S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

The word haughty is defined by Merriam-Webster as "blatantly and disdainfully proud." The word is always used in the Bible in the evil sense of "arrogant, disdainful and setting oneself above other...

Login or Sign Up to view the rest of this answer.

July 01 2013 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church

BDB, a resource of BibleHub.com, one that I owned and used through 4 years of seminary and 8 years pastoring, says that there is a figurative use of "eyes", figurative of arrogance Proverbs 6:17; Proverbs 30:13; Psalm 131:1 ("" גָּבַהּ לִבִּי).

The expression “high/ lofty [רָמוֹת, ramot] eyes” refers to a proud look suggesting arrogant ambition (cf. NCV “a proud look”). The use of “eyes” is a metonymy of adjunct, the look in the eyes accompanying the attitude. This term “high” is used in Num 15:30 for the sin of the “high hand,” i.e., willful rebellion or defiant sin. The usage of “haughty eyes” may be illustrated by its use with the pompous Assyrian invader (Isa 10:12-14) and the proud king of the book of Daniel (Daniel 11:12). God does not tolerate anyone who thinks so highly of himself and who has such ambition. 

See the difference between metonomy of the subject and METONOMY OF THE ADJUNCT:

1. Metonymy of Subject: when the subject-matter or thing is put for the attributive or adjunct of it; the place or the container is put for that which is contained.

e.g., “The grave cannot praise you” (Isa. 38:18).

The prophet means that a dead person in the grave cannot praise God.
*The metonymy of subject is very common in Scripture, especially in the OT. Note in particular parts of the body put for the that which was connected with them: “soul” for desires and appetites, “heart” for thoughts and will, “kidneys” for affections and passions, “Liver” for emotions and the center of the immaterial being (See Hans W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament).

2. Metonymy of Adjunct: the writer puts the adjunct or attribute for the subject. E.g., “Then you shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave” (Gen. 42:38)

Here we have the opposite of metonymy of subject; the adjunct/attribute (“gray hairs”) is put for the subject (old Jacob). 

Also, from my 90-year-old best lady friend for 7 years as a pastor, after she died, her family gave me my choice of all her books (she taught adult Sunday School), all ladies with 1-2 exceptions. I chose JFB, I call it, The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary refers to a biblical commentary entitled a Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, prepared by Robert Jamieson, Andrew Robert Fausset and David Brown. Proverbs 6:17. proud look —literally, “eyes of loftiness” (Psalm 131:1).

February 21 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report