Bible Lexicons

Girdlestone's Synonyms of the Old TestamentGirdlestone's OT Synonyms

Truth

The general Hebrew word for truth or truthfulness, and faith or faithfulness, is a derivative of the verb Aman (אמן , Ass. amanu), whence the word Amen draws its origin. Aman in its simple active form signifies to nurse or nourish up; in the passive, to be firm and established, and hence steadfast (Proverbs 11:13); and in the Hiphil or causative form, to take as established, and hence to regard as true, to realise, or to believe. The last is its most general rendering. The A. V. translates it 'to have assurance' in Deuteronomy 28:66; and 'to trust' in Judges 11:20; Job 4:18; Job 12:20; Job 15:15; Job 15:31; and Micah 7:5. A form of this word is translated pillars in 2 Kings 18:16; compare 1 Timothy 3:15, 'the pillar and ground of the truth.'

In Daniel 3:14, where the A. V. reads, ' is it true, O Shadrach?' another word (צדא ) is used, which signifies of a purpose or intentionally in Daniel 3:24; Daniel 6:12; Daniel 7:16; Daniel 7:19, itsev (יצב ), to be firm or settled, is rendered true.

The form emeth (אמת ) is usually rendered truth, but is translated right in Genesis 24:48; Nehemiah 9:33; Jeremiah 2:21. The form Emunah, generally rendered faithfulness, is found in Habakkuk 2:4, [This passage might be rendered 'the righteous (man) shall live in his faithfulness.' The note on the text in Poole's 'Synopsis' is as follows: - 'Qui bonus probusque est manebit constans in expectatione eorum quae dixi, 'the good and upright man will continue firm in the expectation of those things which I have declared.' Certainly faith, in this passage, is something more than a bare acquiescence in God's word. It is such a belief in the revealed word of God as brings the man into contact with the Divine life, and so breathes righteousness or conformity to God's law into his heart. It worketh, as St. Paul says, by love. Compare Bishop Lightfoot's excursus on Faith in his Commentary on the Galatians.] where we read, 'The just shall live by his faith' - words which ought to be read in connection with the fifth verse of the first chapter, 'I will work a work in your days which ye will not believe, though it be told you.' Emunah is used of the steadiness of the hands of Moses in Exodus 17:12; and of the stability of the times in Isaiah 33:6 in several other passages it is used of God's faithfulness; and it would have been well if this rendering had been adopted (instead of truth) in Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalms 33:4; Psalms 96:13; Psalms 98:3; Psalms 100:5; Psalms 119:30. See also Proverbs 12:17.

The LXX almost always adopts πιστεύω, to believe, as the rendering for the causative form of Aman, as in Genesis 15:6, where it first occurs. The adjective is sometimes rendered πιστός, faithful; and sometimes ἀληθινός, real or true. When these two Greek words come together in the N.T. as characterising the glorified son of God, they express the Hebrew word in all its fulness, and answer to the 'Amen,' by which title He is also described. [See Revelation 3:14, also Revelation 19:11; Revelation 21:5; Revelation 22:6. 'Amen' is usually rendered ἀληθω̂ς, verily, or γένοιτο, so be it, in the LXX; and only three times do we find the word in its Greek form ʼΑμήν. Dr. Sayce points out that at the end of many Babylonian hymns we find amamu.] The substantive is usually πίστις, faith; but sometimes ἀλήθεια, truth.