What does פָּחַד (pachad) mean in the Bible?
פָּחַד (pachad): Fear rooted in sudden alarm or startlement; emphasis on reactive dread rather than reasoned caution.
Hebrew · H6342
פָּחַד
To be startled (by a sudden alarm); hence, to fear in general
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פָּחַד H6342
Pronunciation pachad
What does פָּחַד (pachad) mean in the Bible?
פָּחַד (pachad): Fear rooted in sudden alarm or startlement; emphasis on reactive dread rather than reasoned caution.
Full entry for פָּחַד (H6342) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6342?
The BSB source-word alignment has 25 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include be afraid (2), overwhelmed (2), and you will be afraid (1), are afraid (1), be brought to terror (1).
Where does פָּחַד (pachad) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Deuteronomy 28:66. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (8), Psalms (5), Jeremiah (3), Job (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It be afraid 2× Proverbs 3:24, Isaiah 12:2
overwhelmed 2× Psalms 14:5, Psalms 53:5
and you will be afraid 1× Deuteronomy 28:66
are afraid 1× Isaiah 33:14
be brought to terror 1× Isaiah 44:11
become frightened 1× Jeremiah 36:24
Egypt will tremble 1× Isaiah 19:17
fear 1× Psalms 78:53
fears only 1× Psalms 119:161
I fear 1× Job 23:15
I feared 1× Job 3:25
in awe 1× Jeremiah 33:9
in fear 1× Jeremiah 36:16
reverent 1× Proverbs 28:14
shall I dread 1× Psalms 27:1
shudder 1× Job 4:14
the terrifying 1× Deuteronomy 28:67
They will come trembling 1× Hosea 3:5
they will tremble 1× Micah 7:17
tremble 1× Isaiah 44:8
will tremble 1× Isaiah 60:5
with fear 1× Isaiah 19:16
You live in terror 1× Isaiah 51:13
Show sample aligned rows
Deuteronomy 28:66 וּפָֽחַדְתָּ֙ to and you will be afraid Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular Deuteronomy 28:67 תִּפְחָ֔ד to the terrifying Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Job 3:25 פָּ֭חַדְתִּי to I feared Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Job 4:14 הִפְחִֽיד׃ to shudder Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular Job 23:15 וְאֶפְחַ֥ד to I fear Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular Psalms 14:5 פָּ֣חֲדוּ to overwhelmed Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Psalms 27:1 אֶפְחָֽד׃ to shall I dread Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular Psalms 53:5 פָּֽחֲדוּ־ to overwhelmed Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Psalms 78:53 פָחָ֑דוּ to fear Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Psalms 119:161 פָּחַ֥ד to fears only Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Deuteronomy 28:66
Aligned rows 25
Books represented 8
Deuteronomy 2 Job 3 Psalms 5 Proverbs 2 Isaiah 8 Jeremiah 3 Hosea 1 Micah 1
Source forms
אֶפְחָ֑ד 1x ’ep̄·ḥāḏ Isaiah 12:2
אֶפְחָֽד׃ 1x ’ep̄·ḥāḏ Psalms 27:1
הִפְחִֽיד׃ 1x hip̄·ḥîḏ Job 4:14
וְאֶפְחַ֥ד 1x wə·’ep̄·ḥaḏ Job 23:15
וּפָחַ֗ד 1x ū·p̄ā·ḥaḏ Isaiah 19:16
וּפָחַ֥ד 1x ū·p̄ā·ḥaḏ Isaiah 60:5
וּפָחֲד֣וּ 1x ū·p̄ā·ḥă·ḏū Jeremiah 33:9
וּפָחֲד֧וּ 1x ū·p̄ā·ḥă·ḏū Hosea 3:5
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural 6x Psalms 14:5, Psalms 53:5, Psalms 78:53, Isaiah 33:14
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural 2x Jeremiah 33:9, Hosea 3:5
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 2x Isaiah 19:16, Isaiah 60:5
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular 2x Psalms 27:1, Isaiah 12:2
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 2x Deuteronomy 28:67, Proverbs 3:24
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural 2x Isaiah 44:11, Micah 7:17
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular 1x Isaiah 51:13
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular 1x Job 23:15
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Fear rooted in sudden alarm or startlement; emphasis on reactive dread rather than reasoned caution.
Strong's H6342
Lexical occurrences 25 verses Word forms 3 forms 18 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Hosea 3:1-5 Source Gloss
to be startled (by a sudden alarm); hence, to fear in general
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Fear rooted in sudden alarm or startlement; emphasis on reactive dread rather than reasoned caution.
to be startled (by a sudden alarm); hence, to fear in general BDB: dread Usage: be afraid, stand in awe, (be in) fear, make to shake.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 3 Aligned forms 18
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 16×
Perfect Isa 33:14 · Jer 36:16 · Jer 36:24 · Ps 14:5 · Ps 53:6 · Ps 78:53 · Job 3:25 · Ps 119:161 8×
Imperfect Deut 28:67 · Prov 3:24 · Isa 12:2 · Ps 27:1 · Isa 44:11 · Mic 7:17 · Isa 19:17 7×
Jussive Isa 44:8 1×
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 1×
Perfect Job 4:14 1×
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 1×
Participle active Prov 28:14 1×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
to tremble
Showing 1 selected witness from 25 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
פָּחַד is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
Reverent awe characterizes restored relationship. Hosea 3:1-5
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain