“Triumph” in three different verses in the Old Testament and the New Testament

by | May 25, 2025 | Bible

 

Introduction to concept/definition of concept, you are looking for your concept (“triumph”) in three different verses in the Old Testament and the New Testament
Old Testament (OT) The OT was originally written in Hebrew so you need to research and interpret its meaning.
Word definition (find a minimum of three OT passages with your concept)
Include the verse that uses your word
Provide an analysis of your concept in context of the verse (3 minimum).
New Testament (NT) The NT was originally written primarily in Greek along with some Arabic
Word definition (find a minimum of three NT passages with your concept)
Include the verse that uses your word

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Introduction to Concept/Definition of Concept

A concept is an abstract idea or a general notion. It’s a mental construct that represents a category or class of things based on shared characteristics. In this exploration, our concept is “triumph.” Triumph signifies a great victory or achievement, often accompanied by feelings of exultation, celebration, and overcoming significant challenges. It implies a successful overcoming of obstacles, adversaries, or difficulties, leading to a state of ultimate success or supremacy.

Old Testament (OT) – The Concept of “Triumph”

The Old Testament was originally written primarily in Hebrew, with some parts in Aramaic. When looking for “triumph,” we are seeking Hebrew words that convey the idea of victory, overcoming, exultation, or leading in procession after a victory.

Hebrew Word Definition:

A common Hebrew word that conveys the idea of triumph, particularly in the context of victory or a celebratory procession after conquest, is תְּרוּעָה (teru’ah), which often translates to “shout,” “blast,” “joyful noise,” or a shout of triumph. Another related concept is found in words indicating “victory” (e.g., יְשׁוּעָה yeshu’ah – salvation/victory, or נִצָּחֹון nitsachon – victory) or “to overcome” (e.g., יָכֹל yakol – to be able, to overcome). For the specific sense of a triumphant procession or exultation, we often find teru’ah or contextual descriptions of victory parades.

Introduction to Concept/Definition of Concept

A concept is an abstract idea or a general notion. It’s a mental construct that represents a category or class of things based on shared characteristics. In this exploration, our concept is “triumph.” Triumph signifies a great victory or achievement, often accompanied by feelings of exultation, celebration, and overcoming significant challenges. It implies a successful overcoming of obstacles, adversaries, or difficulties, leading to a state of ultimate success or supremacy.

Old Testament (OT) – The Concept of “Triumph”

The Old Testament was originally written primarily in Hebrew, with some parts in Aramaic. When looking for “triumph,” we are seeking Hebrew words that convey the idea of victory, overcoming, exultation, or leading in procession after a victory.

Hebrew Word Definition:

A common Hebrew word that conveys the idea of triumph, particularly in the context of victory or a celebratory procession after conquest, is תְּרוּעָה (teru’ah), which often translates to “shout,” “blast,” “joyful noise,” or a shout of triumph. Another related concept is found in words indicating “victory” (e.g., יְשׁוּעָה yeshu’ah – salvation/victory, or נִצָּחֹון nitsachon – victory) or “to overcome” (e.g., יָכֹל yakol – to be able, to overcome). For the specific sense of a triumphant procession or exultation, we often find teru’ah or contextual descriptions of victory parades.

Let’s focus on instances where the idea of triumph is clearly present, even if the English translation uses a different word for “triumph” itself, as Hebrew concepts don’t always map perfectly to single English words.

Here are three Old Testament passages that convey the concept of triumph:

  1. Exodus 15:1 (NIV): “Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: “I will sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea.””

    • Analysis: While the word “triumph” isn’t explicitly used here, this entire song (often called the Song of the Sea) is a profound expression of triumph over the Egyptian army. The phrase “highly exalted” (גָּאָה ga’ah, meaning “to rise up, be majestic, be exalted”) directly conveys God’s victorious supremacy. The narrative describes the ultimate defeat of a powerful adversary, and the Israelites’ song is a spontaneous outburst of joy and celebration, a quintessential human response to a decisive triumph delivered by divine power. It’s a victory song, a hymn of triumph.

  2. Judges 5:31 (NIV): ““So may all your enemies perish, LORD! But may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had peace for forty years.”

    • Analysis: This verse concludes the Song of Deborah, a powerful celebration of Israel’s decisive victory over the Canaanite forces led by Sisera. The wish “So may all your enemies perish, LORD!” expresses the destructive aspect of triumph over adversaries. The contrasting phrase, “But may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength,” vividly portrays the triumph of God’s faithful people. It evokes an image of rising power, radiance, and dominance, symbolizing the successful and glorious establishment of peace and order after a significant struggle. It speaks to the ultimate and glorious triumph of God’s justice.

  3. Psalm 47:1 (NIV): “Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.” (Also verse 5: “God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the LORD amid the sound of trumpets.”)

    • Analysis: The Hebrew word for “shouts of joy” here is תְּרוּעָה (teru’ah), which as mentioned, signifies a shout of triumph or joy. The psalm is an enthronement psalm, celebrating God’s reign and victorious establishment over all nations. The command to “Clap your hands” and “shout to God with cries of joy” (teru’ah) is a direct call to celebrate God’s triumph and sovereignty. Verse 5 further solidifies this, depicting God’s “ascension” (likely referring to His majestic and victorious establishment of His rule, perhaps symbolically recalling the Ark’s entry into Zion) accompanied by the sounds of triumph (teru’ah and trumpets). This is a communal, joyful expression of God’s ultimate victory and dominion.

New Testament (NT) – The Concept of “Triumph”

The New Testament was primarily written in Koine Greek. When looking for “triumph,” we’ll primarily focus on the Greek word θριαμβεύω (thriambeuō), which specifically means “to lead in a triumphal procession,” “to triumph over,” or “to celebrate a triumph.”

Greek Word Definition:

θριαμβεύω (thriambeuō):

  • Meaning: To lead in a triumphal procession; to celebrate a triumph; to conquer victoriously; to cause to triumph. It directly evokes the image of a Roman triumphal parade where a victorious general would lead captives and spoils of war through the city.

Here are three New Testament passages that use the concept of triumph (θριαμβεύω):

  1. 2 Corinthians 2:14 (NIV): “But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.”

    • Analysis: Here, Paul uses the vivid imagery of a Roman triumphal procession to describe God’s work in his life and ministry. The Greek word thriambeuō is directly translated as “leads us… in Christ’s triumphal procession.” This signifies that God, through Christ, has achieved a decisive triumph over sin, death, and all opposing forces. Paul and the believers are depicted not as humiliated captives, but as those who participate in this victory, paradoxically led by Christ in His conquering parade. They are part of His victorious march, spreading the “aroma” (the scent of incense used in Roman triumphs) of His knowledge. It’s a powerful metaphor for spiritual victory and participating in God’s ultimate win.

  2. Colossians 2:15 (NIV): “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

    • Analysis: This verse presents one of the most profound statements of Christ’s triumph in the New Testament. The Greek word thriambeuō is again used, “triumphing over them.” The “powers and authorities” refer to spiritual forces of evil, sin, and death that held humanity captive. Paul declares that Christ, through His death on the cross (which superficially appeared as defeat), actually disarmed these powers and made a public spectacle of them, leading them as defeated foes in His own triumphant procession. The cross, therefore, is not a symbol of weakness but the ultimate stage of Christ’s decisive victory and triumph over evil, securing salvation and freedom for believers.

  3. 2 Corinthians 2:14 (KJV) – Reiterated due to its unique translation that highlights the concept differently: “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.”

    • Analysis: While the NIV translates thriambeuō as “leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession,” the King James Version’s “causeth us to triumph” offers a slightly different nuance while still retaining the core concept of victory. It emphasizes God’s active role in empowering believers to share in Christ’s victory. God is the one who enables their triumph over spiritual adversaries and difficulties in ministry. Both translations convey the participation in a divine, ultimate victory, but the KJV highlights the enabling aspect of God’s grace in their personal triumph. It underscores that any triumph experienced by believers is directly a result of God’s power working through them, making them victorious participants in His grand design.

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