Fame

FAME fam (shem, shema`; akoe, pheme):

"Fame" has the twofold meaning, (1) of report or rumor, (2) of renown or reputation (in the Old Testament it is not always easy to distinguish the two senses). "Fame," shema`, "fame," "rumor," "reports" (Numbers 14:15; Job 28:22, the Revised Version (British and American) "rumor") probably means "report"; but in 1 Kings 10:1; 2 Chronicles 9:1; Isaiah 66:19, it is most probably "renown," or "reputation"; shemu`ah (1 Kings 10:7; 2 Chronicles 9:6) may have either meaning; shoma` (Joshua 6:27; 9:9; Esther 9:4) seems to mean "fame" in the sense of reputation; but in Jeremiah 6:24 (as the American Standard Revised Version) "report"; shem, "name," has the sense of reputation (1 Kings 4:31; 1 Chronicles 14:17; 22:5; Zechariah 3:19, the Revised Version (British and American) "name"); qol, "voice," is report (Genesis 45:16, the American Standard Revised Version "report"). In the New Testament akoe, "hearing," is "report," so the Revised Version (British and American) (Matthew 4:24; 14:1; Mark 1:28); pheme, "word," "rumor," is report, fame in this sense (Matthew 9:26; Luke 4:14); echos, "a sound," "noise" (Luke 4:37, the Revised Version (British and American) "rumor"), and logos, "word" (Luke 5:15, the Revised Version (British and American) "report") have the same meaning; diaphemizo, "to say throughout," "to report publicly" (Matthew 9:31, "they .... spread abroad his fame"), seems to imply fame in the sense of reputation.

In 1 Macc 3:26, we have "fame" in the sense of reputation, "His fame (onoma, the Revised Version (British and American) "name") came near even to the king"; so 3:41, "heard the fame of them."

ERV has "fame" for "report" (shema`), Jeremiah 50:43.

W. L. Walker

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Bibliography Information

Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. "Entry for 'FAME'".  "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia".  1915.