Lexical Definition

‎יָרֵא‎ yârêʼ (yaw-ray') to fear ^H:V
a primitive root

affright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in) fear(-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), [idiom] see, terrible (act, -ness, thing).

• to fear
• morally, to revere
• caus. to frighten

1) to fear, revere, be afraid
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fear, be afraid
1a2) to stand in awe of, be awed
1a3) to fear, reverence, honour, respect
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be fearful, be dreadful, be feared
1b2) to cause astonishment and awe, be held in awe
1b3) to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe
1c) (Piel) to make afraid, terrify
2) (TWOT) to shoot, pour

See Greek: δειλός · ἔνδοξος · ἐξίστημι · ἐπιφαίνω · ἐπιφάνεια · ἐπιφανής · εὐλαβέομαι · εὐλογέω · θαρσέω · θαυμαστός · κραταιός · μέγας · πτοέω · σέβομαι · φοβερός · φοβέω · φοβέω · φροντίζω · χαλεπός

Extended Information

meaning of: יָרֵא

• : awesome(god)
• Also means: ya.re (‎י‎ָ‎ר‎ֵ‎א‎ ": frightening" יָרֵא)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Aramaic form: פְּלַח
Also see: יָרֵא

‎יָרֵא‎ verb fear (Late Hebrew id.; Assyrian îrû, id.; Hpt KAT^{2, Gloss i.}, COT^Gloss) —

Qal₃₂₈ Perfect ‎׳‎‎יר‎ Gen 19:30 + 14 t.; 3 feminine ‎יָ˜רְאָה‎ Jer 3:8; Ps 76:9* ‎יָרֵ֑אָה‎ Gen 18:15 plural 2 masculine ‎יְרֵאתֶם‎ Num 12:8 + 2 t.; + 23 t. Perfect; Imperfect ‎יִירָא‎ Amos 3:8 + 3 t.; ‎וַיִּירָא‎ Gen 28:17 + 5 t.; ‎וַיִּרָא‎ Jer 26:21 + 5 t.; plural ‎(יִָֽרְאוּ) יִירְאוּ‎ Jer 23:4 +; ‎יִרָאוּן‎ Deut 13:12*, +, etc.; 136 t. Imperfect; Imperative ‎יְרָא‎ Prov 3:7 + 3 t.; ‎יְראוּ‎ Josh 24:14 + 2 t.; Infinitive construct ‎יְרֹא‎ Josh 22:25 ‎לֵרֹא‎ 1Sam 18:29 (Ges^{«GKC:69»§ 69}, R. i.); ‎לְיִרְאָה‎ Deut 4:10 + 13 t.; suffix ‎יִרְאָתוֺ‎ 2Sam 3:11 ‎יִרְאָתָם‎ Isa 29:13 ‎יְרָאתֶם‎ Josh 4:24 (read ‎יִרְאָתָם‎ Bö^{§ 1081 a} Ew^{337 b} Di etc.); Participle ‎יָרֵא‎ Gen 32:12* + 15 t.; construct ‎יְרֵא‎ Gen 22:12 + 10 t.; plural ‎יְרֵאִים‎ Jer 42:11 + 6 t.; construct ‎יִרְאֵי‎ Exod 18:21 + 12 t.; feminine construct ‎יִרְאַת‎ Prov 31:30 —

1. fear, be afraid (not in P):
a. absolute Gen 3:10; Gen 18:15; Gen 32:8*; Gen 43:18; Exod 14:10 (J), Gen 20:8; Gen 28:17; Gen 42:35; Exod 2:14; Josh 10:2 (E), Deut 20:8; Deut 31:8; Judg 7:3; Judg 8:20; 1Sam 4:7; 1Sam 17:11; 1Sam 17:24; 1Sam 23:3; 1Sam 28:5; 1Sam 31:4 = 1Chr 10:4; 2Kgs 10:4; 2Chr 20:3; Neh 2:2; Neh 6:13; Isa 54:14; Jer 3:8; Jer 23:4; Jer 26:21; Amos 3:8; Jonah 1:5; Jonah 1:10; Ps 27:3; Ps 46:3*; Ps 49:6* (but Bae reads ‎ראה‎) Ps 56:4*; Ps 56:5*; Ps 56:12*; Ps 64:5*; Ps 65:10*; Ps 76:9*; Ps 112:8; Ps 118:6; Prov 14:16; Job 6:21; Job 11:15 ‎אַלתִּֿירָא(יו׳ּׅ‎ fear not Gen 15:1; Gen 21:17; Gen 35:17; Gen 50:19; Gen 50:21; Exod 20:20; Josh 10:25 (E), Gen 26:24; Gen 43:23; Exod 14:13; Josh 8:1 (J), Deut 1:21; Deut 20:3; Deut 31:6; Judg 4:18; Judg 6:23; 1Sam 4:20; 1Sam 12:20; 1Sam 22:23; 1Sam 23:17; 1Sam 28:13; 2Sam 9:7; 2Sam 13:28; 1Kgs 17:13; 2Kgs 6:16; 1Chr 22:13; 1Chr 28:20; 2Chr 20:17; Isa 7:4; Isa 35:4; Isa 40:9; Isa 41:10; Isa 41:13; Isa 41:14; Isa 43:1; Isa 43:5; Isa 44:2; Isa 54:4; Jer 30:10; Jer 46:27; Jer 46:28; Joel 2:21; Joel 2:22; Zeph 3:16; Hag 2:5; Zech 8:13; Zech 8:15; Ps 49:17*; Lam 3:57; Dan 10:12; Dan 10:19; Ruth 3:11 ‎׳‎‎יִשְׁמְעוּ וי‎ hear and fear Deut 13:12*; Deut 17:13; Deut 19:20; Deut 21:21 ‎׳‎‎(י)ראו וי‎ see and fear Ps 40:4*; Ps 52:8*; Isa 41:5; Zech 9:5.
b. with accusative of thing or person Num 14:9 (twice in verse) (J), Num 21:34 (E), Deut 3:2; Deut 3:22; Judg 6:27; 1Sam 15:24; 2Sam 3:11; 1Kgs 1:51; Isa 8:12; Isa 51:7; Isa 57:11; Ezek 3:9; Ezek 11:8; Hab 3:2 (accusative ‎פעלךָ‎ in corrected rhythm), Ps 23:4; Dan 1:10 accusative of God (‎׳‎‎י‎) 1Sam 12:18; 2Sam 6:9 = 1Chr 13:12; Isa 57:11; Jer 5:22; Jonah 1:16; Job 9:35; Job 37:24.
c. with ‎מִן‎ be afraid of, Deut 1:29; Deut 2:4; Deut 7:18; Deut 20:1; Deut 28:10; Josh 10:8 (D) 1Sam 28:20; 2Kgs 25:24; Isa 10:24; Isa 51:12; Jer 10:5; Jer 42:11; Jer 42:16; Ezek 2:6 (3 t. in verse); Mic 7:17; Ps 3:7*; Ps 27:1; Ps 65:9*; Ps 91:5; Ps 112:7; Ps 119:120; Prov 3:25; Prov 31:21; Job 5:21; Job 5:22; Eccl 12:5 with ‎מִפְּנֵי‎ Deut 5:5; Deut 7:19; Josh 9:24; Josh 11:6 (D), 1Sam 7:7; 1Sam 18:29; 1Sam 21:23; 1Kgs 1:50; 2Kgs 1:15; 2Kgs 19:6 (= Isa 37:6) 2Kgs 25:26; 2Chr 20:15; 2Chr 32:7; Neh 4:8*; Jer 1:8; Jer 41:18; Jer 42:11 (twice in verse); ‎מִלִּפְנֵי‎ 1Sam 18:12, with ‎בְּ‎ because of, for Jer 51:46.
d. with infinitive and ‎לְ‎ fear to do a thing Gen 19:30; Gen 26:7 (J), Num 12:8 (E), Judg 7:10; 2Sam 1:14; 2Sam 10:19; 2Sam 12:18 with infin. and ‎מִן‎, afraid of doing Gen 46:3; Exod 3:6 (E), 1Sam 3:15; Jer 40:9; Job 32:6.
e. with ‎פֶּן‎ fear lest Gen 31:31 (E) Gen 32:12* (J).

2. stand in awe of, with ‎מן‎ and infinitive ‎וַיִּירְאוּ מִגֶּשֶׁת אֵלָיו‎ Exod 34:30 (P) and they stood in awe of drawing nigh unto him; ‎יִירְאוּ מֵיהוה‎ ‎׳‎‎וגו‎ Ps 33:8 let all the earth stand in awe of Yahweh; ‎וְיָרֵאתָ מֵאֱלהֶיךָ‎ and thou shalt stand in awe of thy God Lev 19:14; Lev 19:32; Lev 25:17; Lev 25:36; Lev 25:43 (all H); with ‎מִפְּנֵי‎, of the king Solomon 1Kgs 3:28 ‎׳‎‎מִפְּנֵי י‎ ‎אלהים‎ Exod 9:30 (J?); ‎׳‎‎מפני י‎ Hag 1:12 ‎מלפני (אלהיםׅ‎ ‎׳‎‎י‎ stand in awe before (God) Eccl 3:14; Eccl 8:12; Eccl 8:13.

3. fear, reverence, honour, e.g. parents Lev 19:3 (H), Moses and Joshua Josh 4:14 (twice in verse), the oath 1Sam 14:26; Eccl 9:2, commandment Prov 13:13, the sanctuary Lev 19:30; Lev 26:2 (H), other gods Judg 6:10; 2Kgs 17:7; 2Kgs 17:35; 2Kgs 17:37; 2Kgs 17:38 elsewhere of God:
a. absolute Jer 44:10.
b. with accusative ‎(ה)אלהים‎ Gen 22:12; Gen 42:18; Exod 1:17; Exod 1:21; Exod 18:21 (E), Deut 25:18; Ps 55:20*; Ps 66:16; Job 1:1; Job 1:8; Job 1:9; Job 2:3; Eccl 5:6*; Eccl 7:18; Eccl 8:12; Eccl 12:13; ‎יהוה‎ ‎׳‎‎יר‎ Exod 14:31 (J), Josh 22:25 (P), Josh 24:14 (E), 1Sam 12:14; 1Sam 12:24; 1Kgs 18:3; 1Kgs 18:12; 2Kgs 4:1; 2Kgs 17:25; 2Kgs 17:28; 2Kgs 17:32; 2Kgs 17:33; 2Kgs 17:34; 2Kgs 17:41; Isa 50:10; Jer 5:24; Jer 26:19; Hos 10:3; Jonah 1:9; Mal 3:16 (twice in verse); Ps 15:4; Ps 22:24*; Ps 25:12; Ps 34:10*; Ps 112:1; Ps 115:11; Ps 115:13; Ps 118:4; Ps 128:1; Ps 128:4; Ps 135:20; Prov 3:7; Prov 14:2; Prov 24:21; Prov 31:30 ‎אֱלֹהֶיךָ‎ ‎׳‎‎י‎ ‎׳‎‎יר‎ (and other suffixes) Deut 6:2; Deut 6:13; Deut 6:24; Deut 10:12; Deut 10:20; Deut 14:23; Deut 17:19; Deut 31:12; Deut 31:13; Josh 4:24 (D), 2Kgs 17:39 with suffixes referring to Yahweh or Elohim Deut 4:10; Deut 5:26; Deut 8:6; Deut 13:5*; 1Kgs 8:40; 1Kgs 8:43 = 2Chr 6:31; 2Chr 6:33; 2Kgs 17:36; Isa 25:3; Isa 29:13; Jer 10:7; Jer 32:39; Mal 2:5; Mal 3:5; Zeph 3:7; Ps 22:26*; Ps 25:14; Ps 31:20*; Ps 33:18; Ps 34:8*; Ps 34:10*; Ps 60:6*; Ps 67:8*; Ps 72:5; Ps 85:10*; Ps 103:11; Ps 103:13; Ps 103:17; Ps 111:5; Ps 119:63; Ps 119:74; Ps 119:79; Ps 145:19; Ps 147:11 ‎׳‎‎הַיָּרֵא אֶתדְּֿבַר י‎ Exod 9:20 he that feared the word of Yahweh (J); the name (of Yahweh) Deut 28:58; Isa 59:19; Mal 3:20*; Ps 61:6*; Ps 86:11; Ps 102:16*; Neh 1:11.

Niph`al₄₅ Imperfect 2 masculine ‎תִּוָּרֵא‎ Ps 130:4 Participle ‎נוֺרָא‎ Gen 28:17 + 33 t.; feminine ‎נוֺרָאָה‎ Isa 21:1 plural ‎נוֺרָאוֺת‎ Isa 64:2* + 5 t.; ‎נוֺרָאֹת‎ Deut 10:21 ‎נֹרָאוֺת‎ 2Sam 7:23 suffix ‎נוֺרְאוֺתֶיךָ‎ Ps 145:6 —

1. be fearful, dreadful, e.g. wilderness Deut 1:19; Deut 8:15, land Isa 21:1, people Isa 18:2; Isa 18:7; Hab 1:7, ice (in simile) ‎׳‎‎כְּעֵין הַקֶּרַח הנ‎ Ezek 1:22 (strike out ᵐ5 Co).

2. cause astonishment and awe: of Yahweh himself Ps 47:3*; Ps 68:36*; Ps 76:8* ‎נוֺרָא תְהִלֹּת‎ awe-inspiring in praises Exod 15:11 (song); ‎עַלאֿלוהּ נוֺרָא הוֺד‎ awe-inspiring majesty (is) upon Eloah Job 37:22 with ‎לְ‎, to kings of the earth Ps 76:13* with ‎על‎ of hostile nations Zeph 2:11 of ‎׳‎‎י‎'s doings Exod 34:10 (J) Ps 66:3; Ps 66:5 ‎(ה)נוראות‎ wonderful, glorious things, of Messianic king Ps 45:5* of Yahweh himself Deut 10:21; 2Sam 7:23 = 1Chr 17:21; Isa 64:2*; Ps 106:22; Ps 145:6 ‎׳‎‎נו‎ adverbially in Ps 65:6*; Ps 139:14 Ges^{«GKC:118»§ 118}. 5. b Da^{Synt. § 70}(b); ‎הגדול והנורא‎ ‎׳‎‎יוֺם י‎ the great and awful day of Yahweh Joel 3:4*; Mal 3:23* compare Joel 2:11.

3. inspire reverence, godly fear, and awe:
a. as attribute of God, ‎לְמַעַן תִּוָּרֵא‎ that thou mightest be revered Ps 130:4 ‎(ה)גָּדוֺל‎ ‎ו(ה)נוֺרָא‎ (the) great and awful (God) Deut 7:21; Deut 10:17; Neh 1:5; Neh 4:8*; Neh 9:32; with ‎עַל‎, above all gods Ps 96:4 = 1Chr 16:25 above the angels round about him Ps 89:8*.
b. of the name of Yahweh Deut 28:58; Ps 99:3; Ps 111:9; Mal 1:14.
c. of sacred things: ‎מלאךְ‎ ‎האלהים‎ Judg 13:6 place of theophany Gen 28:17 (E).

Piel.₅ Perfect 3 masculine suffix ‎יֵָֽרְאֻנִי‎ 2Sam 14:15 Infinitive suffix ‎לְיָָֽרְאֵנִי‎ Neh 6:19 ‎לְיָֽרְאָם‎ 2Chr 32:18 Participle plural ‎מְיָָֽרְאִים‎ Neh 6:9; Neh 6:14 make afraid, terrify, with accusative

Brown-Driver-Briggs References