Lexical Summary
yirah: Fear, reverence, awe
Original Word:יִרְאָה
Part of Speech:Noun Feminine
Transliteration:yir'ah
Pronunciation:yee-RAH
Phonetic Spelling:(yir-aw')
KJV: X dreadful, X exceedingly, fear(-fulness)
NASB:fear, reverence, awesome, fearing
Word Origin:[feminine ofH3373 (יָרֵא - Fearful)]
1. fear (also used as infinitive)
2. morally, reverence
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
dreadful, exceedingly, fearfulness
Feminine ofyare'; fear (also used as infinitive); morally, reverence -- X dreadful, X exceedingly, fear(-fulness).
see HEBREWyare'
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
yareDefinitiona fear
NASB Translationawesome (1), extremely* (1), fear (35), fearing (1), reverence (5).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
; —
Ezekiel 30:13 6t.; construct
Genesis 20:11 27t.; suffix
Jeremiah 32:40;
Exodus 20:20;
Job 4:6 3t.;
Psalm 5:8 2t.; —
fear, terrorIsaiah 7:25;Ezekiel 30:13;great fearJonah 1:10,16; ""Deuteronomy 2:25; ""Psalm 2:11;Psalm 55:6.
a terror =object of terror, ""Ezekiel 1:18 (strike out Co).
fear of God, reverence, pietyGenesis 20:11 (E),2 Samuel 23:3;Nehemiah 5:15;Job 6:14;Nehemiah 5:9; 2Chronicles 19:9;Isaiah 11:3;Isaiah 33:6;Psalm 34:12;Proverbs 10:27;Proverbs 14:26,27;Proverbs 15:16;Proverbs 19:23;Proverbs 22:4;Proverbs 23:17; "" the knowledge (of God)Proverbs 1:29;Proverbs 2:5;Isaiah 11:2; is the beginning of wisdomPsalm 111:10;Proverbs 9:10, and knowledgeProverbs 1:7; the instruction of wisdomProverbs 15:33, is to hate evilProverbs 8:13, and it involves departing from evilProverbs 16:6; is wisdomJob 28:28; is defined by contextJob 15:4; with suffixes these are usually object,fear of himExodus 20:20 (E),of theePsalm 5:8;Psalm 90:11;Psalm 119:38;Isaiah 63:17,of meJeremiah 32:40, but subject,thy fear (i.e. thy religion)Job 4:6;Job 22:4.
Psalm 19:10 thefear of = the law asrevered.
Topical Lexicon
Meaning and core ideaיִרְאָה (yir’ah) speaks of an attitude of awe-filled reverence that may include trembling before God’s majesty but always presses toward loving obedience. It can describe dread of judgment (Genesis 20:11) or the glad worship that springs from recognizing the LORD’s holiness (Psalm 2:11). The word therefore gathers together emotion, intellect, and will: the heart is struck by God’s glory, the mind acknowledges His authority, and the life aligns with His ways.
Occurrence and distribution
The noun appears about forty-one times, chiefly in the Pentateuch, Psalms, Proverbs, and Isaiah. Roughly two-thirds of the uses form the phrase “fear of the LORD,” underscoring its covenant focus. Smaller clusters occur in historical narratives (for example,Nehemiah 5:9,2 Chronicles 19:9) and prophetic texts (Isaiah 11:2-3; 33:6).
Covenant framework
At Sinai the LORD united fear and grace. “Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, for God has come to test you, so that the fear of Him will be before you, to keep you from sinning’” (Exodus 20:20). Far from paralyzing Israel, yir’ah protected the relationship by driving the nation to faithful obedience (Deuteronomy 5:29; 10:12-13). Judges were to rule “in the fear of the LORD, faithfully and wholeheartedly” (2 Chronicles 19:9), because covenant justice flows from covenant reverence.
Wisdom literature emphasis
Proverbs lifts yir’ah to a climatic principle of epistemology and ethics: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). It is “a fountain of life” (Proverbs 14:27) that “adds length to life” (Proverbs 10:27) and “brings riches and honor” (Proverbs 22:4). Qoheleth reduces life’s complexities to one charge: “Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Wisdom therefore is not merely intellectual but relational, grounded in submissive awe.
Worship and liturgical usage
The Psalms portray yir’ah as the atmosphere of corporate praise: “Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere Him” (Psalm 33:8). Within the covenant community it deepens intimacy: “The LORD confides in those who fear Him, and reveals His covenant to them” (Psalm 25:14). Such fear coexists with joy (Psalm 2:11) and hope (Psalm 33:18), proving that trembling and trust are not opposites but partners in true worship.
Prophetic and messianic vision
Isaiah foretells a King on whom “the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD” will rest and who “will delight in the fear of the LORD” (Isaiah 11:2-3). In the Messianic age, yir’ah is perfected rather than abolished. The prophets also deploy it eschatologically: “He will be the sure foundation for your times… and the fear of the LORD will be his treasure” (Isaiah 33:6). End-time hope is anchored in reverence that steadies the faithful amid judgment and renewal.
Ethical and social implications
To fear God shapes everyday conduct. Nehemiah refused economic oppression “out of the fear of God” (Nehemiah 5:15). Employers, judges, parents, and kings alike are summoned to righteousness because divine awe outweighs human advantage. Where yir’ah rules the heart, exploitation and injustice wither.
Continuity into the New Testament
Though the noun itself is Hebrew, its essence persists. The early church “walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 9:31). Believers work out salvation “with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12), echoing Israel’s call.Hebrews 12:28 unites Sinai and Zion: “Let us worship acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” Thus the concept spans both covenants, finding fulfillment rather than replacement in Christ.
Ministry application
1. Preaching: Proclaim the majesty of God so that listeners encounter both His holiness and His mercy, fostering yir’ah that leads to repentance and faith.
2. Discipleship: Train believers that wisdom begins with reverent obedience; decision-making, stewardship, and relationships must be filtered through “the fear of the LORD.”
3. Worship planning: Incorporate Scripture readings and songs that reveal God’s transcendence, ensuring corporate gatherings balance joy with awe.
4. Pastoral care: Encourage struggling saints with promises tied to yir’ah—protection (Psalm 34:7), provision (Psalm 111:5), and guidance (Psalm 25:12).
5. Mission: Present the gospel as rescue from wrath to reverent sonship, calling nations to “fear God and give Him glory” (Revelation 14:7).
Yir’ah, then, is not a relic of ancient religion but the heartbeat of biblical faith, drawing God’s people into humble, obedient, and joyful communion with their sovereign Lord.
Forms and Transliterations
בְּיִרְאַ֣ת בְּיִרְאַ֤ת בְּיִרְאַת־ בְּיִרְאָ֑ה בְּיִרְאָתֶֽךָ׃ ביראה ביראת ביראת־ ביראתך׃ הֲֽ֭מִיִּרְאָ֣תְךָ המיראתך וְיִרְאַ֖ת וְיִרְאַ֥ת וְיִרְאָ֣ה וְיִרְאָ֣תְךָ֔ וּ֝כְיִרְאָתְךָ֗ וּבְיִרְאַ֥ת וביראת ויראה ויראת ויראתך וכיראתך יִֽרְאַ֣ת יִֽרְאַ֥ת יִרְאַ֖ת יִרְאַ֣ת יִרְאַ֤ת יִרְאַ֥ת יִרְאַ֬ת יִרְאָ֑ה יִרְאָ֖ה יִרְאָ֣ה יִרְאָת֛וֹ יִרְאָתִי֙ יראה יראת יראתו יראתי לְיִרְאָתֶֽךָ׃ ליראתך׃ מִיִּרְאָתֶ֑ךָ מיראתך bə·yir·’ā·ṯe·ḵā bə·yir·’āh bə·yir·’aṯ bə·yir·’aṯ- bəyir’āh bəyir’aṯ bəyir’aṯ- bəyir’āṯeḵā beyirAh beyirAt beyiraTecha hă·mî·yir·’ā·ṯə·ḵā hămîyir’āṯəḵā hamiyirAtecha lə·yir·’ā·ṯe·ḵā ləyir’āṯeḵā leyiraTecha mî·yir·’ā·ṯe·ḵā mîyir’āṯeḵā miyiraTecha ū·ḇə·yir·’aṯ ū·ḵə·yir·’ā·ṯə·ḵā ūḇəyir’aṯ ucheyiratecha ūḵəyir’āṯəḵā uveyirAt veyirAh veyirAt veyirAtecha wə·yir·’ā·ṯə·ḵā wə·yir·’āh wə·yir·’aṯ wəyir’āh wəyir’aṯ wəyir’āṯəḵā yir’āh yir’aṯ yir’āṯî yir’āṯōw yir·’ā·ṯî yir·’ā·ṯōw yir·’āh yir·’aṯ yirAh yirAt yiraTi yiraTo
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