יָרֵא

yare · fear

Hebrew word · Strong’s number H3372 · appears 328 times in the Bible

What is the Strong number?

Strong’s number identifies this word: use it to find the same word in other study tools.

What it means

yare (יָרֵא) is a Hebrew word of the Bible that means “fear”.

It can be fright before a danger or deep reverence before God ("fear YHWH"). In some forms, be fearsome, awesome.

How to say it

ya·re

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

To feel fear before danger or before someone stronger.
To revere God, or honor one's parents.
To be so great or powerful that one inspires awe and respect.

From Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906)

Word study

Fear. BDB notes that it means to fear, morally to revere, and in the causative form to frighten. It can be fear before a danger or the fear of God; the passage shows which.

Fear before a danger Genesis 3:10
“Do not be afraid” Genesis 15:1
To fear YHWH Exodus 14:31 Deuteronomy 10:12
To fear mother and father Leviticus 19:3
“Fearsome”: what makes one fear Genesis 28:17

How we translate it

“Fear” 153 times, “afraid” 47, “be afraid” 41, “feared” 34, “fearsome” 29, “awesome” 12. This edition keeps “fear” and does not use “reverence”, so that the reader sees that it is the same word as for fright. “Fear” is kept also with parents and the sanctuary (Leviticus 19:3, 30), with a note. The adjective “fearing” has its own entry (H3373).

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

fear ×153
afraid ×47
be afraid ×41
feared ×34
fearsome ×29
awesome ×12
fears ×4
fearing ×2
were frightening ×2
fearfully ×1
others ×3

Related words

Words that come from it

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

Genesis 3:10
And he said, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I am naked; and I hid.”
Genesis 15:1
After these things the word of YHWH came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram; I am a shield to you; your reward will be very great.”
Genesis 18:15
But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
Genesis 19:30
Lot went up from Zoar and lived on the mountain, and his two daughters with him, for he was afraid to live in Zoar; and he lived in a cave, he and his two daughters.
Genesis 20:8
So Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all his servants and told all these things in their ears; and the men were very afraid.
Genesis 21:17
Elohim heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of Elohim called to Hagar from the heavens and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid, for Elohim has heard the voice of the boy where he is.
Genesis 26:7
The men of the place asked about his wife, and he said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “My wife,” thinking, “lest the men of the place kill me on account of Rebekah, for she is beautiful in appearance.”
Genesis 26:24
YHWH appeared to him that night and said, “I am the Elohim of Abraham your father. Do not be afraid, for I am with you, and I will bless you and multiply your offspring because of Abraham my servant.”
Genesis 28:17
He was afraid and said, “How fearsome is this place! This is none other than the house of Elohim, and this is the gate of the heavens.”
Genesis 31:31
Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said to myself, ‘You might take by force your daughters from me.’
Genesis 32:7
Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks, the cattle, and the camels, into two camps.
Genesis 35:17
When she was in hard labor, the midwife said to her, “Do not be afraid, for this too is a son for you.”
Genesis 42:18
On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do this and live; I fear Elohim.
Genesis 42:35
As they were emptying their sacks, look, each man’s bundle of silver was in his sack. When they and their father saw their bundles of silver, they were afraid.
Genesis 43:18
The men were afraid because they were brought into the house of Joseph, and they said, “Because of the matter of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time we are being brought in, so that he may assail us, fall upon us, and take us as slaves, and our donkeys.”
Genesis 43:23
He said, “Peace to you; do not be afraid. Your Elohim and the Elohim of your father has given you treasure in your bags; your silver came to me.” Then he brought out Simeon to them.
Genesis 46:3
He said, “I am El, the Elohim of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there.
Genesis 50:19
Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of Elohim?
Genesis 50:21
So now, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke to their heart.
Exodus 1:17
But the midwives feared Elohim and did not do as the king of Egypt had told them, but let the boys live.
Exodus 1:21
And because the midwives feared Elohim, he gave them families.
Exodus 2:14
He said, “Who made you a man, a ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and said, “Surely the thing is known.”
Exodus 3:6
And he said, “I am the Elohim of your father, the Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac, and the Elohim of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at Elohim.
Exodus 9:20
Whoever feared the word of YHWH among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his livestock flee into the houses;
Exodus 9:30
But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear YHWH Elohim.”
Exodus 14:10
As Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel lifted up their eyes, and look, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were very afraid, and the sons of Israel cried out to YHWH.
Exodus 14:13
Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and see the salvation of YHWH, which he will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you will never see them again.
Exodus 14:31
Israel saw the great hand that YHWH had shown against Egypt; and the people feared YHWH, and they believed in YHWH and in Moses his servant.
Exodus 15:11
Who is like you among the gods, YHWH? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, doing wonders?
Exodus 20:20
Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for Elohim has come in order to test you, and so that the fear of him may be before you, so that you may not sin.”
Exodus 34:10
And he said, “Look, I am making a covenant. Before all your people I will do wonders that have not been created in all the earth or in any nation; and all the people among whom you are shall see the work of YHWH, for it is fearsome, what I am doing with you.
Exodus 34:30
And Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, and look, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near to him.
Leviticus 19:3
Each of you shall fear his mother and his father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths. I am YHWH your Elohim.
Leviticus 19:14
You shall not curse a deaf person and before a blind person you shall not put a stumbling block; but you shall fear your Elohim. I am YHWH.
Leviticus 19:30
You shall keep my Sabbaths and fear my sanctuary. I am YHWH.
Leviticus 19:32
You shall rise before gray hair, and honor the face of an old man, and fear your Elohim. I am YHWH.
Leviticus 25:17
And you shall not take advantage of one another, but you shall fear your Elohim; for I am YHWH your Elohim.
Leviticus 25:36
Do not take from him interest or profit, but fear your Elohim, so that your brother may live with you.
Leviticus 25:43
You shall not rule over him with harshness, but you shall fear your Elohim.
Leviticus 26:2
You shall keep my Sabbaths and fear my sanctuary. I am YHWH.

And 288 more times.