Stout; Stoutness
The Biblical Meaning of Stout
While modern English uses "stout" to describe physical strength or corpulence, the biblical usage carries a different meaning entirely. In Scripture, "stout" consistently refers to pride, arrogance, and bold defiance — always in a negative sense. When biblical writers describe someone as "stout," they are warning about a heart lifted up against God, not commenting on physical appearance.
Stoutness in the Psalms
Psalm 76:5 describes how God has stripped the "stouthearted" of their plunder — referring to arrogant warriors who trusted in their own strength rather than in God. The psalm celebrates God's supreme power over all military might, declaring that even the most bold and defiant warriors are helpless before the God of Jacob. Their stoutness avails them nothing when God renders judgment.
Isaiah's Warning Against Pride
Isaiah uses the concept of stoutness to condemn Israel's response to divine discipline. In Isaiah 9:9-10, the people of Samaria declare in the "stoutness" of heart that though the bricks have fallen, they will rebuild with dressed stone — replacing humble materials with grand ones. Rather than repenting after God's initial judgments, they doubled down on their self-confidence. Isaiah 10:12 further warns that God will punish the "stout heart" of the king of Assyria, who boasted that his conquests were achieved by his own wisdom and strength.
Daniel's Vision
In Daniel 7:20, the prophet describes a horn with a mouth speaking "stout" or great things — an apocalyptic symbol of a ruler whose arrogant speech defied the Most High God. This vision portrays the ultimate expression of human pride: a political power that exalts itself above God and persecutes His people. The horn's stoutness ultimately leads to its destruction when the Ancient of Days pronounces judgment.
Malachi's Rebuke
Malachi 3:13 records God's complaint that Israel's words have been "stout" against Him. The people questioned the value of serving God, complaining that the arrogant prospered while the faithful gained nothing. Their stout words reflected a deeper crisis of faith — doubting God's justice and goodness. God's response was to promise a day of reckoning when the distinction between the righteous and the wicked would be made clear (Malachi 3:16-18).
The Consistent Warning
Across all these passages, the message is consistent: stoutness of heart — prideful self-sufficiency and arrogant defiance of God — leads to judgment. The Bible consistently teaches that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34; James 4:6). True strength comes not from bold self-assertion but from humble dependence on the Lord.
Biblical Context
Stout and stoutness appear in Psalm 76:5, Isaiah 9:9, Isaiah 10:12, Isaiah 46:12, Daniel 7:20, and Malachi 3:13. In every case, the terms describe prideful arrogance and defiant boldness against God, whether from Israel, foreign nations, or apocalyptic powers.
Theological Significance
The biblical condemnation of stoutness teaches that pride is the fundamental sin — elevating the human will above God's authority. Scripture consistently warns that God resists the proud while offering grace to the humble, making stoutness of heart the opposite of the faith and submission God desires.
Historical Background
The English word 'stout' is related to the German 'stolz' (proud), which preserves the original meaning better than the modern English sense of physical bulk. The KJV translators used 'stout' in its older sense of proud or bold. Understanding this linguistic shift is essential for reading these passages correctly in older translations.