Word study
High
18 Hebrew and 6 Greek words behind this English word
The original-language words that the Berean Standard Bible translates with “high”. English often uses one word where Hebrew or Greek has several, each with its own shade of meaning. Under each word are verses where it is translated this way; choose the word itself for its full study: every verse, how else it is translated, the forms it takes and what the dictionaries say.
At a glance
How often each original word is translated “high” or one of its forms.
Compare the Hebrew words side by side Compare the Greek words side by side
Hebrew and Aramaic words (Old Testament)
- בָּמָה bâmâhhigh placetranslated this way 82 times of its 97 uses · Strong’s H1116Noun · Translated: high places 64, high place 18, heights 10, ridge 2Full study and all 92 verses →
Leviticus 26:30 I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and heap your lifeless bodies on the lifeless remains of your idols; and My soul will despise you.
Numbers 33:52 you must drive out before you all the inhabitants of the land, destroy all their carved images and cast idols, and demolish all their high places.
- עֶלְיוֹן elyônhightranslated this way 32 times of its 52 uses · Strong’s H5945Adjective · Translated: Most High 31, Upper 15, heap of rubble 2, highest 2Full study and all 52 verses →
Genesis 14:18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine — since he was priest of God Most High —
Numbers 24:16 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open:
- קוֹמָה qômâhheighttranslated this way 27 times of its 42 uses · Strong’s H6967Noun · Translated: high 27, height 7, tallest 2, tall 2Full study and all 41 verses →
Genesis 6:15 And this is how you are to build it: The ark is to be 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high.
Exodus 25:10 And they are to construct an ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.
- גָּבֹהַּ gâbôahhhigh, exaltedtranslated this way 20 times of its 40 uses · Strong’s H1364Adjective · Translated: high 20, proud 3, haughty 2, longer 2Full study and all 36 verses →
Genesis 7:19 Finally, the waters completely prevailed upon the earth, so that all the high mountains under all the heavens were covered.
Deuteronomy 3:5 All these cities were fortified with high walls and gates and bars, and there were many more unwalled villages.
- גָּדוֹל gâdôlgreattranslated this way 20 times of its 501 uses · Strong’s H1419Adjective · Translated: great 262, large 33, high 20, loud 14Full study and all 477 verses →
Numbers 35:25 The assembly is to protect the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood. Then the assembly will return him to the city of refuge to which he fled, and he must live there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
Joshua 20:6 He is to stay in that city until he stands trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest serving at that time. Then the manslayer may return to his own home in the city from which he fled.”
- מָרוֹם mârômheighttranslated this way 20 times of its 53 uses · Strong’s H4791Noun · Translated: high 20, heights 12, lofty 3, heaven 3Full study and all 51 verses →
2 Samuel 22:17 He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters.
Job 5:11 He sets the lowly on high, so that mourners are lifted to safety.
- רוּם rûmbe high, exalted, risetranslated this way 13 times of its 185 uses · Strong’s H7311Verb · Translated: exalted 23, exalt 18, lift 14, raised 10Full study and all 180 verses →
Deuteronomy 12:2 Destroy completely all the places where the nations you are dispossessing have served their gods— atop the high mountains, on the hills, and under every green tree.
Job 21:22 Can anyone teach knowledge to God, since He judges those on high?
- עִלַּי illayhighesttranslated this way 10 times of its 10 uses · Strong’s H5943Adjective · Translated: Most High 10Full study and all 10 verses →
Daniel 3:26 Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the blazing fiery furnace and called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire,
Daniel 4:2 I am pleased to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.
- עַל alheighttranslated this way 4 times of its 4,859 uses · Strong’s H5921Preposition · Translated: on 777, over 297, in 218, against 216Full study and all 3,996 verses →
Genesis 7:17 For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and the waters rose and lifted the ark high above the earth.
Genesis 34:12 Demand a high dowry and an expensive gift, and I will give you whatever you ask. Only give me the girl as my wife!”
- שָׂגַב sâgabbetranslated this way 4 times of its 20 uses · Strong’s H7682Verb · Translated: exalted 6, protect 4, high 2, lofty 2Full study and all 20 verses →
Deuteronomy 2:36 From Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along with the city in the valley, even as far as Gilead, not one city had walls too high for us. The LORD our God gave us all of them.
Proverbs 18:11 A rich man’s wealth is his fortified city; it is like a high wall in his imagination.
- גֹּבַהּ gôbahhheighttranslated this way 4 times of its 17 uses · Strong’s H1363Noun · Translated: height 4, high 4, pride 2Full study and all 16 verses →
2 Chronicles 3:4 The portico at the front, extending across the width of the temple, was twenty cubits long and twenty cubits high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold.
Job 22:12 Is not God as high as the heavens? Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are!
- גָּבַהּ gâbahhbe high, exaltedtranslated this way 4 times of its 34 uses · Strong’s H1361Verb · Translated: proud 4, high 4, soar 2, haughty 2Full study and all 33 verses →
Job 35:5 Look to the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds high above you.
Psalm 103:11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him.
- עֶלְיוֹן elyônid.translated this way 4 times of its 4 uses · Strong’s H5946Adjective · Translated: Most High 4Full study and all 4 verses →
Daniel 7:18 But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever — yes, forever and ever.’
Daniel 7:22 until the Ancient of Days arrived and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for them to possess the kingdom.
- עַל alheighttranslated this way 3 times of its 4 uses · Strong’s H5920Noun · Translated: Most High 2, high 1, above 1Full study and all 4 verses →
2 Samuel 23:1 These are the last words of David: “The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man raised on high, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel:
Hosea 7:16 They turn, but not to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword for the cursing of their tongue; for this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.
- רֹאשׁ rôshheadtranslated this way 2 times of its 570 uses · Strong’s H7218Noun · Translated: head 200, heads 113, chief 31, top 29Full study and all 530 verses →
- רוּם rûmheighttranslated this way 2 times of its 5 uses · Strong’s H7314Noun · Translated: high 2, top 2, height 1Full study and all 5 verses →
Ezra 6:3 In the first year of King Cyrus, he issued a decree concerning the house of God in Jerusalem: Let the house be rebuilt as a place for offering sacrifices, and let its foundations be firmly laid. It is to be sixty cubits high and sixty cubits wide,
Daniel 3:1 King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden statue sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
- מִישׁוֹר mîshôrlevel place, uprightnesstranslated this way 2 times of its 23 uses · Strong’s H4334Noun · Translated: plateau 8, plain 2, level ground 2, level 2Full study and all 23 verses →
Jeremiah 48:8 The destroyer will move against every city, and not one town will escape. The valley will also be ruined, and the high plain will be destroyed, as the LORD has said.
Jeremiah 48:21 Judgment has come upon the high plain— upon Holon, Jahzah, and Mephaath,
- גָּדַל gâdalgrow up, become greattranslated this way 2 times of its 115 uses · Strong’s H1431Verb · Translated: great 14, grew 10, grown 7, greater 7Full study and all 114 verses →
Ezekiel 24:9 Yes, this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the city of bloodshed! I, too, will pile the kindling high.
Daniel 8:10 It grew as high as the host of heaven, and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the earth and trampled them.
Greek words (New Testament)
- ἀρχιερεύς archiereúshigh priest, chief priesttranslated this way 57 times of its 122 uses · Strong’s G749Noun · Translated: chief priests 64, high priest 52, high priesthood 2, high priests 2Full study and all 119 verses →
Matthew 26:3 At that time the chief priests and elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,
Mark 2:26 During the high priesthood of Abiathar, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which was lawful only for the priests. And he gave some to his companions as well.”
- ὑψηλός hypsēlóshigh, loftytranslated this way 6 times of its 10 uses · Strong’s G5308Adjective · Translated: high 6, prized 1, uplifted 1, arrogant 1Full study and all 10 verses →
Matthew 4:8 Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
Mark 9:2 After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There He was transfigured before them.
- ὕψιστος hýpsistoshighest, most high, the heightstranslated this way 6 times of its 13 uses · Strong’s G5310Adjective · Translated: Most High 6, highest 4, of 3Full study and all 13 verses →
Mark 5:7 And he shouted in a loud voice, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You before God not to torture me!”
Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
- ὕψος hýpsosheight, heaventranslated this way 4 times of its 6 uses · Strong’s G5311Noun · Translated: high 3, height 2, high position 1Full study and all 6 verses →
Luke 1:78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high,
Ephesians 4:8 This is why it says: “When He ascended on high, He led captives away, and gave gifts to men.”
- πολύς polýsmuch, many, oftentranslated this way 2 times of its 338 uses · Strong’s G4183Adjective · Translated: many 172, great 37, large 32, much 31Full study and all 307 verses →
Matthew 26:9 This perfume could have been sold at a high price, and the money given to the poor.”
- μέγας mégaslarge, greattranslated this way 2 times of its 218 uses · Strong’s G3173Adjective · Translated: great 108, greater 29, loud 23, greatest 14Full study and all 206 verses →
Luke 4:38 After Jesus had left the synagogue, He went to the home of Simon, whose mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever. So they appealed to Jesus on her behalf,
John 19:31 It was the day of Preparation, and the next day was a High Sabbath. In order that the bodies would not remain on the cross during the Sabbath, the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies removed.
How to study a word well
- Start from the verse, not the dictionary. Find which Hebrew or Greek word stands in the verse you are studying. One English word often translates several different original words.
- Read every place the word is used. A word means what its writers used it to mean. The list of verses and the count by book show its range, and who uses it most.
- Look at how it is translated. A word rendered five different ways has a wider meaning than any one English word can carry.
- Notice the form. A command is not a statement, and a passive verb is something done to the subject. The form in your verse is part of the meaning.
- See what it keeps company with. The words that appear beside it again and again show how the Bible itself connects ideas.
- Then read the dictionaries. They give the considered view of scholars, with their evidence.
- Come back to the verse. Context decides. A word does not carry every one of its meanings into every verse, and where a word came from does not settle what it means in a sentence written centuries later.
Scripture text and translation counts: Berean Standard Bible. Full entry: Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906, public domain), in the digital edition Brown-Driver-Briggs Enhanced by unfoldingWord (Joel Ruark, J. de Joode), based on data by Eliran Wong and Stephen Ku; its additions are used under CC BY 4.0. Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary: Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project, CC BY 4.0. Hebrew-to-English verse numbering: original work of the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible available at https://github.com/openscriptures/morphhb, CC BY 4.0. We reformatted the data, linked the references to this site’s Bible text and left out words in other scripts that the source holds only as images. These are historical reference works; an entry gives its authors’ view, and a word’s meaning in any verse depends on how it is used there.