Lexical Summary

zadon: Arrogance, pride, insolence

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

presumptuously, pride, proud man

From zuwd; arrogance -- presumptuously, pride, proud (man).

see HEBREW zuwd

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from zud
Definition
insolence, presumptuousness
NASB Translation
arrogance (3), arrogant (2), insolence (2), insolent pride (1), presumptuously (2), pride (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

זָדוֺן noun masculine^{Proverbs 11:2} insolence, presumptuousness (on formation compare Lag^{BN 204, Anm}.), absolute ׳ז Deuteronomy 17:12 7t.; construct זְדוֺן Jeremiah 49:16; Obadiah 3; suffix זְדֹנְךָ 1 Samuel 17:28; —

1 insolence, presumption toward men; affirmed of David by Eliab 1 Samuel 17:28 ("" רֹעַ לְבָבֶ֑ךָ); usually

Topical Lexicon

Definition and Nuances

זָדוֹן portrays boiling-over arrogance—presumptuous self-exaltation that resists divine authority and despises godly counsel. It is more than hidden pride; it is pride that has ripened into overt rebellion, verbalized contempt, or oppressive action.

Distribution in Scripture

The term appears eleven times, spanning Torah, History, Wisdom, and Prophets. This breadth shows its relevance to individual conduct, community order, and international destiny.

Covenant Implications (Deuteronomy 17:12; 18:22)

In Israel’s legal code, זָדוֹן is lethal. “But the man who acts presumptuously and disregards the priest…that man must be put to death” (Deuteronomy 17:12). Deliberate rejection of appointed authority equates to rejecting the LORD who installed that authority. Similarly, false prophecy spoken “presumptuously” (18:22) undermines the covenant by attributing lies to God. The Law therefore treats זָדוֹן as covenant treachery, not a mere character flaw.

Historical Narrative (1 Samuel 17:28)

Eliab mislabels David’s courage as זָדוֹן: “I know your pride and the insolence of your heart.” The accusation proves ironic—Eliab’s own offended honor exposes the very arrogance he imputes to David. The episode warns against judging zeal for the LORD through the lens of personal pride.

Wisdom Literature (Proverbs 11:2; 13:10; 21:24)

Proverbs sets זָדוֹן in antithesis to humility, wisdom, and peace.
• “When pride comes, disgrace follows” (11:2).
• “Arrogance leads only to strife” (13:10).
• “Mocker is the name of the proud and arrogant man” (21:24).

Wisdom therefore identifies boastful self-reliance as the seedbed of relational conflict and ultimate dishonor.

Prophetic Denouncements of National Pride (Jeremiah 49:16; 50:31–32; Ezekiel 7:10; Obadiah 1:3)

The prophets lift זָדוֹן from the personal to the geopolitical sphere. Edom’s mountain fortresses (Jeremiah 49:16; Obadiah 1:3) and Babylon’s imperial might (Jeremiah 50:31–32) become symbols of pride that “will stumble and fall.” Ezekiel 7:10 pictures judgment as a rod that blossoms precisely when “pride has budded.” Political security and military superiority cannot shield nations whose arrogance challenges the sovereignty of God.

Theological Themes

1. Rebellion against Divine Order: Whether priestly verdicts, prophetic truth, or moral wisdom, God’s structures cannot be flouted without consequence.
2. Pride Precedes Judgment: זָדוֹן signals that judgment is imminent—personally (disgrace), communally (strife), or nationally (destruction).
3. Deception of the Heart: Pride distorts self-perception (“the arrogance of your heart has deceived you,” Jeremiah 49:16), making repentance unlikely unless grace intervenes.

Applications for Ministry

• Preaching: Use these texts to warn against doctrinal presumption—teaching or prophesying “in the name of the LORD” while contradicting Scripture.
• Counseling: Help believers diagnose relational conflicts that may spring from concealed arrogance rather than mere miscommunication.
• Leadership: Model humble submission to God-given authority; discipline open rebellion lest it spread (Deuteronomy 17).
• Intercession: Pray for nations and churches that display triumphalism, asking God to grant humility before calamity forces it.

Christological and Eschatological Trajectory

Jesus Christ embodies the antithesis of זָדוֹן: “being in very nature God…He humbled Himself” (Philippians 2). At His return “every proud man will be humbled” (compare Isaiah 2:11). Thus the ultimate cure for arrogance is allegiance to the humble yet exalted King, whose cross condemns human pride and whose resurrection assures that every boast “in the flesh” will vanish.

Forms and Transliterations

בְּ֭זָדוֹן בְּזָדוֹן֙ בְזָד֗וֹן בזדון הַזָּדֽוֹן׃ הזדון׃ זְד֣וֹן זְד֤וֹן זְדֹנְךָ֗ זָ֭דוֹן זָד֔וֹן זָדֽוֹן׃ זָדוֹן֙ זדון זדון׃ זדנך bə·zā·ḏō·wn ḇə·zā·ḏō·wn bezadOn bəzāḏōwn ḇəzāḏōwn haz·zā·ḏō·wn hazzaDon hazzāḏōwn vezaDon zā·ḏō·wn Zadon zāḏōwn zə·ḏō·nə·ḵā zə·ḏō·wn zeDon zedoneCha zəḏōnəḵā zəḏōwn

Links

Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts

Englishman's Concordance

Deuteronomy 17:12
HEB: אֲשֶׁר־ יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה בְזָד֗וֹן לְבִלְתִּ֨י שְׁמֹ֤עַ
NAS: acts presumptuously by not listening
KJV: that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken
INT: who acts presumptuously not listening

Deuteronomy 18:22
HEB: דִבְּר֖וֹ יְהוָ֑ה בְּזָדוֹן֙ דִּבְּר֣וֹ הַנָּבִ֔יא
NAS: has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid
KJV: hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid
INT: spoken the LORD presumptuously has spoken the prophet

1 Samuel 17:28
HEB: יָדַ֣עְתִּי אֶת־ זְדֹנְךָ֗ וְאֵת֙ רֹ֣עַ
NAS: I know your insolence and the wickedness
KJV: I know thy pride, and the naughtiness
INT: I acknowledge your insolence and the wickedness of your heart

Proverbs 11:2
HEB: בָּֽא־ זָ֭דוֹן וַיָּבֹ֣א קָל֑וֹן
NAS: When pride comes, then comes
KJV: [When] pride cometh, then cometh
INT: comes pride comes dishonor

Proverbs 13:10
HEB: רַק־ בְּ֭זָדוֹן יִתֵּ֣ן מַצָּ֑ה
NAS: Through insolence comes nothing
KJV: Only by pride cometh contention:
INT: but insolence comes strife

Proverbs 21:24
HEB: ע֝וֹשֶׂ֗ה בְּעֶבְרַ֥ת זָדֽוֹן׃
NAS: Who acts with insolent pride.
KJV: who dealeth in proud wrath.
INT: acts wrath insolent

Jeremiah 49:16
HEB: הִשִּׁ֤יא אֹתָךְ֙ זְד֣וֹן לִבֶּ֔ךָ שֹֽׁכְנִי֙
NAS: As for the terror of you, The arrogance of your heart
KJV: hath deceived thee, [and] the pride of thine heart,
INT: the terror deceived the arrogance of your heart live

Jeremiah 50:31
HEB: הִנְנִ֤י אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ זָד֔וֹן נְאֻם־ אֲדֹנָ֥י
NAS: I am against you, O arrogant one, Declares
KJV: Behold, I [am] against thee, [O thou] most proud, saith
INT: behold I am against arrogant Declares the Lord

Jeremiah 50:32
HEB: וְכָשַׁ֤ל זָדוֹן֙ וְנָפַ֔ל וְאֵ֥ין
NAS: The arrogant one will stumble
KJV: And the most proud shall stumble
INT: will stumble the arrogant and fall no

Ezekiel 7:10
HEB: הַמַּטֶּ֔ה פָּרַ֖ח הַזָּדֽוֹן׃
NAS: has budded, arrogance has blossomed.
KJV: hath blossomed, pride hath budded.
INT: the rod has blossomed arrogance

Obadiah 1:3
HEB: זְד֤וֹן לִבְּךָ֙ הִשִּׁיאֶ֔ךָ
NAS: The arrogance of your heart
KJV: The pride of thine heart hath deceived
INT: the arrogance of your heart deceived