Fear of God
English collapses distinct Hebrew meanings into the single word fear. Fear of God can mean reverence rather than dread in Hebrew contexts. Fear-as-dread and fear-as-reverence produce different orientations toward God. The dread-based meani…
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English collapses distinct Hebrew meanings into the single word fear. Fear of God can mean reverence rather than dread in Hebrew contexts. Fear-as-dread and fear-as-reverence produce different orientations toward God. The dread-based meaning of God-fearing can repel people from religious faith. Translation failures around fear may shape religious faith in counterproductive ways.