Fear/Revere (Yare), the Ancient Hebrew Meaning

Fear is the Beginning of Wisdom

To Fear is the 3-letter Hebrew verb יָרֵא Yare. In English Fear is defined as an unpleasant emotion. The original Hebrew pictographs describe Fear figuratively:

The Fear (Yirat יִרְאַ֣ת) of the LORD (-*YHVH יְהוִֹה) is the Beginning of Wisdom (Chokmah חָכְמָה) and Knowledge (Da’at דַּעַת) of the Holy One (Qadosh קָדוֹשׁ) is Understanding (Binah בִּינָה), Proverbs 9:10

How is Yirat-*YHVH the beginning of Wisdom? In Hebrew two nouns can be attached by the suffix ת Tav, to show possession, making the two nouns into one concept. In other words, the Tav ת shows Who the Fear, יִרְאָה Yirah, belongs to: 

The Fear of *YHVH is the beginning of Wisdom. The concept of Fear, Yirah יִרְאָה, is derived from the three letter verb root YRA יָרֵא, pronounced Yarai; to be in Awe, Afraid, or to Revere…:

 Yud   = Hand, Arm, to Make, Do, Work, Deed, Action, Closed, Throw, Complete…

Resh   = Head, Person, Highest, Top, First, Beginning…

Alef = Ox, Strength, Power, Leader, Teacher, Elohim…

The Hand – of the Highest – Strength?

The Fear (יִרְאַ֣ת Yirat) of the LORD יְהוָֹה *YHVH is a Flowing Fountain (מָקוֹר Maqor) of Life, turning a man from the snares of Death. Proverbs 14:27

Here we see יִרְאַ֣ת Yirat -*YHVH described as a Flowing Fountain of Life. It is what turns mankind from the snares of Death. 

Fear of *YHVH Flows Toward Life

I can feel the adrenaline Flow through my veins when I’m afraid, excited, or in awe. It is the same Flow, according to my own perception of whatever, or whomever, is magnified in my mind.

In context, the first time יָרֵא Yare appears in the Bible is when Adam said he was Afraid:

And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was Afraid (יָרֵא Yare), because I was naked, and I hid myself,” Genesis 3:10

Adam knew Death was the consequence of eating the Fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Bad. He described being Naked as the reason he was Afraid, יָרֵא Yare, and he hid himself:

“but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and bad; for in the day that you eat of it, to Die-you will Die (מ֥וֹת-תָּמֽוּת Mowt-Tamut),” Genesis 2:17

We are Not to Fear Anything but *YHVH

The LORD (*YHVH יְהוָֹה) is with me; I will not be Afraid (יָרֵא Yare). What can man do to me? Psalm 118:6; Psalm 56:4; Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:6

“I tell you, my friends, Do Not be Afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.” Luke 12:4

As helpless as we may feel when our bodies automatically react to Fear, we are instructed not to Fear people, or what they can do to us.

Fear has more to do with obedience than than the emotion. We are instructed to Fear *YHVH:

You are to Fear (יָרֵא Yare) the LORD יְהוָֹה YHVH your God and serve Him. Hold fast to Him and take your oaths in His Name, Deuteronomy 10:20

When we have an emotional reaction we are expected to control it. It reveals our imagination and what we magnify. It takes mental discipline to set our minds on *YHVH. We choose what we Revere:

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:2

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