: noun, masculine, singular - pride/arrogance/majesty
• *wᵉ*: conjunction - and
• *kiššālôn*: noun, masculine, singular - stumbling/fall
• *gōḇah*: noun, masculine, singular construct - height/exaltation of
• *rûaḥ*: noun, feminine, singular - spirit/wind/breath

Word Meanings

• *šeḇer*: breaking/destruction/downfall/crash
• *gāʾôn*: pride/arrogance/haughtiness
• *gōḇah rûaḥ*: height of spirit/haughty spirit/pride

Referenced Verses

• Prov 11:2 : 2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.
• Prov 18:12 : 12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.
• Isa 2:11-12 : 11 The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. 12 For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:
• Obad 1:3-4 : 3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? 4 Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.
• Prov 29:23 : 23 A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.
• Isa 37:10-13 : 10 Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God, in whom thou trustest, deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. 11 Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by destroying them utterly; and shalt thou be delivered? 12 Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed, as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Telassar? 13 Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arphad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah?
• Prov 17:19 : 19 He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.
• Dan 4:30-37 : 30 The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? 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. 32 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws. 34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: 35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? 36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. 37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
• Dan 5:22 : 22 And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;
• Rom 11:20 : 20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
• 1 Tim 3:6 : 6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
• Esth 3:5 : 5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.
• Esth 6:6 : 6 So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?
• Esth 7:10 : 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.
• Isa 37:38 : 38 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia: and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.