H2844a H2844a
terror, fear, dread inspired by superior power
This noun denotes the fear or terror that superior beings inspire in those beneath them. In Genesis 9:2, God places the terror of humans upon all animals, establishing the post-flood order where beasts fear humanity (parallel to mora, fear). In Job 41:25, the crocodile is described as one made "without fear"—literally "for fearlessness"—a creature utterly devoid of timidity. The term captures visceral dread rather than reverential awe, focusing on the raw power dynamic that produces cowering submission.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The two occurrences establish opposite poles of the fear spectrum. Genesis 9:2 institutes human dominance over animals through divinely-instilled terror ("the terror of you" parallel to "the fear of you"), fundamentally reordering creation after the flood. Job 41:25 [41:33 English] describes the crocodile as made "for fearlessness," utterly lacking in terror—a supreme predator answering to no one. The contrast reveals the word's focus on power relationships: animals experience terror of humans; the crocodile experiences none. Cross-linguistic glosses preserve this terror dimension: Spanish espanto (fright), German Schrecken (terror). 2×
AR["خَوْفٍ.", "وَ-رُعْبُكُمْ"]·ben["আর-তোমাদের-ত্রাস", "ভয়"]·DE["[חת]", "und-euer-Schrecken"]·EN["and-dread-of-you", "fear"]·FR["et-dread-de-tu", "חת"]·heb["ו-חתכם-כם", "חת"]·HI["और-भय", "भय"]·ID["dan-kegentaranmu", "ketakutan"]·IT["e-dread-di-tu", "temere"]·jav["ajrih.", "lan-giris-panjenengan-sadaya"]·KO["그리고-너희의-무서움", "두려움"]·PT["e-pavor-de-vós", "medo."]·RU["и-ужас-перед-вами", "страха"]·ES["temer", "y-vuestro-espanto"]·SW["hofu", "na-woga-wenu"]·TR["korku", "ve-dehsetiiniz"]·urd["اور-دہشت-تمہاری", "خوف-کے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. [חַת] n.m. Gn 9:2 terror, fear—חָ֑ת Jb 41:25, חִתְּכֶם Gn 9:2;—c. sf. as obj. gen., Gn 9:2 terror of you (‖ מוֹרַאֲכֶם); in description of crocodile c. neg., הֶעָשׂוּ לִבְלִי־חָ֑ת Jb 41:25 one made for fearlessness.