Honor
A study on the biblical concept of honor, respect, and reverence.
This study explores the multifaceted theme of honor in the Bible. It covers honoring God, parents, and others, as well as the rewards of an honorable life and the consequences of dishonor.
All Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Summary by Book
Genesis
4So the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob's daughter. Hewasmorehonorable than all the household of his father.
Let not my soul enter their council; Let not myhonorbe united to their assembly; For in their anger they slew a man, And in their self-will they hamstrung an ox.
So the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob's daughter. Hewasmorehonorable than all the household of his father.
Exodus
10And Moses said to Pharaoh, "Accept thehonorof saying when I shall intercede for you, for your servants, and for your people, to destroy the frogs from you and your houses,thatthey may remain in the river only."
Then I will harden Pharaoh's heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gainhonorover Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that IamtheLord." And they did so.
And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will gainhonorover Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen.
Then the Egyptians shall know that IamtheLord, when I have gainedhonorfor Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen."
Honoryour father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which theLordyour God is giving you.
And Moses said to Pharaoh, "Accept thehonorof saying when I shall intercede for you, for your servants, and for your people, to destroy the frogs from you and your houses,thatthey may remain in the river only."
Then I will harden Pharaoh's heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gainhonorover Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that IamtheLord." And they did so.
And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will gainhonorover Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen.
Then the Egyptians shall know that IamtheLord, when I have gainedhonorfor Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen."
Leviticus
4'You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, norhonorthe person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.
'You shall rise before the gray headed andhonorthe presence of an old man, and fear your God: IamtheLord.
'You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, norhonorthe person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.
Numbers
8for I will certainlyhonoryou greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Therefore please come, curse this people for me.' "
Then Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not earnestly send to you, calling for you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able tohonoryou?"
Now therefore, flee to your place. I said I would greatlyhonoryou, but in fact, theLordhas kept you back fromhonor."
for I will certainlyhonoryou greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Therefore please come, curse this people for me.' "
Then Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not earnestly send to you, calling for you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able tohonoryou?"
Deuteronomy
4'Honoryour father and your mother, as theLordyour God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which theLordyour God is giving you.
and that He will set you high above all nations which He has made, in praise, in name, and inhonor, and that you may be a holy people to theLordyour God, just as He has spoken."
'Honoryour father and your mother, as theLordyour God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which theLordyour God is giving you.
Judges
4But the olive tree said to them, 'Should I cease giving my oil, With which theyhonorGod and men, And go to sway over trees?'
Then Manoah said to the Angel of theLord, "WhatisYour name, that when Your words cometo passwe mayhonorYou?"
But the olive tree said to them, 'Should I cease giving my oil, With which theyhonorGod and men, And go to sway over trees?'
1 Samuel
12Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commandedin Mydwelling place, andhonoryour sons more than Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?'
Therefore theLordGod of Israel says: 'I said indeedthatyour house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.' But now theLordsays: 'Far be it from Me; for those whohonorMe I willhonor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.
And he said to him, "Look now,there isin this city a man of God, andhe isanhonorable man; all that he says surely comes to pass. So let us go there; perhaps he can show us the way that we should go."
Now Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall, and had them sit in the place ofhonoramong those who were invited; therewereabout thirty persons.
Then he said, "I have sinned;yethonorme now, please, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship theLordyour God."
So Ahimelech answered the king and said, "And who among all your servantsis asfaithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, who goes at your bidding, and ishonorable in your house?
Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commandedin Mydwelling place, andhonoryour sons more than Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?'
Therefore theLordGod of Israel says: 'I said indeedthatyour house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.' But now theLordsays: 'Far be it from Me; for those whohonorMe I willhonor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.
And he said to him, "Look now,there isin this city a man of God, andhe isanhonorable man; all that he says surely comes to pass. So let us go there; perhaps he can show us the way that we should go."
Now Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall, and had them sit in the place ofhonoramong those who were invited; therewereabout thirty persons.
Then he said, "I have sinned;yethonorme now, please, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship theLordyour God."
2 Samuel
4And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held inhonor."
And the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, "Do you think that David reallyhonors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Has David notrathersent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?"
And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held inhonor."
Thematic Index
Honoring God
Honoring Parents
Honoring Others
Rewards of Honor
Dishonor and Its Consequences
Honor in Marriage
Honor Through Service
All Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.