H0539 H0539
To believe, be faithful, support; also to nurse or rear — spanning cognitive trust, steadfast reliability, and parental nurture.
A richly layered root whose meanings radiate outward from a core idea of firmness. In the Hifil, it expresses the act of believing or placing trust in someone — as when Abraham believed the LORD in Genesis 15:6, a verse whose theological weight is felt across the entire canon. The Niphal participle yields the adjectival sense 'faithful, trustworthy,' describing God's enduring covenant character (Deut 7:9) and reliable servants like Moses (Num 12:7). Strikingly, the Qal participle shifts to the concrete domain of child-rearing: a foster-father or nurse who 'makes firm' by carrying and nourishing, as Naomi did for Ruth's son Obed (Ruth 4:16). Spanish 'creer' and 'fiel,' German 'glauben' and 'treu,' and Arabic cognate forms all mirror this split between belief and faithfulness.
2. faithful, trustworthy, sure — Niphal participle used adjectivally: faithful, trustworthy, sure, enduring. Describes persons, promises, or institutions as dependable and firm. God's covenant is 'faithful' (Deut 7:9), his servant Moses is 'faithful in all my house' (Num 12:7), and David is promised a 'sure house' (1 Sam 2:35). Spanish 'fiel,' French 'fidèle,' and Arabic أمين all capture this adjectival quality of proven reliability, distinct from the active cognitive sense of believing. 39×
AR["أَمينٌ","أَمينَة","أَمِينًا","أَمِينٌ","أُمَنَاءَ","الأَمِينَةَ","الأَمِينَةُ","تَكُنْ","وَثَابِتَةٍ","يَكُونُوا-أُمَنَاءَ"]·ben["এবং-স্থায়ী","তারা-বিশ্বস্ত-ছিল","বিশ্বস্ত","বিশ্বস্ত-ছিল"]·DE["faithful","glauben","glaubte","treu","und-lasting"]·EN["and-lasting","faithful","is-faithful","they-were-faithful","was-faithful"]·FR["croire","et-lasting","fidèle"]·heb["ו-נאמנות","ו-נאמנים","נאמן","נאמנה","נאמנו","נאמנים","נאמנת"]·HI["और-विश्वसनीय","और-विश्वसनीय।","विशवस्त","विश्वसनीय","विश्वासयोग्य","विश्वासयोग्य-थी","विश्वासयोग्य-थे"]·ID["dan-setia","dapat-dipercaya","setia","teguh","yang-dapat-dipercaya","yang-setia"]·IT["crede'","credere","e-lasting","fedele"]·jav["badhé-setya","ingkang-dipunpitados","ingkang-setya","lan-langgeng","setya"]·KO["그리고-신실한","신실하도다","신실하리라","신실하였다","신실한","신실한-자들로"]·PT["e-duradouras","fiel","fiéis","foi-fiel","foram-fiéis","lhe-será-fiel","é-fiel"]·RU["верен","верного","верный","верным","верным-был","верными","верными-были","верных","и-верные","надёжны"]·ES["Fiel","es-fiel","fiel","fieles","fue-fiel","fueron-fieles","y-fieles"]·SW["amewekwa","aminifu","imara","litakuwa-imara","mwaminifu","na-ya-kudumu","ni-mwaminifu","ni-ya-kuaminika","waaminifu"]·TR["Sadık","guvenilir","güvenilir","sadiktir","sadık","ve-sadık"]·urd["امانتدار","امین-ہے","اور-قائم","قابلِ-اعتماد","قابلِ-بھروسا-ہیں","وفادار","وفادار-تھی","وفادار-تھے","وفادار-ہے","پائیدار"]
Num 12:7, Deut 7:9, Deut 28:59, Deut 28:59, 1 Sam 2:35, 1 Sam 2:35, 1 Sam 3:20, 1 Sam 22:14, 1 Sam 25:28, 2 Sam 20:19, 1 Kgs 11:38, Neh 9:8 (+27 more)
▼ 5 more senses below
Senses
1. believe, accept as true — Hifil: to believe, accept as true, give credence to a message, person, or divine promise. This is the cognitive-assent sense, famously exemplified by Genesis 15:6 where Abraham 'believed the LORD and it was credited to him as righteousness.' The multilingual evidence strongly converges: Spanish 'creyó,' French 'crut,' German 'glaubte,' and Arabic آمَنَ all point to intellectual conviction. Appears with the preposition ב or ל to mark the object of belief (Exod 4:1, 5, 8; Num 14:11). 42×
AR["آمَنَ","آمَنْتُ","آمِنُوا","فَآمَنَ","وَ-آمَنَ","يَثِقُ","يُؤمِنوا","يُؤْمِنُ","يُؤْمِنُوا","يُؤْمِنُونَ","يُصَدِّقُ","يُصَدِّقُوا","يُصَدِّقُونَنِي","يُصَدِّقْهُمْ"]·ben["আমি-বিশ্বাস-করতাম","আমি-বিশ্বাস-করেছি","এবং-বিশ্বাস-করল","ও-বিশ্বাস-করল","তারা-বিশ্বাস-করল","তারা-বিশ্বাস-করেছিল","বিশ্বাস-করবে","বিশ্বাস-করলেন","বিশ্বাস-করুক","বিশ্বাস-করে","বিশ্বাস-করেছিল","বিশ্বাস-করেছে","বিশ্বাস-করো","সে-বিশ্বাস-করে"]·DE["believed","glauben","glaubte","sie-wird-believe","und-er-glaubte","und-sie-believed"]·EN["I-believe","I-had-believed","and-he-believed","and-they-believed","believe","believed","believes","has-believed","he-believes","it-believes","they-believed","they-will-believe"]·FR["croire","crut","et-il-crut","et-ils-crut","ils---croire","le-croire"]·heb["האמין","האמינו","האמנתי","ו-האמן","ו-יאמן","יאמין","יאמינו"]·HI["उन्होंने-विश्वास-किया","और-विश्वस-किय","और-विश्वास-किया","वह-विश्वास-करता","वह-विश्वास-करता-है","विश्वास-करता-मैं","विश्वास-करता-है","विश्वास-करते-थे","विश्वास-करें","विश्वास-करेंगे","विश्वास-किया","विश्वासकरो","वे-विश्वास-किए"]·ID["Dan-percayalah","Percayalah","aku-percaya","dan-percaya","ia percaya","ia-percaya","mereka-akan-percaya","mereka-percaya","percaya","yang-percaya"]·IT["crede'","credere","credette","e-egli-credette","e-essi-credette","essi-will-credere"]·jav["Lan-pitados","kula-pitados","pitados","pitadosa","piyambak-ipun-pitados","piyambakipun-pitados","sami-pitados","sampun-pitados","tiyang-badhe-pitados"]·KO["그들-이-믿었네","그들이-믿도록","그들이-믿으리라","그들이-믿지-않으리이다","그리고-믿었다","넧지-않나니","믿는다","믿다","믿었나이다","믿었는가","믿었다","믿었돀다","믿으라","믿지-않는다"]·PT["E-creu","acreditaram","acreditou","crede","creiam","creio","creram","crerão","creu","cri","crê"]·RU["-поверили","И-поверил","верил","верили","верит","верую-я","верьте","и-поверил","поверил","поверили","поверят"]·ES["Creed","Y-creyó","crean","cree","creed","creerán","creyeron","creyó","creí","hay-confianza","hubiera-creído"]·SW["Mwaminini","Na-akaamini","aliyeamini","amini","anaamini","haamini","hawakuamini","kuamini","na-wakaamini","nimeamini","ningaliamini","waamini","waaminini"]·TR["Ve-inandı","güvendiler","güvenir","inanacaklar","inandi","inandı","inandılar","inandım","inansınlar","inanın","inanır","İnanın"]·urd["اور-ایمان-لایا","اور-یقین-کیا","ایمان-رکھو","ایمان-لائیں","ایمان-لائے","ایمان-لایا","ایمان-لایا-میں","میں-نے-یقین-رکھا-ہوتا","وہ-ایمان-لائے","یقین کرتا ہے","یقین-کرتا","یقین-کرتا-ہے","یقین-کریں","یقین-کریںگے","یقین-کیا"]
3. be confirmed, be established — Niphal finite verb: to be confirmed, established, or verified. An eventive rather than stative sense, marking the transition of a promise or word into established reality. Joseph's brothers must prove their words 'confirmed' (Gen 42:20); God's word concerning David's house shall 'be established' (2 Sam 7:16; 1 Chr 17:23-24). Spanish 'sea confirmado' and German 'bewährt werden' reflect this passive-eventive nuance. 9×
AR["تَثبُتُوا","لِتَثْبُتْ","لِيَثْبُتْ","لِيُصَدَّقْ","وَ-تُصَدَّقُ","وَ-لِيَثْبُتْ","وَتَثْبُتُونَ","وَيَكونُ-أَميناً"]·ben["আর-তোমরা-স্থায়ী-হবে","আর-সত্য-প্রমাণিত-হবে","এবং-বিশ্বস্ত","ও-স্থির-কর","গৃহ-তার","প্রমাণিত-হোক","সত্য-হোক","সফল-হোক","স্থির-থাকবে"]·DE["glauben","lass-sein-confirmed","und-bewährt-werden","und-faithful","und-glauben"]·EN["and-be-established","and-faithful","and-let-be-confirmed","and-will-be-verified","let-be-confirmed","you-will-be-established"]·FR["croire","et---être-verified","et-croire","et-fidèle","que-être-confirmed"]·heb["ו-יאמן","ו-יאמנו","ו-נאמן","ו-תאמנו","יאמן","תיאמנו"]·HI["और-दृढ़रहोगे","और-सच-होंगी","और-स्थिर-रहेगा","और-स्थिर-हो","तुम-स्थिर-रहोगे","सच-हो","स्थिर-हो"]·ID["biarlah-dikuatkan","biarlah-dikukuhkan","dan-akan-dibenarkan","dan-biarlah-dikukuhkan","dan-kamu-akan-diteguhkan","dan-teguh","kamu-akan-teguh"]·IT["credere","e-credere","e-fedele","e-will-essere-verified","lascia-essere-confirmed"]·jav["Lan-mugi-kasaenan","Lan-setya","lan-dipun-pitados-i","lan-panjenengan-badhe-tetep","mugi-dipunestokaken","mugi-dipunyektosaken","mugi-kasaenan","panjenengan-badhé-dipunkukuhaken"]·KO["굳건하게하소서","굳게-서리라","그-와-굳건하게하소서","그리고-확립되리라","그리고-확실할-것이다","그리고-확인되리라","이루어지기를","확인되게-하옵소서"]·PT["E-firme-será","E-seja-confirmado","confirme-se","e-sereis-confirmados","e-serão-confirmadas","permanecereis","seja-confirmada"]·RU["да-будет-верно","да-исполнится","да-утвердится","и-будет-верен","и-да-утвердится","и-подтвердятся","и-утвердитесь","устоите"]·ES["Y-sea-confirmado","Y-será-fiel","permaneceréis","sea-confirmada","y-estaréis-seguros","y-serán-verificadas"]·SW["hamtasimama","iwe-imara","lithibitike","lithibitishwe","na-itakuwa-imara","na-lithibitike","na-mtaimarishwa","na-wao"]·TR["Ve-doğrulansın","doğrulanacak","doğrulansın","gerçekleşsin","kurulacaksınız","ve-doğrulanacak","ve-sadık","ve-sağlam-olursunuz"]·urd["اور-سچی-ٹھہریں","اور-قائم-رہو-گے","اور-قائم-رہے","اور-قائم-ہو","سچ-ٹھہرے","سچ-ہو","قائم-رہو-گے","قائم-رہے","پورا-ہو"]
4. trust, rely on, have confidence — Hifil with trust or reliance semantics: to place confidence in, depend upon, rely on. Distinguished from sense 1 by emphasizing personal reliance rather than mere intellectual assent. Job 4:18 and 15:15 declare that God does not 'trust' even his servants or holy ones. In Deut 28:66, one's very life hangs in doubt with no confidence. Spanish 'confió' and French 'fit confiance' capture the reliance aspect that goes beyond crediting a report as true. 9×
AR["أَمِنَ","تَأْمَنُ","تَثِقْ","تَثِقْ-","هَلْ-تَثِقُ","وَآمَنَ","يَثِقُ","يَثِقْ"]·ben["এবং-বিশ্বাস-করলেন","তিনি-বিশ্বাস-করেন","তুমি-কি-বিশ্বাস-করবে","তুমি-বিশ্বাস-করবে","বিশ্বাস-কর","বিশ্বাস-করল","বিশ্বাস-করো-","সে-বিশ্বাস-করুক"]·DE["du-believe","glauben","glaubte","und-trusted","vertraute"]·EN["and-trusted","believe","he-trusts","let-trust","trusted","will-you-trust","you-believe"]·FR["croire","et-fit-confiance","se-confia","tu-croire"]·heb["ה-תאמין","האמין","ו-האמין","יאמין","יאמן","תאמין","תאמן","תאמן-"]·HI["और-विशवअस-किय","क्या-तू-भरोसा-करेगा","भरोसा-करेगा","भरोसा-किया","वह-भरोसा-करता","वह-भरोसा-करे","विश्वास-कर","विश्वास-कर-","विश्वास-करता-है"]·ID["Apakah engkau percaya","Dan-percaya","Dia-percaya","Ia-percaya","ia-percaya","percaya"]·IT["confidò","credere","e-confidò","tu-believe"]·jav["Lan-pitados","Punapa-panjenengan-pitados","pitados"]·KO["그리고-믿었다","믿겠느냐","믿는다-그가","믿었다","믿으리라","믿지","믿지-말지어다","신뢰하라","신뢰하지-않으시나니"]·PT["Crerás","E-confiou","acredites-","confia","confiarás","confie","confies","confiou"]·RU["будешь-уверен","верь","верь-","доверяет","и-доверился","поверил","поверишь-ли"]·ES["Y-confió","confiarás","confió","confía","confíe","confíes","le-creas-","¿Creerás"]·SW["amini","asiamini","haamini","je-utamwamini","kuamini","mwamini-","na-akaamini","utaamini"]·TR["Ve-güvendi","güven-","güvendi","güveneceksin","güvenir","güvenme","güvensin","mı-İnanırsın"]·urd["اور-یقین-کیا","بھروسہ-کر","بھروسہ-کرتا","بھروسہ-کرتا-ہے","بھروسہ-کرے","بھروسہ-کیا","کر-یقین","کیا-تو-یقین-کرے-گا","یقین-کرےگا"]
5. nurse, guardian, foster-parent — Qal active participle: a nurse, guardian, or foster-parent — one who supports and rears a child. Naomi became the 'ōmenet (foster-mother/nurse) for Obed (Ruth 4:16); Mephibosheth's nurse carried him when fleeing (2 Sam 4:4); the tutors of Ahab's sons are 'ōmenîm (2 Kgs 10:1, 5). Arabic مُرَبِّي 'rearer' and Korean 양육자 'caregiver' converge on this concrete nurturing meaning, rooted in the physical act of making a child firm and secure. 7×
AR["الْمُرَبِّي","مُرَبِّيكِ","مُرَبِّيًا","مُرَبِّيَةً","مُرْضِعَتُهُ","وَٱلْمُرَبُّونَ","ٱلْمُرَبِّينَ"]·ben["-তোমার-লালন-পালনকারী","-ধাত্রী","এবং-লালন-পালনকারীরা","তার-ধাত্রী","পালক-পিতা","লালন-পালনকারীদের","লালনকারিণী-রূপে"]·DE["der-guardians-von","der-nursing-Vater","glauben","glaubte","sein-nurse","und-der-guardians"]·EN["and-the-guardians","for-a-nurse","guardian","his-nurse","the-guardians-of","the-nursing-father","your-foster-fathers"]·FR["croire","et-le-guardians","le-guardians-de","le-nursing-père","pour-un-allaiter","son-nourrice"]·heb["אומניך","אומנת-ו","אמן","ה-אומנים","ה-אמן","ו-ה-אומנים","ל-אומנת"]·HI["तेरे-पालक","धाई-उसकी-ने","पालक","पालन-पोषण-किया-था","वहाओमनीम","हाओमनीम"]·ID["-para-pengasuh","dan-para-pengasuh","mengasuh","menjadi-pengasuh","pengasuh","pengasuh-pengasuhmu","pengasuhnya"]·IT["credere","e-il-guardians","il-guardians-di","il-nursing-padre","per-un-nurse","suo-nutrice"]·jav["bapa-asuh-panjenengan","ibu-asuh","kangge-pangasuh","lan-para-pangomong","ngrumat","para-pangomong","pembantunipun"]·KO["그-양육하는자-가","그리고-양육자들이","그의-유모가","네-양육하는-자들이고","양육자들","양육하는-자가","유모로"]·PT["ama-sua","criando","e-os-tutores","o-que-cria","os-tutores-de","por-ama","teus-tutores"]·RU["в-кормилицу","воспитатель","воспитателям","и-воспитатели","кормилец","нянька-его","пестунами-твоими"]·ES["criador-de","el-ama","los-tutores-de","nodriza-suya","por-nodriza","tus-cuidadores","y-los-tutores"]·SW["-","mlezi","na-walezi","walezi-wa","walezi-wako","yaya-wake"]·TR["bakan","bakicilarinin","bakıcı","bakıcı-olarak","dadısı","eğitmenlerine","ve-eğitmenler"]·urd["اور-پالنے-والوں-نے","اُس-کی-دایہ-نے","تیرے-پرورش-کرنے-والے","دائی","پالنے-والوں-کے","پالنے-والی","پرورش-کرنے-والا"]
6. be brought up, be nursed — Qal passive participle and Niphal passive: those who have been reared, nursed, or carried — the passive counterpart of the nurturing sense. In Lamentations 4:5, those 'brought up in scarlet' (הָאֱמֻנִים) are now destitute; in Isaiah 60:4, daughters shall be 'nursed' at the side. Spanish 'los criados' and Arabic المُرَبَّون 'those reared' confirm the passive meaning. Only two clear occurrences mark this as a distinct but real sense. 2×
AR["الْمُرَبَّوْنَ","تُحْمَلْنَ"]·ben["বহন-করা-হবে","যাদের-লালন-পালন-করা-হত"]·DE["glauben","glaubte"]·EN["those-brought-up","will-be-nursed"]·FR["croire"]·heb["ה-אמונים","תיאמנה"]·HI["उठाई-जाएंगी","जो-पाले-गए-थे"]·ID["akan-digendong","mereka-yang-dibesarkan"]·IT["credere"]·jav["dipungendhong","ingkang-karumat"]·KO["기른-자들-이","안길-것이다"]·PT["os-criados","serão-carregadas"]·RU["воспитанные","носимы"]·ES["los-criados","serán-llevadas"]·SW["Wale-waliolelewa","watanyonyeshwa"]·TR["tasinacaklar","yetiştirilenler"]·urd["اُٹھئی-جائیں-گی","پرورش-پانے-والے"]
Related Senses
G4102 1. faith, trust, belief (239×)G4100 1. believe / have faith in (233×)H0982 1. trust in, rely on (105×)H3988a 1. reject, refuse (56×)G4103 1. faithful, trustworthy, reliable (54×)H0530 1. faithfulness, fidelity, reliability (47×)H3985 1. refuse, be unwilling (41×)H8582 1. lead astray, cause to err (22×)H2623 1. faithful ones / saints (community) (21×)G0571 1. unbelieving, unbeliever (20×)G3982 1. be persuaded or convinced (19×)H8582 2. go astray, err morally (19×)G4105 1. to deceive, lead astray (18×)G3982 2. trust or have confidence in (17×)H2186a 1. reject, spurn (Qal) (16×)H3988a 2. despise, scorn (14×)G3982 3. persuade or convince someone (13×)G4103 2. believing, a believer (13×)G4105 2. to go astray, wander, err (13×)H5377 1. deceive, beguile (Hifil active) (13×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. [אָמַן] vb. confirm, support (cf. Arabic أَمِنَ, etc., v. infr.; Sab. אמן in deriv. & n.pr. cf. CIS iv. 1, 10 DHMZMG 1885, 598; Aramaic אֲמַן, ܐܡܢ in Haph. Ethiopic አምነ Assyrian in deriv.)—only Qal Pt. אֹמֵן;— 1. as vb. support, nourish 2 K 10:1, 5 Est 2:7. 2. as subst. foster-father Nu 11:12 (J) Is 49:23. 3. אֹמֶנֶת foster-mother, nurse Ru 4:16 2 S 4:4. 4. אֹמְנוֹת pillars, supporters of…