The meaning of Exalt in the Bible
(From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)
eg-zolt' (rum, gabhah (mappiq he), nasa'; hupsoo): The Hebrew word most often translated "exalt," "exalted," is rum; "to lift up," "to be or become high." It is used with reference to both God and man, e.g. Exodus 15:2, "My father's God, and I will exalt him"; Psalms 99:5, Psalms 99:9, "Exalt ye Yahweh our God"; compare Psalms 107:32; Psalms 118:28; I Samuel 2:10, "Exalt the horn of his anointed"; Job 17:4, "Therefore shalt thou not exalt them"; compare Isaiah 13:2 the King James Version; Isaiah 14:13; gabhah, "to be high," figuratively "to be exalted," occurs in Job 36:7; Proverbs 17:19 the King James Version; Isaiah 5:16, etc.; nasa', "to lift up," occurs in Numbers 24:7; I Chronicles 29:11, etc.; other words are calal, "to raise up" (Exodus 9:17; Proverbs 4:8), saghabh (Job 5:11; Job 36:22 the King James Version; Isaiah 2:11, Isaiah 2:17; Isaiah 12:4; Isaiah 33:5), ramam, "to be high" (Job 24:24; Psalms 118:16).
In the New Testament "exalt" is the translation of hupsoo, "to elevate" (not used with reference to God) (Matthew 11:23; Matthew 23:12; Acts 2:33; II Corinthians 11:7; I Peter 5:6, etc.); also (twice) of epairo, "to lift up, upon or against" (II Corinthians 10:5; II Corinthians 11:20), once of huperairo, "to lift up above" (II Thessalonians 2:4); in II Corinthians 12:7 bis, this word is translated "exalted above measure," the Revised Version (British and American) "exalted overmuch"; huperupsoo, "to lift up above" (Philippians 2:9), is translated "highly exalted"; hupsos, "elevation," is translated "exalted" (James 1:9, the Revised Version (British and American) "high estate").
For "it increaseth" (Job 10:16), the Revised Version (British and American) gives "and if my head exalt itself"; instead of "God exalteth by His, power" (Job 36:22), "God doeth loftily in his power"; for "though thou exalt thyself as the eagle" (Obadiah 1:4), "mount on high"; for "highly esteemed" (Luke 16:15) "exalted"; for "exalteth itself" (II Corinthians 10:5), "is exalted"; for "He shall lift you up" (James 4:10), "He shall exalt you."
Self-exaltation is strongly condemned, especially by Christ; humbleness is the way to true exaltation (Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14; compare James 4:10; I Peter 5:6); the supreme example is that of Christ Himself (Philippians 2:5-11).
W. L. Walker
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