בִּעוּתִים (bi.u.tim)
bi.u.tim
terror
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun biʿutim refers to sudden terrors or alarms that strike with divine intensity. It describes a state of overwhelming fear, often triggered by the presence or actions of God rather than human enemies. This word captures the visceral shock of encountering the sacred, where the natural order is disrupted by supernatural power.
Its single biblical appearance in Job 41:23 illustrates this vividly. The text uses it to describe the terrifying impact of Leviathan’s sneeze, which ignites coals of fire and sends sparks flying. Here, biʿutim conveys the chaotic, awe-inspiring dread that accompanies raw, untamed force.
Unlike words for general anxiety or fear of people, biʿutim is specific to moments where God’s majesty breaks through in a way that shakes the observer. Translators often render it as "terrors" or "alarms," emphasizing the suddenness and severity of the experience. It reminds readers that encountering the divine can be as disorienting as it is glorious.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word for terror here describes a sudden, overwhelming fear that strikes with divine intensity. It is not the anxiety we feel about daily problems or human enemies, but a visceral shock at encountering something sacred and powerful. This kind of dread shakes the natural order, leaving us disoriented by raw force.
In Job 41:23, this terror accompanies the sneeze of Leviathan, sending sparks flying like fire. It reminds us that God’s majesty can be as terrifying as it is glorious. We do not need to fear God’s power, but we should respect its weight. This awe invites us to approach the divine with humility and wonder.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [the] terrors of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בִּעוּתֵ֖י1×
Key Verses
-
Job 6:4
For the arrows of the Almighty are within me. My spirit drinks up their poison. The terrors of God set themselves in array against me.
This verse uses the word to describe terrors set in array against Job, showing how divine judgment can feel like an overwhelming military assault.