Difference between ירא פחד

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Galena
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Difference between ירא פחד

Post by Galena »

ירא פחד I get the feeling that the second word translated as 'fear' has a somewhat stronger connotation to it than the first word. A similar feeling one might infer if I were to say: I am afraid of him" and then "I am in fear of him". Would perhaps ירא carry a duration of time to it and פחד preferred for immediate danger? Or am I really being pedantic? Just want to clear this niggly thing up please.
Thankyou
Chris
Chris Watts
Jemoh66
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Re: Difference between ירא פחד

Post by Jemoh66 »

Chris,

It seems as though yirah is the more generic word, while pachad is more specific. Notice in Deut 2:25, אָחֵל֙ תֵּ֤ת פַּחְדְּךָ֙ וְיִרְאָ֣תְךָ֔ עַל־, "to put the dread and fear." Also, in Jonah the sailors are petrified:וַיִּֽירְא֤וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁים֙ יִרְאָ֣ה גְדֹולָ֔ה. Here the generic yirah has to be qualified "great fear" where pachad would not need to be qualified.

Jonathan Mohler
Jonathan E Mohler
Studying for a MA in Intercultural Studies
Baptist Bible Theological Seminary
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Galena
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Re: Difference between ירא פחד

Post by Galena »

Thanks Jonathan that adds a little extra perspective to bare in mind.
Kind regards
Chris Watts
kwrandolph
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Re: Difference between ירא פחד

Post by kwrandolph »

Chris:

In my dictionary, of which you have a copy, I asked the same question. In it I have a list of synonyms for “fear” as follows:

‎ירא to fear as in to be afraid, scared of something → ירא, יראה fear referring to being afraid, מורא fear referring to a subject causing fear, נורא fearful, frightful, fear inspiring σ אים to cause unease So 6:4, 10, בהל move quickly Pr 28:22, 2C 26:20 ⇒ to alarm as in to frighten (⇐ those who are frightened move quickly) Dn 11:44, 2C 32:18 Ni be alarmed, frightened Gn 45:3, Ez 26:18, בעת to terrify 1S 16:14–5, Es 7:6, Dn 8:17, גור to be intimidated, דאב to despair, דאג to be anxious 1S 9:5, 10:2, Is 57:11, Jr 17:8, Ps 38:19 (18), זוע to be in a cold sweat, חפז to hurry as if caused by fear Dt 20:3, 1S 23:26, Ps 46:6, חתת to be paralyzed from fear יגר to fear as in seeing something unpleasant and fearing that it will come, ערץ to (be) dismay(ed) Dt 1:29, 20:3, Is 2:19, 21, Ps 89:8, פון despair ?? Ps 88:16 αλ, פחד to dread, רהה to fear, used only in connection with dread in context that this was announced before, therefore don’t dread and don’t __, possible misspelling for ירא ?? Is 44:8 αλ

I just edited my copy on my computer, for I just looked up the DSS and found that רהה doesn’t exist, rather the word is ירא.

Hope this helps. Karl W. Randolph.
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