Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
—Proverbs 16:18
We can learn a lot about the theological nuances of the Bible by the choices of its early translators. Though Proverbs was originally composed in Hebrew, during the Hellenistic period, many Jews spoke Greek. According to tradition, seventy Jewish scholars were asked by Ptolemy the Great (285–46 BCE), the Greek Pharaoh of Egypt, to translate the Torah from Hebrew to Greek for inclusion in the Library of Alexandria. The remaining books of the Hebrew Bible were translated sometime in the second century BCE. This Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible is known as the Septuagint (from the Latin septuaginta, meaning “the seventy,” and is often abbreviated in Roman numerals LXX). Most Old Testament quotations in the New Testament are from the Septuagint.
The ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible can reveal nuances of meanings in the biblical texts, otherwise hidden to us, given our historical, linguistical, and cultural distance. So, let’s look at the Greek translations for the Hebrew vocabulary about “pride” in Proverbs. For instance, in Proverbs 16:18, the Septuagint translates “pride” as hubris. Hubris is a toxic combination of ambition, overconfidence, and arrogance; it’s a kind of overweening pride that causes one to overstep one’s rightful boundaries and invade the sphere of another with insolent force and the infliction of insult and injury.
The Hebrew Scriptures have two major word groups for hubris gāʾâ and zîd, which are often translated as “pride” (noun) or “proud” (adjective). The primary meaning of gāʾâ is “to rise” (e.g., Job 22:29), and it denotes loftiness, arrogance, and pride. This word is used in Ezek 16:49–50 to summarize the guilt of Sodom for its pride (gāʾâ), excess of food, prosperous ease, and neglect of the poor and needy. Ezekiel’s rebuke culminates in this stern declaration, “They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it” (Ezek 16:50). According to Ezekiel, Samaria and Jerusalem were equally guilty of the same behavior and now liable to the same judgement. Pride led Sodom, Samaria, and Jerusalem to their destruction.
The second Hebrew word for pride (zîd) is frequently used to refer to three specific aspects of pride. The first characteristic is presumption. A person inflated with pride presumes too much in his or her favor, especially the perceived sense of authority. For example, a false prophet presumed to speak in the name of God and assumed the authority to do so without actually having been designated and called by God (Deut 18:20). The second characteristic of pride is rebellion or disobedience. The proud person asserts his or her own will to the point of rebelling against authority (Deut 1:43; Neh 9:16, 29). The third attribute of pride is self-will. Self-will is when you obstinately do what you want in spite of the wishes or instructions of others. When the Bible warns about being stiff-necked, it is talking about self-will. Self-will is vividly portrayed in Isaiah’s taunt against the king of Babylon (Isa 14:3–27). Five times the king boasted, “I will.” He said, “I will ascend to heaven,” “I will set my throne on high,” “I will sit on the mount of the assembly,” “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,” and “I will make myself like the Most High” (Isa 14:13–14). God’s judgment fell on the king’s self-will:
“I will rise up against them,” declares the Lord of hosts, “and will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, descendants and posterity,” declares the Lord. “And I will make it a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” declares the Lord of hosts.” (Isa 14:22–23)
Pride led the king of Babylon to his destruction.
King Uzziah displays another example of hubris (2 Chr 26:1–23). A dynamic and capable leader, King Uzziah conquered the Philistines and Arabians, subjugated the Ammonites, built great public works, organized and equipped the army, fortified Jerusalem, and was personally very successful. “His fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong” (2 Chr 26:15). Then his pride led to his downfall. Second Chronicles 26:16 tells us, “But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the LORD his God and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.” Entering the temple to burn incense was the job of the priests, not the king. The strength and greatness of Uzziah as king did not give him the right to overstep his boundaries as king and insolently invade the sphere of the priests (2 Chr 26:17–18). Uzziah’s hubris in this act of worship was counted as unfaithfulness to the Lord. He was struck with leprosy and remained leprous until the day he died (2 Chr 26:19–21). Pride led Uzziah to his destruction.
Proverbs speaks extensively about the dangers of hubris in leadership because prideful arrogance and overstepping the boundaries of one’s authority are easily justified with appeals to fruitfulness, calling, or leadership style. Fruitfulness does not give you permission to be abusive or unethical. Your calling does not authorize you to be arrogant or to make pronouncements on issues you are not qualified to speak on. Hubris is not a leadership style: It is a sin. It is to be rejected and renounced at every turn.
Adapted from my new book, Following Wisdom, Leading Wisely: Proverbs as Ancient Wisdom for Today’s Leader. Pick your copy today. Available on Amazon or wherever you get your books.
Debbie and I serve as the FMI Global Associate Director for MENACA and Europe. We focus on cultivating disciples, leaders, and church planting movements.
