3373. yare
Lexical Summary
yare: Fearful, reverent, afraid

Original Word: יָרֵא
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: yare'
Pronunciation: yah-ray
Phonetic Spelling: (yaw-ray')
KJV: afraid, fear (-ful)
Word Origin: [from H3372 (יָרֵא - Fear)]

1. fearing
2. morally, reverent

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
afraid, fearful

From yare'; fearing; morally, reverent -- afraid, fear (-ful).

see HEBREW yare'

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
the same as yare, q.v.

Brown-Driver-Briggs
יָרֵא verbal adjective see above Participle

Topical Lexicon
Overview

Strong’s Hebrew 3373 (yārēʾ) describes a person marked by fear, whether reverential awe toward God or dread of threatening circumstances. About fifty-five occurrences trace a theological arc that binds covenant obedience, worship, wisdom, and communal ethics.

A Fear Grounded in Revelation

The word first signals covenant fidelity: “For now I know that you fear God” (Genesis 22:12). Fear is not self-generated; it rises when God speaks, saves, or judges (Exodus 14:31; Deuteronomy 6:24).

Reverence or Terror?

Context supplies the nuance.
• Holy awe: Job 1:1; Psalm 112:1; Proverbs 1:7.
• Guard-rail against sin: Exodus 20:20.
• Craven dread of men: Judges 7:10; Isaiah 7:4.

Scripture commends awe of the LORD and corrects fear of anything that rivals Him (Isaiah 8:12-13).

Covenant Ethics and Social Justice

The Hebrew midwives “feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded” (Exodus 1:17). Nehemiah shuns exploitation “because of the fear of God” (Nehemiah 5:15). Honest commerce, fair courts, and compassionate leadership flow from hearts that fear the LORD (Leviticus 19:14, 19:32).

Worshiping Community

Psalms identifies “those who fear the LORD” as a distinct worshiping circle (Psalm 22:23; 118:4). Promises attach to them: intimacy (Psalm 25:14), provision (Psalm 34:9), enduring love (Psalm 103:11). Fear of God intensifies rather than dampens praise.

Wisdom Literature

Wisdom begins and matures with fear. Job is introduced as “blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil” (Job 1:1). Proverbs exalts this stance as the “beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7) and the “hatred of evil” (Proverbs 8:13). Ecclesiastes concludes, “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13), presenting yārēʾ as life’s organizing principle.

Historical Narrative

Kings and nations are weighed by this measure. Jehoshaphat’s reforms prosper because “the fear of the LORD fell on all the kingdoms” (2 Chronicles 17:10). In contrast, apostate Israel “did not fear the LORD” and was exiled (2 Kings 17:34-41).

Prophetic Exhortation and Hope

Prophets summon the people back: “Should you not fear Me?” (Jeremiah 5:22). Malachi promises, “For you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings” (Malachi 4:2). Fear becomes the boundary line between remnant and rebel.

Trajectory into the New Testament

Though Greek takes over, the category persists. Cornelius is “a devout man and one who feared God” (Acts 10:2). Believers are urged to “conduct yourselves in reverent fear during your stay as foreigners” (1 Peter 1:17), echoing the Hebrew ideal.

Ministry Implications

1. Worship: Awe safeguards authenticity (Hebrews 12:28-29).
2. Leadership: Governance “in the fear of God” resists corruption (2 Chronicles 19:9).
3. Mission: God-fearers outside Israel, like Cornelius, illustrate divine pursuit beyond ethnic lines.
4. Discipleship: Teaching the fear of the LORD forms character and community (Psalm 34:11).

Summary

Yārēʾ portrays a posture of humble submission to the living God, the wellspring of obedience, wisdom, justice, and worship. Wherever this fear flourishes, covenant life thrives; where it fades, ruin follows.

Forms and Transliterations
הַיָּרֵא֙ הירא וִירֵ֥א וירא יְ֭רֵאֶיךָ יְרֵ֣א יְרֵ֤א יְרֵ֥א יְרֵאִ֖ים יְרֵאֶ֑יךָ יְרֵאָ֑יו יְרֵאָ֥יו יְרֵאָֽיו׃ יִ֭רְאָתְךָ יִֽרְאֵ֥י יִרְאֵ֣י יִרְאֵ֤י יִרְאֵ֥י יִרְאֵ֧י יִרְאַת־ יִרְאָ֣ה יִרְאָ֥ה יִרְאָתָם֙ יָ֭רֵא יָרֵ֔א יָרֵ֖א יָרֵ֛א יָרֵ֣א יָרֵ֤א יָרֵ֥א ירא יראה יראי יראיו יראיו׃ יראיך יראים יראת־ יראתך יראתם לִּֽירֵ֫אֶ֥יךָ לִּירֵאֶ֣יךָ לִֽירֵאָ֑יו לִֽירֵאָ֗יו לִירֵאָ֑יו לִירֵאָ֣יו לִירֵאָֽיו׃ ליראיו ליראיו׃ ליראיך haiyaRe hay·yā·rê hayyārê lî·rê·’āw lî·rê·’e·ḵā lîrê’āw lîrê’eḵā lireAv liReEicha viRe wî·rê wîrê yā·rê yaRe yārê yə·rê yə·rê·’āw yə·rê·’e·ḵā yə·rê·’îm yeRe yərê yərê’āw yərê’eḵā yərê’îm yereAv Yereeicha yereIm yir’āh yir’aṯ- yir’āṯām yir’āṯəḵā yir’ê yir·’ā·ṯām yir·’ā·ṯə·ḵā yir·’āh yir·’aṯ- yir·’ê yirAh yirat yiraTam Yiratecha yirEi
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Englishman's Concordance
Genesis 22:12
HEB: יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּֽי־ יְרֵ֤א אֱלֹהִים֙ אַ֔תָּה
KJV: I know that thou fearest God,
INT: know for fearest God you

Genesis 32:11
HEB: עֵשָׂ֑ו כִּֽי־ יָרֵ֤א אָנֹכִי֙ אֹת֔וֹ
KJV: of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come
INT: of Esau for fear I he

Exodus 18:21
HEB: אַנְשֵׁי־ חַ֜יִל יִרְאֵ֧י אֱלֹהִ֛ים אַנְשֵׁ֥י
KJV: able men, such as fear God, men
INT: men able fear God men

Deuteronomy 7:19
HEB: אֲשֶׁר־ אַתָּ֥ה יָרֵ֖א מִפְּנֵיהֶֽם׃
INT: of whom you afraid accept

Deuteronomy 20:8
HEB: מִי־ הָאִ֤ישׁ הַיָּרֵא֙ וְרַ֣ךְ הַלֵּבָ֔ב
KJV: What man [is there that is] fearful and fainthearted?
INT: Who is the man fearful faint hearts

Deuteronomy 25:18
HEB: וְיָגֵ֑עַ וְלֹ֥א יָרֵ֖א אֱלֹהִֽים׃
KJV: and weary; and he feared not God.
INT: and weary and he feared God

Judges 7:3
HEB: לֵאמֹ֔ר מִֽי־ יָרֵ֣א וְחָרֵ֔ד יָשֹׁ֥ב
KJV: saying, Whosoever [is] fearful and afraid,
INT: saying any Whosoever fearful and afraid return

Judges 7:10
HEB: וְאִם־ יָרֵ֥א אַתָּ֖ה לָרֶ֑דֶת
KJV: But if thou fear to go down, go
INT: if fear you to go

1 Kings 18:3
HEB: וְעֹבַדְיָ֗הוּ הָיָ֥ה יָרֵ֛א אֶת־ יְהוָ֖ה
KJV: (Now Obadiah feared the LORD
INT: Obadiah become feared the LORD greatly

Job 1:1
HEB: תָּ֧ם וְיָשָׁ֛ר וִירֵ֥א אֱלֹהִ֖ים וְסָ֥ר
KJV: and upright, and one that feared God,
INT: was blameless upright feared God and turning

Job 1:8
HEB: תָּ֧ם וְיָשָׁ֛ר יְרֵ֥א אֱלֹהִ֖ים וְסָ֥ר
KJV: man, one that feareth God,
INT: A blameless and upright feareth God and turning

Job 2:3
HEB: תָּ֧ם וְיָשָׁ֛ר יְרֵ֥א אֱלֹהִ֖ים וְסָ֣ר
KJV: man, one that feareth God,
INT: A blameless and upright feareth God and turning

Job 4:6
HEB: הֲלֹ֣א יִ֭רְאָתְךָ כִּסְלָתֶ֑ךָ תִּ֝קְוָתְךָ֗
INT: not afraid your confidence hope

Psalm 15:4
HEB: נִמְאָ֗ס וְאֶת־ יִרְאֵ֣י יְהוָ֣ה יְכַבֵּ֑ד
KJV: but he honoureth them that fear the LORD.
INT: eyes A reprobate fear the LORD honors

Psalm 22:23
HEB: יִרְאֵ֤י יְהוָ֨ה ׀ הַֽלְל֗וּהוּ
KJV: Ye that fear the LORD, praise
INT: fear the LORD praise

Psalm 22:25
HEB: אֲ֝שַׁלֵּ֗ם נֶ֣גֶד יְרֵאָֽיו׃
KJV: my vows before them that fear him.
INT: shall pay before fear

Psalm 25:12
HEB: זֶ֣ה הָ֭אִישׁ יְרֵ֣א יְהוָ֑ה י֝וֹרֶ֗נּוּ
KJV: What man [is] he that feareth the LORD?
INT: he is the man feareth Jehovah archer

Psalm 25:14
HEB: ס֣וֹד יְ֭הוָה לִירֵאָ֑יו וּ֝בְרִית֗וֹ לְהוֹדִיעָֽם׃
KJV: of the LORD [is] with them that fear him; and he will shew
INT: the secret of the LORD fear his covenant know

Psalm 31:19
HEB: אֲשֶׁר־ צָפַ֪נְתָּ לִּֽירֵ֫אֶ֥יךָ פָּ֭עַלְתָּ לַחֹסִ֣ים
KJV: which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; [which] thou hast wrought
INT: Which have stored fear have wrought take

Psalm 33:18
HEB: יְ֭הוָה אֶל־ יְרֵאָ֑יו לַֽמְיַחֲלִ֥ים לְחַסְדּֽוֹ׃
KJV: of the LORD [is] upon them that fear him, upon them that hope
INT: of the LORD to fear hope his lovingkindness

Psalm 34:7
HEB: יְהוָ֓ה סָ֘בִ֤יב לִֽירֵאָ֗יו וַֽיְחַלְּצֵֽם׃
KJV: round about them that fear him, and delivereth
INT: of the LORD around fear and rescues

Psalm 34:9
HEB: אֵ֥ין מַ֝חְס֗וֹר לִירֵאָֽיו׃
KJV: for [there is] no want to them that fear him.
INT: there want fear

Psalm 60:4
HEB: נָ֘תַ֤תָּה לִּירֵאֶ֣יךָ נֵּ֭ס לְהִתְנוֹסֵ֑ס
KJV: a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed
INT: have given fear A banner may be displayed

Psalm 61:5
HEB: נָתַ֥תָּ יְ֝רֻשַּׁ֗ת יִרְאֵ֥י שְׁמֶֽךָ׃
KJV: [me] the heritage of those that fear thy name.
INT: have given the inheritance fear your name

Psalm 66:16
HEB: וַ֭אֲסַפְּרָה כָּל־ יִרְאֵ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר
KJV: [and] hear, all ye that fear God,
INT: will tell all fear God of what

55 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 3373
55 Occurrences


hay·yā·rê — 1 Occ.
lî·rê·’āw — 5 Occ.
lî·rê·’e·ḵā — 2 Occ.
wî·rê — 2 Occ.
yā·rê — 11 Occ.
yə·rê — 9 Occ.
yə·rê·’āw — 7 Occ.
yə·rê·’e·ḵā — 2 Occ.
yə·rê·’îm — 1 Occ.
yir·’āh — 2 Occ.
yir·’aṯ- — 1 Occ.
yir·’ā·ṯām — 1 Occ.
yir·’ā·ṯə·ḵā — 1 Occ.
yir·’ê — 10 Occ.

3372b
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