Terrible, Terror ter'-i-b'l, ter'-er (yare', "to be feared," "reverenced," arits, "powerful," "tyrannical," 'ayom, "aweinspiring," chittith "terror," ballahah, "a worn-out or wasted thing," 'emah, "fright"; phoberos, "dreadful," phobos, "fear"): The above terms, and many others which employed, denote whatever, by horrible aspect, or by greatness, power, or cruelty, affrights men (Deuteronomy 1:19, Deuteronomy 26:8, Daniel 2:31). God is terrible by reason of His awful greatness, His infinite power, His inscrutable dealings, His perfect holiness, His covenant faithfulness, His strict justice and fearful judgments (Exodus 34:10, Deuteronomy 7:21, Nehemiah 9:32, Job 6:4, Job 37:22, Psalms 65:5, Psalms 88:15, Joel 2:11, Zechariah 2:11, Hebrews 12:21). The term is also applied to the enemies of God and of His people (Isaiah 13:11, Isaiah 25:3, Isaiah 49:25, Daniel 7:7, 1 Peter 3:14). "The terror (the Revised Version (British and American) "fear") of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:11) denotes the reverence or fear inspired by the thought that Christ is judge (2 Corinthians 5:10).
M. O. Evans