Proverbs 29:23A man's pride brings him low, but one of lowly spirit gains honor.
The setting
Ancient Jerusalem, Israel, ~950 BC. The royal court where Solomon observes how pride destroys even kings...
The emotion here: sobered by observing repeated patterns of human folly
The original word
ga'avah (גַּאֲוָה) — arrogance that swells like a river overflowing its banks
Why it matters
In Solomon's court, pride literally brought down officials who overestimated their influence
Read with care
What most readers miss in Proverbs 29:23
The word 'low' is the same Hebrew word used for valleys - pride makes you crash down
Common misconceptionPeople think this means 'don't be confident.' But Solomon is warning against arrogance that blinds you to reality, not healthy self-assurance.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Proverbs 29:23
Bible Genome reading
Proverbs 29:23 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Proverbs 29:23 comes from the book of Proverbs, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Solomon. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 60% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include humility, honor. Notable phrases: pride brings him low; lowly spirit gains honor. This verse contains a promise of God.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Proverbs 29:23 mean to you, today?
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