Amen: Meaning and Usage in the Old and New Testaments AMEN ( ןֵ מָ א, amen): A Hebrew word that has served as a declaration of affirmation and as the closing exclamation of agreement to a doxology or prayer in Jewish and Christian liturgy. Etymology The common understanding of the Hebrew term “amen” ( ןֵ מָ א, amen) is “truly, surely, let it be so.” It carries a basic meaning of “reliable,” “trustworthy,” or “firm” (HALOT, 63– 64). Etymologically, “amen” is related to the nouns “steadiness,” “trustworthiness” ( הָ מוּנֱ א, emunah), and “truth” ( תֶ מֱ א, emeth). The Septuagint includes seven untranslated instances of the term “amen” (ἀµήν, amēn; Num 5:22; Neh 5:13; 8:6; 1 Chr 16:36; Jer 11:5). It translates the other instances into Greek using various terms, including (Moberly, NIDOTTE, 428): • the verb “may it be” (γένοιτο, genoito) • the adjective “true, faithful” (ἀληθινόζ, alēthinoz; Isa 65:16) • the adverb “truly” (ἀληθῶς, alēthōs; Jer 28:6) The term amen is used in various ways in the New and Old Testaments. The development of its liturgical use can be traced from the Old Testament, through the intertestamental period, and into the New Testament and early rabbinic and Christian traditions. Old Testament Usage The Hebrew term amen ( ןֵ מָ א, amen) occurs 30 times in the Hebrew Old Testament. It primarily serves as a solemn affirmation by a person or an assembly at the end of an oath, curse, blessing, declaration, prophecy, or doxology. The term appears in three main ways: 1. As an affirmation to an oath or curse by an individual or assembly. For example: • Numbers 5:22 states that a woman who has been brought before a priest on suspicion of adultery must respond to the priest’s oath with a double “amen.” In doing so she acknowledges that her innocence or guilt will be determined by her body’s response to the “waters of bitterness” (Neusner, Sotah 2:3, 5; Samely, Rabbinic Interpretation, 48). • In Deuteronomy 27:15–26, Moses calls the assembly to respond “amen” to each of the 12 curses for transgression declared by the Levites. • Nehemiah 5:13 records that the priests said “amen” in response to Nehemiah’s call that they take an oath not to extort the people. 1. As an affirmation of a blessing, prayer, song, or praise to God by the assembly. For example: • In 1 Chronicles 16:36, after the ark of the covenant is moved to Jerusalem, the people respond to David’s psalm of thanksgiving by saying “amen” and praising the Lord. • In Nehemiah 8:6, after Ezra reads the entire book of law to the people and blesses the HALOT The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament NIDOTTE New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis