Bible Dictionary
FAME
Fame may mean a report or rumor about someone, or the renown and reputation that become widely known. Biblical usage applies it to both people and significant events.
Definition
Fame may mean a report or rumor, or the renown and reputation by which a person or event becomes widely known. Context determines whether the emphasis is on hearing about something or on public honor.
Biblical Usage
Biblical passages use fame for reports concerning events and people, for the reputation of kings and notable persons, and for the public spreading of news about Jesus and his works.
Historical Background
The word translates several Hebrew and Greek terms meaning name, report, rumor, hearing, voice, word, or public declaration. Revised translations frequently distinguish fame as renown from fame as report.
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>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" (Nu 14:15; Job 28:22, the Revised Version (British and American) "rumor") probably means "report"; but in 1Ki 10:1; 2Ch 9:1; Isa 66:19, it is most probably "renown," or "reputation"; shemu`ah (1Ki 10:7; 2Ch 9:6) may have either meaning; shoma` (Jos 6:27; 9:9; Es 9:4) seems to mean "fame" in the sense of reputation; but in Jer 6:24 (as the American Standard Revised Version) "report"; shem, "name," has the sense of reputation (1Ki 4:31; 1Ch 14:17; 22:5; Ze 3:19, the Revised Version (British and American) "name"); qol, "voice," is report (Ge 45:16, the American Standard Revised Version "report"). In the New Testament akoe, "hearing," is "report," so the Revised Version (British and American) (Mt 4:24; 14:1; Mr 1:28); pheme, "word," "rumor," is report, fame in this sense (Mt 9:26; Lu 4:14); echos, "a sound," "noise" (Lu 4:37, the Revised Version (British and American) "rumor"), and logos, "word" (Lu 5:15, the Revised Version (British and American) "report") have the same meaning; diaphemizo, "to say throughout," "to report publicly" (Mt 9:31, "they .... spread abroad his fame"), seems to imply fame in the sense of reputation.</p><p>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."</p><p>ERV has "fame" for "report" (shema`), Jer 50:43.</p><p>W. L. Walker</p>