The Hebrew word pachdâh, represented by H6345, is a term for fear or alarm. It appears only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the Bible. Defined as the feminine of פַּחַד, it specifically conveys a sense of awe or fear.
The sole appearance of H6345 is in Jeremiah 2:19, where it describes a spiritual condition. The verse states that the people's own wickedness will correct them, and they will know it is an "evil thing and bitter" to have forsaken God. This condition is characterized by the declaration, "my fear is not in thee," directly linking the absence of this awe to their rebellion against God.
Several related words from its context in Jeremiah 2:19 illuminate its meaning:
- H7451 raʻ (evil): This word describes the nature of forsaking God. The passage identifies the lack of God's fear as an evil and bitter thing Jeremiah 2:19. This stands in contrast to God's own thoughts toward his people, which are "of peace, and not of evil" Jeremiah 29:11.
- H4878 mᵉshûwbâh (backsliding): This term is used to describe the actions that result in a lack of fear for God. These backslidings are what will "reprove" the people Jeremiah 2:19. The Lord promises to heal their backsliding if they return to Him Hosea 14:4.
- H5800 ʻâzab (forsake): This is the root action that results in the absence of God's fear. The verse identifies the core problem as "thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God" Jeremiah 2:19. This action carries a severe warning, as Solomon was told that if he were to forsake God, he would be cast off for ever 1 Chronicles 28:9.
- H3045 yâdaʻ (to know): The verse commands the people to know and see the consequences of their actions Jeremiah 2:19. This knowledge implies an experiential understanding, as when David instructs Solomon to know the God of his father 1 Chronicles 28:9.
The theological weight of H6345 is concentrated in its single, powerful use.
- A Consequence of Sin: The absence of H6345 is not the cause of sin but its result. It is presented in Jeremiah 2:19 as the state one enters after having committed "wickedness" H7451 and "backslidings" H4878.
- The State of Forsaking God: The lack of this proper "fear" or "awe" is explicitly tied to the act of having "forsaken" H5800 the Lord. This state is described as both "evil" H7451 and "bitter" H4751, indicating a condition of spiritual distress and calamity Jeremiah 2:19.
- A Call to Recognition: The verse uses the absence of H6345 as a diagnostic tool. The people are commanded to "know" H3045 and "see" H7200 that their troubles stem from this very condition, highlighting that a right relationship with God includes a component of reverential fear.
In summary, H6345, while appearing only once, offers a potent description of a heart that has turned from God. It is not just fear in the sense of terror, but a profound and proper awe that is absent when one has forsaken the Lord. Its context in Jeremiah 2:19 frames this lack of fear as the culminating evidence of a relationship broken by wickedness and backsliding, a state both evil and bitter.
TRV