The meaning of Fame in the Bible
(From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

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 I Kings 10:1; II Chronicles 9:1; Isaiah 66:19, it is most probably "renown," or "reputation"; shemu'ah (I Kings 10:7; II Chronicles 9:6) may have either meaning; shoma' (Joshua 6:27; Joshua 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 (I Kings 4:31; I Chronicles 14:17; I Chronicles 22:5; Zephaniah 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; Matthew 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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