📖 Biblical Definition
Yirah (יִרְאָה) is the Hebrew word for fear — especially "the fear of the LORD." It is not anxious dread or terrified flight; it is reverent awe that recognizes God for who He is and leads to obedience. "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10; Psalm 111:10); "By the fear of the LORD men depart from evil" (Proverbs 16:6); "The fear of the LORD prolongeth days" (Proverbs 10:27). The Shema’s love of God (Deuteronomy 6:5) implies its yirah: covenant love and reverent fear are not opposites but two sides of the same heart-disposition. The man without yirah may be religious; he is not yet wise. Begin here.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
Hebrew "fear" — reverent awe of YHWH.
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The Hebrew word for fear, especially in the construct "fear of the LORD" (yirat YHWH). Not anxious dread but reverent awe that recognizes God for who He is — holy, sovereign, just, gracious — and responds with worship and obedience. The beginning of wisdom; the disposition that orients all of life rightly.
📖 Key Scripture
Proverbs 9:10 — "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding."
Ecclesiastes 12:13 — "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."
Psalm 34:11 — "Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Modern Christianity often softens "fear of the LORD" into mere respect, losing the reverent-awe weight Scripture intends.
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"God is love, why fear?" goes the modern softening. Scripture binds the two together: God's love is His holy love, and reverent awe of His holiness is the beginning of wisdom. To shrink yirah to respect is to lose the awe that makes worship possible.
Recover the awe: yirah is not abusive-relationship dread; it is the saint's right-orientation before the holy God. The same God whose chesed is unfailing is the God whose holiness consumes.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Hebrew yirah, yare.
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['Hebrew', 'H3374', 'yirah', 'fear, reverence']
['Hebrew', 'H3372', 'yare', 'to fear, revere']
Usage
"Yirah is reverent awe, not abusive dread."
"The beginning of wisdom is fear of the LORD."
"Recover awe; worship grows from it."