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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Awe
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oÌ‚: Fear mingled with reverence and wonder, a state of mind inspired by something terrible or sublime. In the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) it occurs in : “Stand in awe, and sin not†(where the Revised Version, margin has, “Be ye angry,†so Septuagint; compare ); ; . In the following passages the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes “stand in awe of†for the King James Version “fearâ€: phobouÌmenoi; ; ; ; and in it substitutes “awe†for the King James Version “reverence†(deÌos here only in New Testament). In all these passages, except (eulabeıÌto, where it describes Saul's feeling toward David), the word stands for man's attitude of reverential fear toward God. This is the characteristic attitude of the pious soul toward God in the Scriptures, especially in the Old Testament. It arises from a consciousness of the infinite power, sublimity and holiness of God, which fills the mind with the “fear of the Lord,†and a dread of violating His law. See FEAR.