אָמַן
𐤀𐤌𐤍
ʼâman
H541 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To confirm, support, uphold, or be firm; the primary lexical meaning involves the notion of stability and reliability. In its various stems, it can mean to be trustworthy, to believe, to trust, to confirm or affirm, and to support or nurse (in the sense of fostering or caring for someone). The basic sense is one of firmness or dependability, which extends metaphorically to ideas of faithfulness and belief.
Semantic Range
to be firm, to be reliable, to be faithful, to believe, to trust, to be established, to confirm, to foster or nurse
Root / Etymology
The root א-מ-נ (אָמַן) conveys the sense of firmness or reliability. From this root come various derivatives such as 'אֱמוּנָה' (faithfulness), 'אָמֵן' (so be it, truly), and 'אֹמֵן' (nurse, caretaker). The verb develops several meanings depending on the verbal stem: in the Qal, to be firm or endure; in the Niphal, to be confirmed, established, or trustworthy; in Hiphil, to believe, to trust, to regard as trustworthy, or to entrust; in the Piel, to foster or nurse (rare). The semantic thread throughout these is the idea of something solid, steadfast, or reliable.
Historical & Contextual Notes
אָמַן appears across a wide variety of contexts in the Hebrew Bible, from trusting in personal relationships to affirming the truth of someone's word or oath. In patriarchal and monarchic periods, it can refer to both physical and metaphorical stability, such as the reliability of a structure (e.g., a support or pillar) or of a person's character. The word is also foundational for the later theological concepts of faith and faithfulness. In the Niphal and Hiphil stems it acquires specialized senses: 'to be believed' or 'to be established' (Niphal, e.g., Isaiah 7:9), 'to trust' or 'to believe' (Hiphil, e.g., Genesis 15:6). The Hiphil is central in discussions of Abraham as one who 'believed,' conveying a sense of trust or reliance rather than mere intellectual assent. The Piel form gives rise to 'nursing' or 'fostering,' which highlights the shades of care and support inherent in the root. The standard English translation 'to believe' often narrows the original's sense, tending toward inner mental assent, while in Hebrew it broadens to reliability and support in both relational and metaphysical realms. The word is not denominative from יָמִין ('right hand'), despite similarities in spelling.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
denominative from יָמִין; to take the right hand road; turn to the right. See אָמַן.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אמן (ʾ-m-n) — firmness, stability, reliability, faithfulness
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1968 | הֵימָן | Heman |
| H4191 | מוּת | your reliability |
| H529 | אֵמוּן | steadfast trustworthiness |
| H530 | אֱמוּנָה | in steadfastness |
| H539 | אָמַן | I will regard as firm |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H541-01 |
תַאֲמִ֖ינוּ | taaminu | HVhi2mp |
you turn right | you will trust | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H541-01 |
Isaiah 30:21 | תַאֲמִ֖ינוּ | taaminu | HVhi2mp |
you turn right | you will trust |