A Bible Word Study on 'Kabad' the Hebrew Word for God's Glory

Text on a golden background that reads 'The Glory of God'

Have you ever really thought about the glory of God and what it means? For my reformed friends, the first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism states that “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” But what does glory mean? Pause for a moment and reflect on what you think the glory of God means?

A young boy carrying a large bag on his back, wearing a black and red jacket, standing outdoors with a rural background.

The Hebrew word for glory is kabod (also spelled kabowd, or kavod). It literally means weight or heaviness. At first glance that seems strange. When I think of glory, I think of a bright light or something. I don’t think of heaviness. But what can heaviness teach us about God’s glory?

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Encountering God’s Glory

I think the best place to start might be seeing how people respond to God’s glory. Here are some examples of people encountering God’s glory. In some verse the word kabod will actually be used, but in other passages it is implied.

Burning Bush

A biblical scene depicting a figure in dramatic robes kneeling on a path, raising a hand in a gesture of reverence or prayer, while another figure floats above, surrounded by flames, set against a pastoral landscape with sheep and rolling hills. — Moses and the Burning Bush, c. 1450–1475, attributed to Dieric Bouts, File:Bouts moses.jpg – Wikimedia Commons

“’Do not come any closer,’ God said. ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.’ Then he said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.’ At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.”
~ Exodus 3: 5-6, NIV

The Top of the Mountain

Volcano erupting with lava and smoke under a vibrant orange and purple sunset sky — A volcano erupts with glowing lava and smoke beneath a dramatic sunset sky.

^“Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The glory [kabod]of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. Now the appearance of the glory [kabod] of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel.”
~~Exodus 24:15-17, NIV

“And he said, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name “The Lord.” And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,’ he said, ‘you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.’ And the Lord said, ‘Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory [kabod] passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.’”
~ Exodus 33:19-23, NIV

^“And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and when they came out they blessed the people, and the glory [kabod] of the Lord appeared to all the people. And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.”
~Leviticus 9: 23-24

The Holy of Holies

Golden Ark of the Covenant with kneeling angel statues glowing in an ornate chamber — The Ark of the Covenant emits a radiant golden glow within an ornately decorated chamber.

^“Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory [kabod] of the Lord filled the tabernacle.”
~~Exodus 40: 34-35, NIV

^“The Lord said to Moses: ‘Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.’”
~ Exodus 16: 2, NIV

The Day of the Lord

“Enter into the rock
    and hide in the dust
from before the terror of the Lord,
    and from the splendor of his majesty. And people shall enter the caves of the rocks
    and the holes of the ground,
from before the terror of the Lord,
    and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth to enter the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs,
from before the terror of the Lord, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth.”
~~Isaiah 2:10, 19, 21

^“For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ ‘Then they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’”
~Luke 23: 29-30, NIV

^“Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?’”
~Revelation 6: 15-17, NIV

“In the wilderness prepare
the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
~ Isaiah 40: 3-5, NIV

God’s Glory Is Scary!

A group of six people including children and an elderly man sitting inside a rocky cave with mountainous landscape outside — A family takes refuge inside a rocky mountain cave against cold weather.

As you can see encountering God’s glory is scary for us humans. When we come face-to-face with God’s glory, we are afraid that we will die. The glory of God is literally so heavy that we can’t stand before him. We want to hide under a mountain.

Think about it. The weight of the glory of God is so heavy that you would rather have a mountain fall on you. Imagine if gravity was intensified so much that you could feel its heaviness. Think about an amusement park ride and how the change in gravity feels for a visualization.

Reflection Question

A woman with long hair sits thoughtfully, holding a cup and a pen, while looking off to the side, in front of a laptop.

Have you ever felt the weight of God’s glory in this way? How would it change your faith life if you approached God with a fear and reverence?

The Heaviness of God’s Name

cautionary super heavy warning sign on wall — Photo by David Underland on Pexels.com

The Bible talks about ascribing glory (kabod) to God’s name. Read the following verses and contemplate the nuance of heaviness in the Hebrew meaning of kabod?

“Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    bring an offering and come before him!
Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;
    tremble before him, all the earth;
    yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.”
~1 Chronicles 16: 29-30, ESV

“Nations will fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory. For the Lord builds up Zion; he appears in his glory;”
~Psalm 102: 15, 16, NIV

“’I will make known my holy name among my people Israel. I will no longer let my holy name be profaned, and the nations will know that I the LORD am the Holy One in Israel.”
~ Exodus 39: 7, NIV

“He replied, ‘Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding.’”
~Judges 13: 18, NIV

Reflection And Application

A young woman in a white sweater holds a notebook and pencil, deep in thought.

How does thinking about the heaviness aspect of God change your understanding of the commandment:

“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”
~ Exodus 20: 7, NIV

It reminds me of the responses written in Luther’s Small Catechism. If you read the “What does this mean?” section responses to the Ten Commandments, you would notice a pattern. Each statement begins with “We should fear and love God that…..” This includes the commandment that forbids taking God’s name in vain. In our culture love is fluffy, but fear is heavy. Yet, we are called to fear God. Fearing God doesn’t mean that we are necessarily afraid of Him for He is our loving Father. Yet as children, we had a healthy fear of our own parents when we messed up. That’s the kind of fear that we need to have of God. Just because we mess up doesn’t mean that He doesn’t love us, but it does mean we are subject to His discipline—which is not fun! But more importantly it means we treat His name with reverence and respect and a healthy fear as the king of the universe. The glory of His name is heavy and deserves honor.

Note: Although, the Ten Commandments are the same across denomination since they come from Scripture. Each denomination numbers the Ten Commandments differently because there is no numbering in the original Hebrew. That is why I’m avoiding referring to the commandment by number.

One practical way you can do this is by reflecting on all the names of God!

Here are a few websites to help you:

The Incredible Weight of His Riches

a pile of coins — Photo by Panos and Marenia Stavrinos on Pexels.com

The first instance of the word kabod is in Genesis referring to Abram’s riches:

^“Abram had become very wealthy [kabod] in livestock and in silver and gold.”
~ Genesis 13:2, NIV

Now notice the connection between riches and God’s glory in Haggai. God doesn’t need anything because he has all the riches of the universe! The weight of his riches, like his glory, is unimaginable.

“’This is what the Lord Almighty says: “In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,” says the Lord Almighty. “The silver is mine and the gold is mine,” declares the Lord Almighty. “The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,” says the Lord Almighty. “And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”’”
~Haggai 2: 6-9, NIV

The Glory of Our King

Stained glass depiction of Christ seated on a throne, surrounded by clouds and a rainbow, holding a scepter and orb, with 'Alpha' and 'Omega' symbols. — Jesus Christ the King in Glory; Mongoose Livingstone; File:Jesus Christ the King in Glory.png – Wikimedia Commons

Jesus is our King! He has the same glory that a king has—heavy with riches, heavy with honor, and heavy with authority. It’s hard for us as Americans to understand the glory, honor, and authority due to a king. A king not only has more riches than anyone else in the kingdom, but he also has more authority. The king has a power to take life or give it. The king is a warrior who defends his people from invading nations. It is not only our duty but our privilege to give glory to our King—heavy though it is.

“Lift up your heads, you gates;
    be lifted up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
    The Lord strong and mighty,
    the Lord mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, you gates;
    lift them up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
Who is he, this King of glory?
    The Lord Almighty—
    he is the King of glory.”
~ Psalm 24; 7-10, NIV

“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
    and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth
    and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
    and his glory appears over you.
Nations will come to your light,
    and kings to the brightness of your dawn……
The sun will no more be your light by day,
    nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you,
for the Lord will be your everlasting light,
    and your God will be your glory.”
~ Isaiah 60: 1-3, 19, NIV

“They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
    and tell of your power,
to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds,
    and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
    and your dominion endures throughout all generations.”
~Psalm 145: 11-13, NIV

What Does God Desire From Us?

God wants us to honor him and give him glory. The word kabod is used in Malachi 1:6:

“’A son honors [kabod] his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor [kabod] due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?’ says the Lord Almighty.”
~Malachi 1: 6, NIV

But what does that look like? In our American culture, we don’t honor or give glory to almost anyone. Even if we show love and respect our parents, we rarely honor them in the way the word kabod conveys. We certainly don’t honor our elected officials, and our elected officials spend more time slandering one another than honoring one another. Instead in America we give weight and glory to materialism, image, celebrity etc. But God gives us some clues in Malachi how he wants us to honor Him or bring him glory.

He wants us our best! He doesn’t want our leftovers. He wants our firstfruits. (Malachi 1: 6-10)
He wants us to make his name great among the nations. (Malachi 1: 11-2:3)
He wants us to speak truth about Him. (That’s His truth not your truth). (Malachi 2: 4-9)
He forbids us to make covenants with nonbelievers. (Malachi 2: 10-12)
He desires for us to honor our marriage covenants and raise godly offspring. (Malachi 2: 13-16) Note: In the New Testament age this could mean spiritual multiplication instead of physical offspring.
He wants us to act justly. (Malachi 2: 17-3: 6)
He wants us to be generous and give Him our tithes and offerings. (Malachi 2:7-12)
He wants us to fear Him and hold His name in high regard (Malachi 2: 13-18)

God’s Glory and Suffering

A detailed engraving of a serene Jesus Christ with a crown of thorns, gazing upward with a somber expression. — Representation of: Jesus Christ; After: Guido Reni; Print made by: Charles Alberti; Published by: Villain; Printed by: Franz Hanfstängl, https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1869-0410-1833

However, we have to be aware that giving God glory will involve suffering. That’s a hard pill to swallow—especially for us Americans. If we pray for ourselves or for our family members to see God’s glory it means that we have to be aware that the answer to that prayer is going to involve godly suffering. We suffer because Jesus suffered. Suffering for us brought Him the ultimate glory; therefore, suffering with and in Christ brings Him glory.

^“Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”
~Romans 8: 17-18, NIV

^“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”
~2 Corinthians 4: 17-18, NIV

^“But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.”
~1 Peter 4: 13-14, NIV

^“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
~1 Peter 1: 6-7, NIV

^“But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.”
~Hebrews 2: 9-10, NIV

Reflection Questions

A young woman sitting at a table, looking thoughtfully at an open book while holding a cup.

Are you willing to suffer with Christ or for Christ? If so, what might that look like in your life?
If you are currently suffering for Jesus, don’t forget to pray for the Holy Spirit to sustain you in the midst of your suffering as you keep your eyes focused on His glory!

Conclusion

It’s hard for those of us in an American culture to grasp the weight of heaviness of God’s glory. It’s only by studying the definition of the Hebrew word kabod and meditating on Scripture verses related to the word that we can gain a small understanding of what God’s glory is. God’s glory is so big, heavy, and immense that we humans can’t conceive of it. It makes us want to hide under mountains. But luckily (or providentially) we have Jesus! Jesus’s purity and holiness allows us stand before God as Jesus covers our sins. But there is a cost! We must suffer with Him and that is hard. It’s not for the faint of heart, but luckily we have God’s grace to walk with Him as His Holy Spirit will sustain us in any suffering that comes by His hand or because of His name. Praise be to Jesus!

Bible Word Studies

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Word Study Posts

Here is another post on the word study on my blog: Word Studies: A Bible Study Method Featuring God’s Lovingkindness (chesed)

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Disclaimer: Although, I have been a diligent student and teacher of the Word for many, many years, I do not know Hebrew. I have relied on various commentaries and websites over the years so that a lot of the learning has become internal. I strive for accuracy and clarity, but I am still a sinner and make errors from time to time.

Understanding God’s Glory: A Bible Word Study on Kabod