# H0571 - emet **Strong's:** [H0571](https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h571/) · BLB lookup **Pronunciation:** eh-meth' **Part of speech:** feminine noun (from the verbal root [H0539 - aman](/codex/h0539-aman/) *aman*, "to confirm / believe / be reliable") **Frequency:** ~127 occurrences in the Hebrew Bible, distributed across Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, the historical books, Psalms (esp. 25-145), Proverbs, Isaiah-Malachi, Daniel. **LXX equivalent:** ἀλήθεια (*alētheia*), direct correspondent. See [G0225 - aletheia](/codex/g0225-aletheia/). **Cognate forms:** *aman* (verb, "confirm / believe / trust"); *amen* (אָמֵן, the liturgical affirmation, etymologically the same root); *emunah* (אֱמוּנָה, feminine cognate, "faithfulness"); *ne'eman* (נֶאֱמָן, adjective, "faithful / reliable"). ## Semantic range (Brown-Driver-Briggs) 1. **Truth / reality**, the primary lexical sense; what is *the case*, the way things actually are. Distinct from falsehood. 2. **Faithfulness / reliability**, the relational-personal extension: a person who *is true*, does what they say, keeps covenant, can be trusted. *Emet* is not merely propositional truth-telling but *the integrity of being*. 3. **Steadfastness / firmness**, the metaphysical stability sense: what *stands firm*, what *endures*, what *will not collapse*. Cognate with *aman* meaning "to be firm / supported." 4. **Right / justice**, by extension, *emet* sometimes paralleled with *mishpat* / *tzedeq*, the *right-and-true* shape of covenantal action. 5. **Covenant fidelity**, *emet* often appears as the divine attribute paired with *ḥesed*, God's *covenant-loyalty / steadfast-love + truth/faithfulness* combination. ## Theological force, truth as covenant-personal-being The biblical Hebrew concept of *truth* differs significantly from the post-Hellenistic Western philosophical concept. Where Greek *alētheia* leans toward *what-is-not-hidden* / *the unveiling of being* (its etymology), Hebrew *emet* leans toward *what-stands-firm* / *what-can-be-relied-upon-because-it-is-faithful*. The two are complementary but emphasize different ranges. **Emet is fundamentally relational-covenantal-personal**: God *is true* in the sense of being *what He says* and *doing what He commits to do*. ### Stream 1, God's truth as covenant attribute **[Exodus 34:6](/codex/exodus-34-6/)**, the LORD's self-revelation: "the LORD, the LORD God, *raḥum* and *ḥannun*, slow to anger, abounding in *ḥesed va-emet*" (steadfast love and truth). The pairing *ḥesed va-emet* is the central divine-attribute combination of the OT, repeated at: - [Genesis 24:27](/codex/genesis-24-27/), [49](/codex/genesis-24-49/), Abraham's servant invokes the LORD's *ḥesed va-emet* - [Genesis 32:10](/codex/genesis-32-10/), Jacob: "I am unworthy of all the *ḥesed va-emet*" - [Joshua 2:14](/codex/joshua-2-14/), Rahab's negotiation - [Psalm 25:10](/codex/psalms-25-10/), "all the paths of the LORD are *ḥesed va-emet*" - [Psalm 26:3](/codex/psalms-26-3/), "I have walked in Your *emet*" - [Psalm 40:10-11](/codex/psalms-40-10-11/); 57:3, 10; 61:7; 69:13; 86:11, 15; 89:14, 24, 49; 100:5; 108:4; 115:1; 117:2; 138:2; **138:2**, "for You have magnified Your *imrah* (word) above all Your *shem* (name)" - [Psalm 145:18](/codex/psalms-145-18/), those who call on Him *be-emet* (in truth) - [Proverbs 3:3](/codex/proverbs-3-3/); 14:22; 16:6; 20:28 - [Hosea 4:1](/codex/hosea-4-1/), "no *emet*, no *ḥesed*, no *daʿat-elohim* in the land" - [Micah 7:20](/codex/micah-7-20/), "You will give *emet* to Jacob and *ḥesed* to Abraham" The divine *emet* is the *reliability-of-God's-covenant-self*: God is *who He says He is*; His promises stand; His character does not shift. ### Stream 2, Truth as covenantal-relational requirement The OT consistently demands *emet* in human covenantal action: - [Exodus 18:21](/codex/exodus-18-21/), Jethro's counsel: "men of *emet* who hate dishonest gain" - [Joshua 24:14](/codex/joshua-24-14/), "fear the LORD and serve Him *be-emet*" - [1 Samuel 12:24](/codex/1-samuel-12-24/), "fear the LORD and serve Him *be-emet*" - [2 Kings 20:3](/codex/2-kings-20-3/) / [Isaiah 38:3](/codex/isaiah-38-3/), Hezekiah's prayer: "I have walked before You *be-emet*" - [Zechariah 8:16](/codex/zechariah-8-16/), [19](/codex/zechariah-8-19/), eschatological commitment to *emet* - [Proverbs 12:17](/codex/proverbs-12-17/), [19](/codex/proverbs-12-19/), [22](/codex/proverbs-12-22/), "truthful lips will be established forever" - [Malachi 2:6](/codex/malachi-2-6/), the priestly "law of *emet* was in his mouth" To act *be-emet* is to *act consistently with one's covenantal-personal-being*. Truth-telling is not a free-floating moral rule but a *covenantal* practice, to lie is to *break covenant* with reality and with the covenant-Lord. ### Stream 3, Christ as truth (NT activation) The NT activates *emet* / *alētheia* with Christological intensity. **[John 1:14](/codex/john-1-14/)**, "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of *charitos kai alētheias*", the Greek directly reflects the Hebrew *ḥesed va-emet* covenantal-attribute pair. Christ *is* the divine *emet* in flesh: God's faithfulness-to-covenant become incarnate. **[John 14:6](/codex/john-14-6/)**, "I am the way, and *the truth* (*hē alētheia*), and the life." Christ as the embodiment of *emet*. **[John 8:32](/codex/john-8-32/)**, "you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Truth in Johannine usage is more than propositional; it is a *Person-and-Way-of-Being* in whom one walks. **[John 17:17](/codex/john-17-17/)**, "Your *logos* is *alētheia*", God's word *is* truth. The Hebrew *emet* / *davar* (word) coupling is here directly activated. ## Notable verses ### *Ḥesed va-emet*, the divine-attribute pair - **[Exodus 34:6](/codex/exodus-34-6/)**, "abounding in steadfast love and truth" - **[Psalms 25:10](/codex/psalms-25-10/)**, "all the paths of the LORD are *ḥesed va-emet*" - **[Psalms 86:15](/codex/psalms-86-15/)**, "compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in *ḥesed va-emet*" - **[Psalms 100:5](/codex/psalms-100-5/)**, "His *emet* endures to all generations" - **[Psalms 138:2](/codex/psalms-138-2/)**, "I will give thanks to Your name for Your *ḥesed va-emet*" - **[Micah 7:20](/codex/micah-7-20/)**, "You will give *emet* to Jacob and *ḥesed* to Abraham" - **[John 1.14](/codex/john-1-14/)**, "full of grace (*charitos*) and truth (*alētheias*)", direct NT activation ### Emet as covenantal commitment - **[Joshua 24:14](/codex/joshua-24-14/)**, "fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and *emet*" - **[2 Kings 20:3](/codex/2-kings-20-3/)**, Hezekiah: "I have walked before You in *emet*" - **[Psalms 25:5](/codex/psalms-25-5/)**, "lead me in Your *emet* and teach me" - **[Psalms 26:3](/codex/psalms-26-3/)**, "I have walked in Your *emet*" - **[Psalms 86:11](/codex/psalms-86-11/)**, "teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your *emet*" - **[Psalms 119:30](/codex/psalms-119-30/), [142](/codex/psalms-119-142/), [151](/codex/psalms-119-151/), [160](/codex/psalms-119-160/)**, "Your law is *emet*" - **[Proverbs 23:23](/codex/proverbs-23-23/)**, "buy *emet*, and do not sell it" ### Truth-telling as covenantal practice - **[Exodus 20:16](/codex/exodus-20-16/); [Deuteronomy 5:20](/codex/deuteronomy-5-20/)**, the ninth commandment (against false witness; the *emet*-norm) - **[Exodus 23:1](/codex/exodus-23-1/), [7](/codex/exodus-23-7/)**, false reports - **[Leviticus 19:11](/codex/leviticus-19-11/)**, "you shall not lie to one another" - **[Proverbs 12:17](/codex/proverbs-12-17/), [19](/codex/proverbs-12-19/), [22](/codex/proverbs-12-22/)**, *emet* in speech - **[Zechariah 8:16-17](/codex/zechariah-8-16-17/), [19](/codex/zechariah-8-19/)**, eschatological *emet*-community - **[Malachi 2:6](/codex/malachi-2-6/)**, priestly *emet* ### NT, Christ as truth - **[John 1.14](/codex/john-1-14/)**, "full of grace and truth" - **[John 1:17](/codex/john-1-17/)**, "grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" - **[John 8.31-32](/codex/john-8-31-32/)**, "you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" - **[John 14.6](/codex/john-14-6/)**, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life" - **[John 17.17](/codex/john-17-17/)**, "Your word is truth" - **[Ephesians 4:21](/codex/ephesians-4-21/)**, "the truth is in Jesus" - **[1 John 5.20](/codex/1-john-5-20/)**, "we are in Him who is true" - **[Revelation 19.11](/codex/revelation-19-11/)**, "He who sat on the white horse is called *Faithful and True*" ### Liturgical *amen* - **[Deuteronomy 27:15-26](/codex/deuteronomy-27-15-26/)**, twelve curses each ending in "the people shall say, Amen" - **[1 Chronicles 16:36](/codex/1-chronicles-16-36/); [Nehemiah 5:13](/codex/nehemiah-5-13/); 8:6**, congregational *amen* - **[Psalms 41:13](/codex/psalms-41-13/); 72:19; 89:52; 106:48**, book-closing *amens* - **[2 Corinthians 1:20](/codex/2-corinthians-1-20/)**, "all the promises of God find their *Yes* in Him; therefore through Him is also our *Amen* to the glory of God" - **[Revelation 3:14](/codex/revelation-3-14/)**, "the *Amen*, the faithful and true Witness, the beginning of the creation of God", Christ as the embodied *Amen* ## Patristic / scholarly note The Hebrew *emet* / Greek *alētheia* relationship has been the subject of major theological-philosophical reflection. **Tertullian** (*Adversus Praxean*; *Adversus Hermogenem*), develops the *truth-as-covenantal-personal* sense. **Augustine** (*De Vera Religione*; *Confessions*; *De Trinitate*), Christ as *Truth* in the Johannine sense, which Augustine integrates with Platonic *eternal Form of the Good* / *of Truth* tradition. The Christian theology of truth is *both* the OT-Hebrew covenantal-personal sense *and* the metaphysical-ontological sense, a both-and rather than either-or. In modern scholarship, **Thorleif Boman** (*Hebrew Thought Compared with Greek*, 1960), argues for the relational-personal Hebrew sense as significantly different from the propositional-philosophical Greek sense; this argument has been substantially refined since (James Barr, *The Semantics of Biblical Language*, 1961, gives the major critique against over-drawing the Hebrew/Greek distinction). The current consensus: there *is* a real difference of emphasis between *emet* and *alētheia*, but it is *not* a categorical distinction; both lexemes carry both relational and propositional senses, with different center-of-gravity. The **[John 1:14](/codex/john-1-14/) *charitos kai alētheias* = *ḥesed va-emet*** identification is now widely accepted in Johannine scholarship (D.A. Carson, *The Gospel According to John*, 1991; Andreas Köstenberger, *John* BECNT, 2004; Craig Keener, *The Gospel of John* 2-vol, 2003): John deliberately Echoes [Exodus 34:6](/codex/exodus-34-6/), identifying Jesus as *the divine glory full of the same *ḥesed va-emet* that Moses saw on Sinai*. This is one of the strongest high-Christology readings of the Johannine prologue. The **Christ-as-Amen** in [Rev 3:14](/codex/revelation-3-14/) (the only NT use of *Amen* as a proper title) draws on the *aman*-root and identifies Christ as the *embodied Yes-and-Amen* of all God's promises (cf. [2 Cor 1:20](/codex/2-corinthians-1-20/)). This is not "Christ is the first creature created" (the JW reading; cf. [Christ Was Made (Misread Proof-Texts)](/codex/christ-was-made-misread-proof-texts/)) but "Christ is the *origin / source* of God's creation, the *Amen* in whom all promises find their reality." ## Verses in this codex _See Obsidian's backlinks pane for every verse page linking here._ Anchors: [Exodus 34:6](/codex/exodus-34-6/) (the *ḥesed va-emet* divine-attribute pair), [Psalms 117:2](/codex/psalms-117-2/) / [Psalms 100:5](/codex/psalms-100-5/) (His *emet* endures), [John 1.14](/codex/john-1-14/) (the NT activation), [John 14.6](/codex/john-14-6/) (Christ as truth), [John 17.17](/codex/john-17-17/) (Your word is truth), [Revelation 3:14](/codex/revelation-3-14/) (Christ as the Amen). ## See also - [G0225 - aletheia](/codex/g0225-aletheia/), *alētheia* (truth), Greek correspondent - [H0539 - aman](/codex/h0539-aman/), *aman* (verb, to confirm / believe / trust), verbal root; etymon of *amen* - [H2617 - hesed](/codex/h2617-hesed/), *ḥesed* (covenant loyalty), companion in the divine-attribute pair - [H1697 - dabar](/codex/h1697-dabar/), *dabar* (word), companion (the LORD's *davar* is *emet*) - [Christology](/codex/christianity/), Christ as Truth - [Names of Jehovah](/codex/names-of-jehovah/), companion concept - Passages: [Exodus 34:6](/codex/exodus-34-6/), [John 1.14](/codex/john-1-14/), [John 14.6](/codex/john-14-6/), [John 17.17](/codex/john-17-17/), [Revelation 3:14](/codex/revelation-3-14/)