אָיֹם
𐤀𐤉𐤌
ʼâyôm
H366 adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Frightful, awe-inspiring, causing terror, dread, or reverence; describes that which provokes strong fear or awe due to overwhelming, intimidating, or extraordinary qualities.
Semantic Range
frightful, terrible, awe-inspiring, producing dread, producing reverential awe; extremely powerful or intimidating
Root / Etymology
Apparently from an unused root meaning 'to frighten' or 'to awe,' related to the root אימ (ʼym) which conveys notions of fear or terror. Cognate with other Hebrew words signifying fear (e.g., אֵימָה ʼēmāh ‘terror’, יָרֵא yārē’ ‘to fear’), although the specific verbal root from which אָיֹם is derived is not attested in Biblical Hebrew. Thus, etymology uncertain beyond relation to roots of fear and awe.
Historical & Contextual Notes
אָיֹם occurs infrequently in the Hebrew Bible and is primarily poetic or literary, most notably in descriptive praise of YHWH (Psalms 47:3[2]; 68:36[35]) or referencing entities eliciting profound fear or wonder (such as great cities, divine acts, or mighty forces). In pre-exilic texts, it is reserved for moments of heightened drama or reverence and does not serve as a general term for 'fearful.' Later Jewish tradition sometimes extends 'awe' from the biblical sense (fear, terror) to religious reverence. Related terms include אֵימָה (terror) and נורא (terrible, awe-inspiring). Standard English translations often select 'terrible,' 'awesome,' or 'dreadful,' yet 'awesome' or 'awe-inspiring' better capture the dual sense of fear and reverential awe. The term should be distinguished from simple words for fear (e.g., פַּחַד, פחד) or trembling (רעד), as אָיֹם implies a potent, often majestic, stimulus of awe or dread.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root (meaning to frighten); frightful; terrible.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אימ (ʾ-y-m) — to frighten, to inspire awe, to cause dread
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H366-02 |
אֲיֻמָּ֖ה | ayumah | HAafsa |
awesome | awe-inspiring | 2 |
H366-01 |
אָיֹ֥ם | ayom | HAamsa |
terrible | awe-inspiring | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H366-01 |
Habakkuk 1:7 | אָיֹ֥ם | ayom | HAamsa |
terrible | awe-inspiring |
H366-02 |
Song of Songs 6:4 | אֲיֻמָּ֖ה | ayumah | HAafsa |
majestic | awe-inspiring |
H366-02 |
Song of Songs 6:10 | אֲיֻמָּ֖ה | ayumah | HAafsa |
awesome | awe-inspiring |