Skip to content
H1204

בָּעַת

bâʻath /baw-ath'/ Ask about this word
a primitive root
to fear
affright, be (make) afraid, terrify, trouble.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of bâʻath — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word bâʻath, represented by H1204, is a primitive root used to describe the act of being afraid or the cause of fear. It is translated as to fear, affright, terrify, or trouble. Appearing 16 times in 16 unique verses, it conveys a sense of sudden dread or terror brought on by an external force, whether supernatural, human, or abstract.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical narratives, H1204 is used to describe fear from various sources. It can be of divine origin, as when an evil spirit from the LORD troubled Saul 1 Samuel 16:14, or when David was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD 1 Chronicles 21:30. The word also describes the terror felt in the presence of a heavenly messenger, which caused Daniel to be afraid and fall on his face Daniel 8:17. In other contexts, it is the result of human conflict, as when the wicked Haman was afraid before the king and queen Esther 7:6. The term is also applied figuratively, where abstract forces like "trouble and anguish" make him afraid Job 15:24.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the concept of fear and terror:

  • H1091 ballâhâh (alarm; hence, destruction; terror, trouble.): This noun often describes the source of the fear that H1204 expresses. It is used to personify the overwhelming nature of dread, as seen when "Terrors H1091 shall make him afraid H1204" Job 18:11.
  • H2865 châthath (to prostrate; hence, to break down... by confusion and fear;... affright, be (make) afraid... terrify.): This verb is used in parallel with H1204 to depict the action of causing fear. In Job, God is described as the one who "scarest H2865 me with dreams, and terrifiest H1204 me through visions" Job 7:14.
  • H6427 pallâtsûwth (affright; fearfulness, horror, trembling.): This term signifies a state of intense horror that grips a person. Isaiah uses it to describe a visceral reaction, stating, "fearfulness H6427 affrighted H1204 me" Isaiah 21:4.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H1204 is significant, highlighting different facets of the relationship between God and humanity.

  • Divine Judgment: Fear can be a tool of divine judgment. God sends an evil spirit to trouble Saul after the Spirit of the LORD departed from him, marking a clear consequence for disobedience 1 Samuel 16:14.
  • Awe of the Holy: The word is used to describe the reaction of righteous individuals in the presence of divine power. Both David and Daniel are afraid when confronted with an angelic being, showing that this fear is a natural response to the supernatural holiness and might of God's messengers (1 Chronicles 21:30, Daniel 8:17).
  • Consequence of Ungodliness: Fear is often the fate of the wicked. The psalmist is made afraid by the "floods of ungodly men H1100" Psalms 18:4, and Job describes how terrors and anguish will prevail against the wicked man Job 15:24.

Summary

In summary, H1204 is more than a simple word for fear. It captures a deep and often sudden sense of being terrified or troubled. Its usage across Scripture reveals that this powerful emotion can stem from divine judgment, the awesome presence of the holy, or the destructive path of wickedness. From the torment of a king to the awe of a prophet, bâʻath illustrates the profound impact of terror on the human soul.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 16 occurrences, inflected in 9 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • יְבַעֲתֻ
  • תְּבַעֲתַ
  • נִבְעַת
  • נִבְעַתִּי
  • בִעֲתַתּ
  • תְּבַעֲתַ
  • מְבַעִתֶּ
  • בִּעֲתֻ
  • בִּעֲתָתְ

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 16 verses across 8 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Job (8 verses); never once in the other 31.

2
1 Samuel
1
2 Samuel
1
1 Chronicles
1
Esther
8
Job
1
Psalms
1
Isaiah
1
Daniel

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.