יִרְאָה
Fear (also used as infinitive); morally, reverence
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What does יִרְאָה (yirah) mean in the Bible?
יִרְאָה (yirah) is a Hebrew word meaning "fear (also used as infinitive); morally, reverence". fear (also used as infinitive); morally, reverence BDB: fear Usage: × dreadful, × exceedingly, fear(-fulness). This is the book’s controlling axiom. Without covenant reverence, “wisdom” becomes self-rule, pride, and eventually moral collapse. This term runs through the canonical themes of Covenant, Faith, Redemption.
Full entry for יִרְאָה (H3374) · Browse the biblical lexicon
Meaning
Fear of God moves from terror to reverent awe; the foundation of wisdom and obedience in OT theology
fear (also used as infinitive); morally, reverence BDB: fear Usage: × dreadful, × exceedingly, fear(-fulness).
Why This Word Matters
This is the book’s controlling axiom. Without covenant reverence, “wisdom” becomes self-rule, pride, and eventually moral collapse. Isaiah 33:1-12
The refusal described is ultimately refusal of the fear of the Lord. That is why the consequences are not merely practical but spiritual. Nehemiah 5:1-13
The goal of seeking wisdom is relational reverence toward God, not mere mental sharpness. Nehemiah 5:14-19
The fear of the Lord forms the foundation of all wisdom. Nehemiah 7:1-4
Nehemiah appeals to fear of God as the moral anchor for just behavior within the community. Proverbs 1:1-7
Nehemiah’s ethical restraint flows from fear of God, showing that true reform begins with reverent accountability. Proverbs 1:20-33
Fear of God anchors leadership decisions and guards against complacency. Proverbs 2:1-11
Marks the posture that treasures God’s wisdom and salvation. Proverbs 9:7-12
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Canonical Themes
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.
Old Testament Witnesses
Showing 8 of 42 occurrences in the biblical text.
Appears In
Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.