Part of Speech: Noun
Strong's Number: H530
Original Word: ’emûnâ
Usage Notes: "faithfulness." This word occurs in Punic as emanethi ("certainty"). In the Hebrew Old Testament, the noun occurs 49 times, mainly in the Book of Psalms (22 times). The first occurrence of the word refers to Moses' hands: "But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun" (Exod 17:12).
The basic meaning of ’emûnâ is "certainty" and "faithfulness". Man may show himself "faithful" in his relations with his fellow men (1Sam 26:23). but generally, the Person to whom one is "faithful" is the Lord Himself: "And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord, faithfully, and with a perfect heart" (2Chron 19:9). The Lord has manifested His "faithfulness" to His people: "He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he" (Deut 32:4). All his works reveal his "faithfulness" (Psa 33:4). His commandments are an expression of his "faithfulness" (Psa 119:86); those who seek them are found on the road of "faithfulness": "I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me" (Psa 119:30). The Lord looks for those who seek to do His will with all their hearts. Their ways are established and His blessing rests on them: "A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent" (Prov 28:20). The assurance of the abundance of life is in the expression quoted in the New Testament (Rom 1:17; Gal 3:11) from Hab 2:4: "Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith."
The word ’emûnâ is synonymous with sedeq ("righteousness", cf. Isa 11:5), with hesed ("lovingkindness", cf. Psa 98:3, nasb), and with mishpat ("justice", cf. Jer 5:1). The relationship between God and Israel is best described by the word hesed ("love"); but as a synonym, ’emûnâ fits very well. Hosea portrays God's relation to Israel as a marriage and states God's promise of "faithfulness" to Israel: "And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt [acknowledge] the Lord" (Hos 2:19-20). In these verses, the words "righteousness," "judgment" ("justice"), "loving-kindness," "mercies," and "faithfulness" bear out the conclusion that the synonyms for ’emûnâ are covenantal terms expressive of God's "faithfulness" and "love." The assurance of the covenant and the promises is established by God's nature; He is "faithful." Man's acts (Prov 12:22) and speech (Prov 12:17) must reflect his favored status with God. As in the marriage relationship, "faithfulness" is not optional. For the relation to be established, the two parties are required to respond to each other in "faithfulness." Isaiah and Jeremiah condemn the people for not being "faithful" to God: "Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and See now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon [this city]" (Jer 5:1; cf. Isa 59:4; Jer 7:28; Jer 9:3).
Faithfulness will be established in the messianic era (Isa 11:5). The prophetic expectation was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, as his contemporaries witnessed in Him God's grace (cf. hesed) and truth (cf. ’emûnâ): "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him" (John 1:18). It is significant that John puts these two terms side by side, even as they are found together in the Old Testament.
The Septuagint translations are: aletheia ("truthfulness; dependability; uprightness; truth; reality") and pistos ("trustworthy; faithfulness; reliability; rest; confidence; faith"). The kjv gives these translations: "faithfulness; truth; set office; faithfully; faithful."
Usage Number: 2
Part of Speech: Verb
Strong's Number: H539
Original Word: ’aman
Usage Notes: "to be certain, enduring; to trust, believe." This root is found in Akkadian, Ugaritic, and Phoenician. In the Old Testament, the word occurs fewer than 100 times. Three words are derived from this verb: ’amen ("amen", 30 times; e.g., Psa 106:48), ’emet ("true", 127 times; e.g., Isa 38:18), and ’emûnâ ("faithfulness").
