is in the Old Testament used as a designation of true piety ( Proverbs 1:7 ; Job 28:28 ; Psalms 19:9 ). It is a fear conjoined with love and hope, and is therefore not a slavish dread, but rather filial reverence. (Compare Deuteronomy 32:6 ; Hosea 11:1 ; Isaiah 1:2 ; 63:16 ; 64:8 .) God is called "the Fear of Isaac" ( Genesis 31:42 Genesis 31:53 ), i.e., the God whom Isaac feared.

A holy fear is enjoined also in the New Testament as a preventive of carelessness in religion, and as an incentive to penitence ( Matthew 10:28 ; 2 co 5:11 ; 7:1 ; Phil 2:12 ; Ephesians 5:21 ; Hebrews 12:28 Hebrews 12:29 ).

These dictionary topics are from
M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition,
published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.