Exalt

EXALT [ISBE]

EXALT - 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. Ex 15:2, "My father's God, and I will exalt him"; Ps 99:5,9, "Exalt ye Yahweh our God"; compare 107:32; 118:28; 1 Sam 2:10, "Exalt the horn of his anointed"; Job 17:4, "Therefore shalt thou not exalt them"; compare Isa 13:2 the King James Version; 14:13; gabhah, "to be high," figuratively "to be exalted," occurs in Job 36:7; Prov 17:19 the King James Version; Isa 5:16, etc.; nasa', "to lift up," occurs in Nu 24:7; 1 Ch 29:11, etc.; other words are calal, "to raise up" (Ex 9:17; Prov 4:8), saghabh (Job 5:11; 36:22 the King James Version; Isa 2:11,17; 12:4; 33:5), ramam, "to be high" (Job 24:24; Ps 118:16).

In the New Testament "exalt" is the translation of hupsoo, "to elevate" (not used with reference to God) (Mt 11:23; 23:12; Acts 2:33; 2 Cor 11:7; 1 Pet 5:6, etc.); also (twice) of epairo, "to lift up, upon or against" (2 Cor 10:5; 11:20), once of huperairo, "to lift up above" (2 Thess 2:4); in 2 Cor 12:7 bis, this word is translated "exalted above measure," the Revised Version (British and American) "exalted overmuch"; huperupsoo, "to lift up above" (Phil 2:9), is translated "highly exalted"; hupsos, "elevation," is translated "exalted" (Jas 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" (Ob 1:4), "mount on high"; for "highly esteemed" (Lk 16:15) "exalted"; for "exalteth itself" (2 Cor 10:5), "is exalted"; for "He shall lift you up" (Jas 4:10), "He shall exalt you."

Self-exaltation is strongly condemned, especially by Christ; humbleness is the way to true exaltation (Mt 23:12; Lk 14:11; 18:14; compare Jas 4:10; 1 Pet 5:6); the supreme example is that of Christ Himself (Phil 2:5-11).

W. L. Walker