Emeth, Truth

The Hebrew word emeth means "truth" or "faithfulness". It appears 571 times in the Old Testament. The word is often combined with hesed (lovingkindness, loyal devotion) as in the last two words of Exodus 34:6, in which YHWH is characterized as abounding in "goodness and truth". Andre Roosma elaborates on this in a blogpost here, emphasizing that this combined double characteristic is a significant distinct and holy attribute of YHWH. We cannot separate these characteristics in relation to God; we cannot, even if we are in pain with Job, distinguish God's goodness from His truth/faithfulness. Throughout the Wisdom books, Psalms, Proverb, Job, Ecclesiastes, there is an implicit assumption that the wise person is seeking Truth and that this truth is equivalent to knowledge of YHWH. 

In a number of places in the Wisdom books this assumption is made quite explicit, such as Proverbs 1:7, Proverbs 2:6, Psalm 1, and so on. Here is one passage in Proverbs:

Proverbs 16:6a

 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for....

The first Hebrew word in this passage is (a version of) hesed. and the second has emeth as its root. Together "love and truth" offer kaphar, that is, propitiation, pacification, for sin.

Sarah E. Fisher explores the word emeth in a blogpost here. Those who seek to follow YHWH must follow Him in Truth. Indeed, a believer is represented by this plea out of the Psalms, Psalm 25:4-5.

C. S. Lewis, in the final book of Narnia, The Last Battle, describes a Calormene soldier who had always devoted himself to serving Tash, not aware that the god Tash was in opposition to the Great Lion, Aslan. When the soldier finally meets Aslan, he is welcomed. Confused at the invitation, the soldier is told,

"[I]f any man swear by Tash and keep his oath for the oath’s sake, it is by me [Aslan] that he has truly sworn, though he know it not, and it is I who reward him."

The soldier continues with his story.

"Dost thou understand, Child?" [asked Aslan]

I said, "Lord, Thou knowest how much I understand."But I said also (for the truth constrained me), "Yet I have been seeking Tash all my days."

"Beloved," said the Glorious One, "unless thy desire had been for me thou wouldst not have sought so long and so truly. For all find what they truly seek.”

Aslan welcomes the soldier because of his honest and truthful devotion. It is no coincidence that C. S. Lewis gives the soldier the name Emeth.