1 Samuel 15:17

15:17 Samuel said, “Is it not true that when you were insignificant in your own eyes, you became head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord chose ¹  you as king over Israel.

Proverbs 18:12

18:12 Before destruction the heart ²  of a person is proud,

but humility comes ³  before honor. ⁴ 

Isaiah 66:2

66:2 My hand made them; ⁵ 

that is how they came to be,” ⁶  says the Lord.

I show special favor ⁷  to the humble and contrite,

who respect what I have to say. ⁸ 

Luke 14:11

14:11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but ⁹  the one who humbles ¹⁰  himself will be exalted.”

[15:17]  ¹ tn Heb “anointed.”

[18:12]  ² sn The term “heart” is a metonymy of subject, referring to the seat of the spiritual and intellectual capacities – the mind, the will, the motivations and intentions. Proud ambitions and intentions will lead to a fall.

[18:12]  ³ tn Heb “[is] before honor”; cf. CEV “humility leads to honor.”

[18:12]  ⁴ sn The way to honor is through humility (e.g., Prov 11:2; 15:33; 16:18). The humility and exaltation of Jesus provides the classic example (Phil 2:1-10).

[66:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “all these.” The phrase refers to the heavens and earth, mentioned in the previous verse.

[66:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “and all these were.” Some prefer to emend וַיִּהְיוּ (vayyihyu, “and they were”) to וְלִי הָיוּ (vÿli hayu, “and to me they were”), i.e., “and they belong to me.”

[66:2]  ⁷ tn Heb “and to this one I look” (KJV and NASB both similar).

[66:2]  ⁸ tn Heb “to the humble and the lowly in spirit and the one who trembles at my words.”

[14:11]  ⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context, which involves the reversal of expected roles.

[14:11]  ¹⁰ sn The point of the statement the one who humbles himself will be exalted is humility and the reversal imagery used to underline it is common: Luke 1:52-53; 6:21; 10:15; 18:14.