H4172b H4172b
fear, terror (as something appointed); awe-inspiring display
A disputed noun in Psalm 9:20 (MT v21). The Masoretic tradition reads 'appoint terror for them,' meaning God should display awesome power to make the nations know they're mortal. An alternate reading, following Greek and Latin, would be 'appoint a teacher/master' (reading מוֹרֶה). The context favors 'terror'—a demonstration of power that humbles arrogant nations. Either way, it's something God sets over the nations to teach them humility.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Psalm 9:20 prays 'set terror for them, O LORD' (or possibly 'a teacher'), so the nations know they're human. If 'terror' (Spanish 'temor,' German 'fürchten'), it's a theophanic display—God's frightening presence teaching humility. If 'teacher,' it's instruction in mortality. The textual tradition splits, but thematically both work: nations need either awe or pedagogy to learn their creaturely limits. Fear is itself a teacher. 1×
AR["خَوْفًا"]·ben["ভয়"]·DE["fürchten"]·EN["fear"]·FR["de-terreur"]·heb["מורא"]·HI["भय-में"]·ID["ketakutan"]·IT["pioggia-autunnale"]·jav["ajrih"]·KO["두려움-을"]·PT["temor"]·RU["страх"]·ES["temor"]·SW["hofu"]·TR["korku"]·urd["خوف"]
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. מוֹרָה n.[m.] שִׁיתָה מוֹרָה לָהֶם ψ 9:21, prob. appoint (Hos 6:11) terror (i.e. some awe-inspiring exhibition of power) for them Thes SS RV Ew De Hu Pe Che after Mas 𝔗 Aq Jer (מוֹרָה a variation of or prob. error for מוֹרָא); poss. set them a teacher, master Bae after 𝔊 𝔙 𝔖 מוֹרֶה, νομοθέτην; neither altogether satisfactory.