All the "Fear Nots" in the Bible

I have read that there are 365 "fear nots" in the Bible, but never seen a list. Obviously a Bible search shows that this is not literally true, but I was wondering if it is possible to use some more advanced tools in Logos to search, say, for all of the uses of the lemma "to fear" with a negative sense. It is combining conditions that I am really unfamiliar with, but I would love a walk through on how to do this, please.

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Bruce Dunning

There are many ways to search for this. Here are a couple -

I have also done a study of this if you are interested. Here are my rough notes - 7271.Fear Not Study.docx

Simon’s Brother

Thanks for sharing your notes Bruce. I've had a quick run over them and found them useful and will dig further into them. I hope Justin finds them helpful too.

Jack Caviness

I have also done a study of this if you are interested. Here are my rough notes - 7271.Fear Not Study.docx

Thank you for that link.

Jim Coakley

the notion that there are 365 "fear nots" is a concept that is often referenced but as you noticed there are no such lists that exist of the 365 references so that right away should give you a clue that the claim is spurious. I am sure that someone would have made a calendar with each day quoting all 365 if such a list actually existed.

Here is someone who tried to research it:

http://musingsofaministerswife.com/2012/08/so-how-many-times-is-fear-not-actually-in-the-bible/

Here is the gist:

The phrase in the intended context is only used 80+ times
The phrase “fear not” in used in other contexts, but you wouldn’t want them to apply to you
Other word pairings that would be equal to “fear not” (“do not be afraid”, “do not fear”, “be not afraid”) is used 30+ times

I once tried to find the source of where this claim was originally made so maybe someone could track this down so we could put this claim to rest once and for all.

The blogger in the article concludes with this:

"While it’s a great idea to think that God comforted us with “Fear not” 365 times, it’s simply just not true. However, hopefully we are at that point in our Christian walk that we don’t need to hear God say something 365 times. Once should be enough."

GaoLu

Thanks for the link.

Maybe there are not 365 "fear not" quotes, but the quotes we do have are good for 365 days a year.

Tim Finlay

Justin, if you are asking for a way to use the more advanced tools, the answer to your problem lies in using the syntax search on Anderson-Forbes Phrase Marker Analysis. The search involves a clause divided into a CIC (clause intermediate constituent) and a segment. The CIC needs to have the "negative" box checked (under operators). The segment needs to have the Hebrew lemma yara' "to fear." and the morphology of Verb that is either Imperfect or Jussive. This search leads to 110 results, which are known in OT studies as the 'al-tira' oracles.

Tim Finlay

Bruce, because you are interested in this topic you might want to perform a syntax search on Anderson-Forbes Phrase Marker Analysis. The search involves a clause divided into a CIC (clause intermediate constituent) and a segment. The CIC needs to have the "negative" box checked (under operators). The segment needs to have the Hebrew lemma yara' "to fear." and the morphology of Verb that is either Imperfect or Jussive. This search leads to 110 results, which are known in OT studies as the 'al-tira' oracles.

A few articles on the subject, mainly concentrating on their use in Isaiah 40-55, include: J. Begrich, “Das priesterliche Heilsorakel,” ZAW 52 (1934): 81–92; E. Conrad, “Second Isaiah and the Priestly Oracle of Salvation,” ZAW 93 (1981):234–246; idem, “The ‘Fear Not’ Oracles in Second Isaiah,” VT 34 (1984):129–152; M. Nissinen, “Fear Not: A Study on an Ancient Near Eastern Phrase,” in The Changing Face of Form Criticism for the Twenty-First Century (ed. M. Sweeney & E. Ben Zvi; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003), 122–161; M. Weippert, “Assyrische Prophetien der Zeit Asarhaddons und Assurbanipals,” in Assyrian Royal Inscriptions: New Horizons in Literary, Ideological, and Historical Analysis (ed. F. Fales; Orientis Antiqui Collectio 17; Rome: Istituto per l’Oriente, 1981), 71–115.

I have learned much from your numerous posts on the forum.

Keep Smiling 4 Jesus :)

Justin, if you are asking for a way to use the more advanced tools, the answer to your problem lies in using the syntax search on Anderson-Forbes Phrase Marker Analysis. The search involves a clause divided into a CIC (clause intermediate constituent) and a segment. The CIC needs to have the "negative" box checked (under operators). The segment needs to have the Hebrew lemma yara' "to fear." and the morphology of Verb that is either Imperfect or Jussive. This search leads to 110 results, which are known in OT studies as the 'al-tira' oracles.

Syntax Search illustration showing an example clause to be found with corresponding search:

Morph Search found 108 Imperfect (in Lexham Hebrew Bible), which includes 73 Jussive in the Qal stem:

Proximity Search can look for word lists. Personally unable to replicate 365 "Fear Not" results; found 216 verses in 1873 Authorized Version.

Keep Smiling [:)]

Francis

It all depends on how precisely the query is defined. Taking the English "fear not" as example, we would look for imperatives, subjunctives and jussives for any verb that has the sense "to fear". But "fear not" is also a 2nd person (singular or plural). So, if you want to narrow your search accordingly, you would need to specify these search criteria. Otherwise, if you are looking for a broader fishing net, you can also use something like the picture below, where any verb with the sense "to fear" negated is searched. This would also include statements such as "they feared not". But remember that some forms of the imperative present are the same as the indicative, so there could be spots in which there are debates as to whether something is an affirmation or an exhortation. But the image below is provided as illustration of one way to do such research. Note that I used the "Added version" feature to provide English translation (since the clause search is otherwise based on the Hebrew and Greek).

Rosie Perera

What about adding other verbs like to worry, to be anxious, to be alarmed, to be terrified, and anything else in that semantic domain? I'm thinking of verses like Phil 4:6. That would pick up a few more. (I haven't looked into the Greek words behind these English ones in detail, but in LN there do appear to be multiple Greek words for ranges of things like fear.)

Also other word parings should be included such as "have no fear"; "no fear of me should alarm you"; "you will have nothing to fear"; "banish anxiety from your heart"; "cast all your anxiety on him" (these are all NIV word order).

Still probably not up to 365 times, but getting closer.

Bruce Dunning

Bruce, because you are interested in this topic you might want to perform a syntax search on Anderson-Forbes Phrase Marker Analysis. The search involves a clause divided into a CIC (clause intermediate constituent) and a segment. The CIC needs to have the "negative" box checked (under operators). The segment needs to have the Hebrew lemma yara' "to fear." and the morphology of Verb that is either Imperfect or Jussive. This search leads to 110 results, which are known in OT studies as the 'al-tira' oracles.

A few articles on the subject, mainly concentrating on their use in Isaiah 40-55, include: J. Begrich, “Das priesterliche Heilsorakel,” ZAW 52 (1934): 81–92; E. Conrad, “Second Isaiah and the Priestly Oracle of Salvation,” ZAW 93 (1981):234–246; idem, “The ‘Fear Not’ Oracles in Second Isaiah,” VT 34 (1984):129–152; M. Nissinen, “Fear Not: A Study on an Ancient Near Eastern Phrase,” in The Changing Face of Form Criticism for the Twenty-First Century (ed. M. Sweeney & E. Ben Zvi; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003), 122–161; M. Weippert, “Assyrische Prophetien der Zeit Asarhaddons und Assurbanipals,” in Assyrian Royal Inscriptions: New Horizons in Literary, Ideological, and Historical Analysis (ed. F. Fales; Orientis Antiqui Collectio 17; Rome: Istituto per l’Oriente, 1981), 71–115.

I have learned much from your numerous posts on the forum.

Thanks Tim. I really appreciate the insight.

Syntax Search illustration showing an example clause to be found with corresponding search:

Morph Search found 108 Imperfect (in Lexham Hebrew Bible), which includes 73 Jussive in the Qal stem:

Thanks for the illustrations.

Bruce Dunning

What about adding other verbs like to worry, to be anxious, to be alarmed, to be terrified, and anything else in that semantic domain?

Yes there are many other similar words and concepts that relate to this topic. As you say, still probably not 365. Perhaps the original quote of 365 was just an expression to say "lots". [:)]

Keep Smiling 4 Jesus :)

What about adding other verbs like to worry, to be anxious, to be alarmed, to be terrified, and anything else in that semantic domain?

With enough words, found 380 verses in 1873 AV:

(afraid,anxious,careful,fear,worry,take,schism,spare) WITHIN 4 WORDS (not, don't,nothing,anything,no)

Keep Smiling [:)]

Rosie Perera

Wondering whether addition of take, schism, and spare is really helpful in finding verses having to do with not fearing? Certainly the ones shown in the grid to the left that use those words don't really relate to the subject of interest in this thread. Not sure what you had in mind.

Becky Johnson

Thanks Jack. I am doing my own study and this will be really useful to cross reference