NOBLE (חֹרִ֣ים, אָדִּֽיר, נָדִיב, H5618, נָגִיד; εὐγενής, βασίλικος, κράτιστος).

חﯴרִים is the common OT word for “noble.” It is strictly a noun and occurs only in the pl. It contains the ideas of free birth and freedom and is esp. frequent in late Heb. (Neh 2:16; 4:14, 19; 5:7; 6:17; 7:5; and 13:17).

אָדִיר as a Heb. adjective means “majestic,” “glorious,” “magnificent,” and hence “noble.” As a noun it refers to nobles, chieftains, or servants of the Lord and emphasizes their majesty (2 Chron 23:20; Neh 3:5; 10:29; et al.). נָדִיב means “noble” in the sense of being “willing,” “generous,” and “ready to serve one’s people” (Num 21:18; 1 Sam 2:8 et al.). נָגִיד, H5592, is a derivative from a root meaning “to be conspicuous” and refers to the leader or noble as “one in front” (Job 29:10). Other OT words used are גָדﯴל, “great one” (Jonah 3:7), נִכְבָּ֔ד, “honored one” (Gen 34:19), יַקִּירָ֔א, “a prized one” (Ezra 4:10), and פַּרְתְּמִ֛ים, “foremost ones” (Esth 1:3; 6:9).

Three words are generally used in the NT for the Eng. word “noble.” The word εὐγενής, G2302, refers to nobility in the sense of being “wellborn” or “of noble race.” It is so used in Luke 19:12 and 1 Corinthians 1:26. Used in reference to the Bereans in Acts 17:11, it prob. refers more to nobility of mind than birth. The word βασίλικος means “belonging to a king” and hence “royal” (John 4:46, 49 et al.). And κράτιστος, G3196, is used twice in addressing rulers and implies the idea of supreme strength (Acts 24:3; 26:25).