Hebrew word · H529

אֵמֻן

'emun

faithful

Faithfulness, reliability, trustworthiness. It comes from the root ʾ-m-n, 'to be firm, dependable', the root of ʾĕmûnâ ('faithfulness'), ʾĕmet ('truth, reliability'), and the response 'amen'. The noun ʾēmun is rare. In some places (Ps 12:2; 31:24) it means 'the faithful ones', meaning people.

Appears 8 times in 8 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) faithfulness, trusting

1a) faithful, trusty (as adj.)

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Isaiah 26:2

Range of meaning

Faithfulness, reliability, trustworthiness. It comes from the root ʾ-m-n, 'to be firm, dependable', the root of ʾĕmûnâ ('faithfulness'), ʾĕmet ('truth, reliability'), and the response 'amen'. The noun ʾēmun is rare. The plural is used as an abstract intensive (BDB, HALOT): 'utter faithfulness' or 'faithful acts'. In some places (Ps 12:2; 31:24) it means 'the faithful ones', meaning people.

Against the English

KJV has 'the truth' (following the Latin Vulgate's veritatem). Modern readers can hear that as correct doctrine or factual accuracy. The Hebrew is about loyalty and reliability, like keeping your word. NIV, ESV and WEB 'keeps faith' gets this exactly. YLT 'stedfastness' keeps the idea of firmness from the root. BSB and NASB 'remains faithful' is also sound.

How it drifted

In English, 'truth' moved toward 'correct propositions' and 'faith' toward 'belief'. The Hebrew root is about firmness and reliability in relationships. Here it is less about what the nation believes than about how dependable it is.

Used elsewhere in the period

Deuteronomy 32:20: 'children in whom is no ʾēmun' (faithless, unreliable). Proverbs 13:17, ṣîr ʾĕmunîm, 'a faithful envoy'. Proverbs 14:5, ʿēd ʾĕmunîm, 'a faithful witness'. Proverbs 20:6, ʾîš ʾĕmunîm, 'a faithful man, who can find?'. Psalm 12:2: 'the faithful have vanished'. Psalm 31:24: 'YHWH preserves the faithful.' The LXX translates with alētheia ('truth'), which led to the Vulgate's veritas and so the KJV's 'truth'.

From the study of Proverbs 13:17

Range of meaning

Faithfulness, fidelity, trustworthiness. It comes from the root 'mn, 'to be firm, reliable,' the same root as 'amen' and 'emunah. In the Bible it appears in plural form: Deut 32:20 ('children in whom is no faithfulness'), Prov 13:17; 14:5; 20:6 ('a faithful man, who can find?'), Ps 12:1; 31:23.

Against the English

'Faithful' (BSB, KJV, YLT, ESV, NASB) and 'trustworthy' (WEB, NIV) are both accurate. 'Trustworthy' blocks a modern reader from hearing 'faithful' as 'religiously devout.'

Used elsewhere in the period

Prov 14:5 'ed 'emunim, 'a truthful witness, does not lie'. Prov 20:6 'ish 'emunim, 'a faithful man.' The same root gives ne'eman in Prov 25:13 and 11:13 ('one who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a matter covered').

From the study of Proverbs 20:6

Range of meaning

From the root ʾ-m-n, 'be firm, steady, reliable' (the same root as 'amen'). It means trustworthiness, dependability, fidelity: the quality of something or someone that holds when weight is put on it. The plural names an abstract quality.

Against the English

'Faithful' (KJV, WEB, ESV) is accurate if heard in its old sense of 'full of faith(fulness)', meaning loyal and reliable. Modern readers may hear 'believing' or 'religious'. 'Trustworthy' (BSB, NASB) and 'truly reliable' (NLT) avoid that.

How it drifted

In church English, 'faithful' and 'faith' have come to mean mostly belief and religious devotion, which hides the everyday sense of reliability.

Used elsewhere in the period

Prov 13:17 'a faithful envoy' (tsir ʾemunim); 14:5 'a faithful witness' (ʿed ʾemunim); Ps 12:1 (Heb 12:2) 'the faithful have vanished from among the children of humankind', a close match in thought; Deut 32:20 'children in whom is no faithfulness'; Isa 26:2. The Septuagint here: pistos, 'trustworthy'.

Where it appears

Deuteronomy · 1

  1. Deuteronomy 32:20 אֵמֻ֥ן faithfulness

    He said: “I will hide My face from them; I will see what will be their end. For they are a perverse generation—children of unfaithfulness.

    Here: From the root meaning firm, dependable, trustworthy. It means loyalty and reliability, not religious belief. It answers v. 4, where God is “a God of faithfulness (emunah).” The Rock can be relied on; his sons cannot.

2 Samuel · 1

  1. 2 Samuel 20:19 אֱמוּנֵ֣י [the] faithful [ones] of

    I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel, but you are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the LORD’s inheritance?”

    Here: From the root meaning firm, reliable. 'The faithful ones of Israel' are those who can be relied on, who keep their loyalty. Paired with the previous word, it amounts to 'loyal, peaceable Israelites'.

Psalms · 2

  1. Psalm 12:1 אֱ֝מוּנִ֗ים faithful [people]

    For the choirmaster. According to Sheminith. A Psalm of David. Help, O LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men.

    Here: From the root ʾmn ('firm, dependable'). These are people whose word holds. The next verse is about lying and flattering speech, so the stress falls on trustworthiness and truthfulness, not on religious belief.

  2. Psalm 31:23 אֱ֭מוּנִים faithful [people]

    Love the LORD, all His saints. The LORD preserves the faithful, but fully repays the arrogant.

    Here: Placed first in its clause for emphasis. Most likely it means "those who are reliable and keep faith." Elsewhere the plural can also mean "fidelity" in the abstract, and the Greek translators read it that way.

Proverbs · 3

  1. Proverbs 13:17 אֱמוּנִ֣ים faithfulness<es>

    A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a faithful envoy brings healing.

    Here: Literally 'an envoy of faithfulness.' The plural strengthens the abstract quality, so the phrase means a thoroughly trustworthy envoy. The same construction appears in 'ed 'emunim, 'a faithful witness' (Prov 14:5). It means reliability in delivering exactly what was entrusted, not religious belief.

  2. Proverbs 14:5 אֱ֭מוּנִים faithfulness<es>

    An honest witness does not deceive, but a dishonest witness pours forth lies.

  3. Proverbs 20:6 אֱ֝מוּנִ֗ים faithfulness<es>

    Many a man proclaims his loving devotion, but who can find a trustworthy man?

    Here: Literally 'faithfulnesses'. The Hebrew plural here names a quality, not several things, so 'a man of faithfulness' means a person who is reliable through and through. The root idea is firmness: someone you can lean your weight on.

Isaiah · 1

  1. Isaiah 26:2 אֱמֻנִֽים׃ faithfulness<es>

    Open the gates so a righteous nation may enter—one that remains faithful.

    Here: A rare word from the same root as 'amen' (firm, reliable). The plural adds intensity, 'utter faithfulness', or covers many acts of loyalty. Together with the verb it means 'keeping faith': staying loyal and reliable, the way a trusted envoy or truthful witness does (Prov 13:17; 14:5).

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.