אׇמְנָה (om.nah)
om.nah
truly
H:AdvQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:Adv
Word Overview
The Hebrew adverb amnah serves as a firm affirmation, translating to "truly," "verily," or "indeed." It functions as a linguistic anchor, signaling that what follows is reliable and certain. With only two occurrences in the Hebrew Bible, its usage is rare but emphatic, appearing in Genesis 42:16 and Joshua 9:19 to underscore the gravity of a statement.
In these contexts, the word does not merely add emphasis; it establishes trustworthiness. When Joseph’s brothers swear an oath in Genesis, amnah marks their declaration as binding truth. Similarly, in Joshua, it reinforces the Israelites’ commitment to the Gibeonites’ treaty, highlighting that their word is final. The term strips away ambiguity, leaving only the weight of fact.
Though brief, amnah carries significant rhetorical force. It acts as a seal of authenticity, reminding the reader that the speaker stands behind every word. Its scarcity in Scripture suggests it was reserved for moments requiring absolute clarity and conviction, making its appearances all the more notable to careful readers.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word omnah appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, serving as a firm affirmation that translates to "truly" or "indeed." It functions as a linguistic anchor, signaling that what follows is reliable and certain. When you encounter this term, it strips away ambiguity, leaving only the weight of fact.
In Joshua 7:20, Achan uses omnah to confess his sin before God. This rare adverb underscores the gravity of his declaration, marking it as binding truth rather than a casual admission. The scarcity of this word suggests it was reserved for moments requiring absolute clarity and conviction.
For your faith, this reminds us that God values honesty above all else. When we bring our struggles or confessions to Him, we can trust that He hears the full weight of our words. This certainty allows us to approach Scripture with confidence, knowing that the truths recorded within it are steadfast and reliable.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- truly2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- אָמְנָ֗ה2×
Key Verses
-
Joshua 7:20
Achan answered Joshua, and said, “I have truly sinned against Yahweh, the God of Israel, and this is what I have done.
Achan uses this rare adverb to emphasize the gravity and certainty of his confession before Yahweh.