The term "dreadful" in the Bible often conveys a sense of awe-inspiring fear or reverence, typically associated with the presence or actions of God. It is used to describe events, visions, or divine encounters that evoke a profound sense of fear and respect due to their overwhelming power and majesty.

Old Testament Usage

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word often translated as "dreadful" is "yare," which can mean to fear, revere, or be afraid. This term is frequently used in contexts where the power and holiness of God are revealed in a manner that instills fear and awe.

One notable instance is found in the book of Genesis, where Jacob, after his dream of the ladder reaching to heaven, declares the place to be "dreadful" due to the presence of God: "He was afraid and said, 'How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven'" (Genesis 28:17). Here, the term underscores the sacredness and the overwhelming nature of encountering God.

In the prophetic literature, the term is used to describe the day of the Lord, a time of divine judgment and power. Joel 2:11 states, "The LORD raises His voice in the presence of His army. Indeed, His camp is very large, for mighty are those who obey His command. For the day of the LORD is great and very dreadful—who can endure it?" . This passage highlights the fearsome nature of God's judgment and the awe it inspires.

New Testament Context

While the New Testament does not frequently use the term "dreadful," the concept is present in the descriptions of God's majesty and the final judgment. The Greek word "phobos," often translated as fear or terror, captures a similar sentiment. In Hebrews 10:31, the writer warns, "It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" . This verse serves as a sobering reminder of the seriousness of God's judgment and the reverence due to Him.

Theological Implications

The use of "dreadful" in the Bible underscores the dual nature of God's character as both loving and just. It serves as a reminder of His holiness and the respect and reverence He commands. The fear of the Lord, often associated with the term "dreadful," is considered the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), indicating that a proper understanding of God's power and holiness is foundational to a life of faith.

In summary, the term "dreadful" in the biblical context is not merely about fear but encompasses a profound respect and awe for the divine. It reflects the overwhelming nature of God's presence and actions, calling believers to a deeper reverence and understanding of His majesty and authority.1. (a.) Full of dread or terror; fearful.

2. (a.) Inspiring dread; impressing great fear; fearful; terrible; as, a dreadful storm.

3. (a.) Inspiring awe or reverence; awful.

5398. phoberos -- fearful
... fearful. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: phoberos Phonetic Spelling:
(fob-er-os') Short Definition: fearful, dreadful Definition: fearful, dreadful ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5398.htm - 6k6178. aruts -- dreadful
... 6177, 6178. aruts. 6179 . dreadful. Transliteration: aruts Phonetic Spelling:
(aw-roots') Short Definition: dreadful. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/6178.htm - 6k

366. ayom -- terrible, dreadful
... 365b, 366. ayom. 367 . terrible, dreadful. Transliteration: ayom Phonetic
Spelling: (aw-yome') Short Definition: awesome. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/366.htm - 5k

1091. ballahah -- terror, dreadful event, calamity, destruction
... ballahah. 1092 . terror, dreadful event, calamity, destruction. Transliteration:
ballahah Phonetic Spelling: (bal-law-haw') Short Definition: terrors. ...
/hebrew/1091.htm - 6k

1763. dechal -- to fear
... to fear. Transliteration: dechal Phonetic Spelling: (deh-khal') Short Definition:
dreadful. Word Origin (Aramaic) a prim. ... make afraid, dreadful, fear, terrible. ...
/hebrew/1763.htm - 6k

3374. yirah -- a fear
... dreadful, exceedingly, fearfulness. Feminine of yare'; fear (also used as infinitive);
morally, reverence -- X dreadful, X exceedingly, fear(-fulness). ...
/hebrew/3374.htm - 6k

6343. pachad -- dread
... 10), terrors (1), unconcerned* (1), what (1). dreadful, fear, thing great
fear terror. From pachad; a (sudden) alarm (properly, the ...
/hebrew/6343.htm - 6k

3372. yare' -- to fear
... affright, be make afraid, dreadful, put in fearful reverence, terrible
act, A primitive root; to fear; morally, to revere; caus. ...
/hebrew/3372.htm - 5k

Death Dreadful or Delightful.
... Hymns. Book 2. Composed on Divine Subjects. Hymn 2:52. Death dreadful or
delightful. 1 Death! 'tis a melancholy day To those that ...
/.../watts/hymns and spiritual songs/hymn 2 52 death dreadful or.htm

Dreadful Forms of Terror and Frightful Bugbears on Account of ...
... Book VI. 26 O dreadful forms of terror and frightful bugbears on account
of which the human race? O dreadful forms of terror and ...
/.../the seven books of arnobius against the heathen/26 o dreadful forms of.htm

Not to Sinai's Dreadful Blaze, Heb 12:18,22
... VIII. SHORT HYMNS: BEFORE SERMON. Hymn 94 Not to Sinai's dreadful blaze, Heb
12:18,22. John Newton 8,7,8,7. Not to Sinai's dreadful blaze, Heb 12:18,22. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/olney hymns/hymn 94 not to sinais.htm

Death Dreadful or Delightful.
... Hymns, Book II HYMN 52 Death dreadful or delightful. CM Death dreadful or delightful.
Death! 'Tis a melancholy day. To those that have no God,. ...
/.../watts/the psalms and hymns of isaac watts/hymn 52 death dreadful or.htm

If Anything yet Remaineth that is Dreadful
... THE FOURTH CENTURY 73 If anything yet remaineth that is dreadful. If anything
yet remaineth that is dreadful, or terrible or doubtful ...
/.../traherne/centuries of meditations/73 if anything yet remaineth.htm

Having Therefore done Many and Dreadful Things against Jesus that ...
... Chapter 3. Having therefore done many and dreadful things against Jesus
that night? Having therefore done many and dreadful things ...
/.../the narrative of joseph of arimathaea/chapter 3 having therefore done.htm

Next He Tells us of the "Fourth Beast, Dreadful and Terrible...
... Piece XVI. Next he tells us of the "fourth beast, dreadful and terrible?
Next he tells us of the "fourth beast, dreadful and terrible ...
/.../the extant works and fragments of hippolytus/piece xvi next he tells.htm

Ep. cxli. The People of Nazianzus had in Some Way Incurred the ...
... The death of a single man, who to-day is and to-morrow will not be and
will not return to us is of course a dreadful thing. But ...
/.../cyril/select letters of saint gregory nazianzen/ep cxli the people of.htm

Bunyan's Dying Sayings.
... of God. How dreadful therefore must his case be who continues in sin; for
who can bear and grapple with the wrath of God? No sin ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bunyan/miscellaneous pieces/bunyans dying sayings.htm

Mr. John Bunyan's Dying Sayings.
... it. Sin, and man for sin, is the object of the wrath of God. How dreadful,
therefore, must his case be who continues in sin! For ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/mr john bunyans dying sayings.htm

Dreadful (23 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Full of dread or terror; fearful. 2. (a.) Inspiring dread; impressing great
fear; fearful; terrible; as, a dreadful storm. ...Dreadful (23 Occurrences). ...
/d/dreadful.htm - 13k

Awe (32 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) The emotion inspired by something dreadful and sublime; an undefined sense
of the dreadful and the sublime; reverential fear, or solemn wonder ...
/a/awe.htm - 17k

Death (1610 Occurrences)
... 7. (vi) Murder; murderous character. 8. (vi) Loss of spiritual life. 9. (vi) Anything
so dreadful as to be like death. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ...
/d/death.htm - 68k

Terrible (90 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Adapted or likely to excite terror, awe, or dread;
dreadful; formidable. 2. (a.) Excessive; extreme; severe. Int. ...
/t/terrible.htm - 36k

Dreaded (11 Occurrences)

/d/dreaded.htm - 9k

Awesome (47 Occurrences)
... (WEB). Ezekiel 1:18 As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and they
four had their rims full of eyes all around. (See NAS NIV). ...
/a/awesome.htm - 20k

Plagues (28 Occurrences)
... It would be some time in the month of May. The dreadful severity of the
plague constituted the "wonder" in this first plague. The ...
/p/plagues.htm - 44k

Dread (69 Occurrences)
... 7. (n.) Fury; dreadfulness. 8. (n.) Doubt; as, out of dread. 9. (a.) Exciting great
fear or apprehension; causing terror; frightful; dreadful. 10. ...
/d/dread.htm - 26k

Voweth (8 Occurrences)
... his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the LORD a corrupt thing: for
I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the ...
/v/voweth.htm - 8k

Keepest (16 Occurrences)
... Daniel 9:4 And I prayed unto Jehovah my God, and made confession, and said, Oh,
Lord, the great and dreadful God, who keepeth covenant and lovingkindness with ...
/k/keepest.htm - 11k

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