Hebrew · H3372, G5401 · unreviewed

יָרֵא

To fear ; morally to revere ; causatively to frighten · alarm or fright

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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant

יָרֵא H3372 to fear ; morally to revere ; causatively to frighten
Pronunciation yare
Fear and reverence converge: respect rooted in awe of God's power, not mere terror.
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φόβος G5401 alarm or fright
Pronunciation phóbos
Reverential awe of God distinct from mere terror; encompasses both fear and worshipful respect
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What does יָרֵא (yare) mean in the Bible?

יָרֵא · φόβος is a Hebrew word meaning "reverence, awe, respect toward God".

Full entry for יָרֵא (H3372, G5401) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

reverence, awe, respect toward God
Grammatical Forms

How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.

Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 172×
Jussive 1Chr 22:13 · 1Chr 28:20 · 1Sam 22:23 · 1Sam 23:17 · 2Kgs 1:15 · 2Kgs 6:16 · 2Kgs 19:6 · 2Sam 9:7 · Dan 10:12 · Dan 10:19 · Deut 1:21 · Deut 3:2 · Ezek 2:6 · Gen 15:1 · Gen 26:24 · Gen 46:3 77×
Imperfect 1Sam 12:14 · 2Kgs 17:35 · 2Kgs 17:36 · 2Kgs 17:37 · 2Kgs 17:38 · 2Kgs 17:39 · Deut 13:5 · Isa 8:12 · Jer 5:22 · Judg 6:10 · Lev 19:3 · Lev 19:30 · Lev 26:2 · Deut 6:2 · Deut 6:13 · Deut 7:18 50×
Perfect 1Chr 10:4 · 1Kgs 1:50 · 1Kgs 1:51 · 1Sam 3:15 · 1Sam 14:26 · 1Sam 31:4 · Exod 3:6 · Gen 19:30 · Gen 26:7 · Job 1:9 · Judg 6:27 · Judg 8:20 · 2Kgs 17:25 · 2Kgs 25:26 · Exod 1:21 · Jer 41:18 32×
Sequential imperfect Eccl 5:6 · Eccl 12:13 · Prov 3:7 · Prov 24:21 · 1Sam 12:24 · Josh 24:14 · Ps 34:10
Participle active 2Kgs 4:1 · Eccl 9:2 · Gen 42:18 · Ps 112:1
Cohortative Jer 5:24
Infinitive construct Josh 22:25
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 23×
Participle active Exod 15:11 · Exod 34:10 · Gen 28:17 · Isa 18:2 · Isa 18:7 · Isa 21:1 · Isa 64:2 · Job 37:22 · Judg 13:6 · Mal 1:14 · Ps 45:5 · Ps 47:3 · Ps 65:6 · Ps 66:3 · Ps 66:5 · Ps 68:36 22×
Imperfect Ps 130:4
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action
Participle active Neh 6:9 · Neh 6:14
Hebrew Verb Forms

How this verb appears across 197 occurrences in the Hebrew OT (OSHB Leningrad Codex).

Aspect / Form
Imperfect 128 Perfect 32 Participle 28 Imperative 7 Cohortative 1 Infinitive construct 1
Stem
Qal 172 Niphal 23 Piel 2
Mood
Jussive 77 Indicative/jussive 41 Indicative 32 Indicative/cohortative 10 Imperative 7
OT Occurrences
Gen 15:1 Qal · Imperfect · Jussive Gen 18:15 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Gen 19:30 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Gen 21:17 Qal · Imperfect · Jussive Gen 26:7 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Gen 26:24 Qal · Imperfect · Jussive Gen 28:17 Niphal · Participle Gen 31:31 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Gen 35:17 Qal · Imperfect · Jussive Gen 42:18 Qal · Participle Gen 43:23 Qal · Imperfect · Jussive Gen 46:3 Qal · Imperfect · Jussive Gen 50:19 Qal · Imperfect · Jussive Gen 50:21 Qal · Imperfect · Jussive Exod 1:21 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Exod 3:6 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Exod 14:13 Qal · Imperfect · Jussive Exod 15:11 Niphal · Participle Exod 20:20 Qal · Imperfect · Jussive Exod 34:10 Niphal · Participle Lev 19:3 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 19:30 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 26:2 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Num 12:8 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Num 14:9 Qal · Imperfect · Jussive Num 21:34 Qal · Imperfect · Jussive Deut 1:21 Qal · Imperfect · Jussive Deut 3:2 Qal · Imperfect · Jussive Deut 5:5 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Deut 6:2 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 6:13 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 7:18 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 10:20 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 13:5 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 20:1 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 20:3 Qal · Imperfect · Jussive Deut 31:6 Qal · Imperfect · Jussive Deut 31:8 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Josh 4:14 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Josh 4:24 Qal · Perfect · Indicative +157 more occurrences

Aspect in Hebrew reflects grammatical form, not tense. "Perfect" (Perfective) typically denotes completed action; "Imperfect" (Imperfective) denotes incomplete or ongoing action. Stem modifies the action type (Qal=simple, Niphal=passive, Piel=intensive, etc.).

Morphology: OSHB WLC (Open Scriptures, CC BY 4.0) · STEPBible TEHMC (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0)

Word Pictures (Robertson)
Sources