Where did the word amen originate from

Q: Where did the term amen come from?

Amen is derived from the Hebrew āmēn, which means certainty,” truth,” and verily.” It is found in the Hebrew Bible, and in both the Old and New Testament. In English, the word has two primary pronunciations: [ ah-men ] or [ ey-men ].

Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Then all the people said “Amen” and “Praise the LORD.” -1 Chronicles 16:36

Table of Contents Show

Origin of Amen
Amen Meaning and Definition
"In Jesus' Name, Amen"
Amen in the Bible
Where did the term amen come from?
What is the real meaning of amen?
Is amen an African word?

Origin of Amen

Amen is an affirmation of truth first seen in the Old Testament and later in the New Testament. The first mention of the word “amen” in the Bible is found in Numbers 5:22.

The term amen meaning “so be it,” as found in the early scriptures of the Bible, is a word of Hebrew origin. It originated in the Hebrew Scriptures as a reply of confirmation and is found in Deuteronomy as an affirmative response made by the people. Furthermore, in the Books of Chronicles, it is designated that near 1000 BC, the word is used in its religious meaning, with the people responding with "amen" to receiving the blessing: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from now and unto all eternity."

Amen Meaning and Definition

Standard English translations of the term amen include "surely," "truly," and “so be it.”

According to Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary, in current usage, the term "amen" has become little more than a ritualized conclusion to prayers. Yet the Hebrew and Greek words for amen appear hundreds of times in the Bible and have several uses. Amen is a transliteration of the Hebrew word amen. The verb form occurs more than one hundred times in the Old Testament and means to take care, to be faithful, reliable, or established, or to believe someone or something. The idea of something that is faithful, reliable, or believable seems to lie behind the use of amen as an exclamation on twenty-five solemn occasions in the Old Testament. Israel said "amen" to join in the praises of God (1 Chronicles 16:36; Nehemiah 8:6; and at the end of each of the first four books of Psalms).

Modern dictionaries define Amen as "used to express solemn ratification (as of an expression of faith) or hearty approval (as of an assertion)" (Merriam-Webster).

"In Jesus' Name, Amen"

Below is a transcription of the video above, in which Don Whitney explains why we end our prayers with “In Jesus' name, Amen.”

Well, we're told in John 14:16, Jesus says, whatever you ask in my name that will I do that the father may be glorified in the son. So from that, we realized that there's an explicit passage about praying in Jesus' name. But more importantly, the truth that points to is is the larger truth found in the new testament that we have access to God the father through Jesus. When Jesus was crucified, the veil of the temple was split in two from top to bottom. And Hebrews tells us that, that we then have access to God through the veil that is his flesh. So that veil, that several inches thick of material that separated the holy of holies, where the presence of God was manifest there, over the arc of the covenant, only the high priest could go in only he once a year after a week's preparation, that now through the death of Jesus, anybody has access to God, but they must come through the veil of the flesh of Jesus through the death of Jesus Christ.

So our access to God is in coming through Christ and his righteousness. Hebrews says that we come in his blood. So it is through the death of Jesus who we have access to God and praying in Jesus' name is a theological shorthand for expressing that, that we have no righteousness of our own, that God will receive us as it were covered in the blood of Christ. God will receive us having been United with Christ. And so to pray our prayer in Jesus' name is to recognize that we're coming in the righteousness of Christ, not our own. We don't deserve to be heard by God, but Jesus does. And we come in his name, we come presenting him and all that he is. It also means I think that we are coming and asking what we believe Jesus would ask if he were in our situation. So that's true. That's a lesser truth to the greater truth that we come in and through the righteousness of Christ. God hears us because of Jesus. So we'd come. Father, did you hear this prayer? It's not because I deserve it, but I come in Jesus' name.

Amen in the Bible

To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Philippians 4:20) ESV

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:36) ESV

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) ESV

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13) ESV

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. (Matthew 6:13) KJV

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:20) KJV

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amen, expression of agreement, confirmation, or desire used in worship by Jews, Christians, and Muslims. The basic meaning of the Semitic root from which it is derived is “firm,” “fixed,” or “sure,” and the related Hebrew verb also means “to be reliable” and “to be trusted.” The Greek Old Testament usually translates amen as “so be it”; in the English Bible it has frequently been rendered as “verily,” or “truly.”

In its earliest use in the Bible, the amen occurred initially and referred back to the words of another speaker with whom there was agreement. It usually introduced an affirmative statement. For emphasis, as in solemn oaths, the amen was sometimes repeated. The use of the initial amen, single or double in form, to introduce solemn statements of Jesus in the Gospels (52 times in the Synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—and 25 times in the Gospel According to John) had no parallel in Jewish practice. Such amens expressed the certainty and truthfulness of the statement that followed.

Use of the amen in Jewish temple liturgy as a response by the people at the close of a doxology or other prayer uttered by a priest seems to have been common as early as the time of the 4th century bc. This Jewish liturgical use of amen was adopted by the Christians. Justin Martyr (2nd century ad) indicated that amen was used in the liturgy of the Eucharist and was later introduced into the baptismal service.

A final amen, added by a speaker who offered thanksgiving or prayers, public or private, to sum up and confirm what he himself had said, developed naturally from the earlier usage in which others responded with the amen. Use of the final amen is found in the Psalms and is common in the New Testament. Jews used amen to conclude prayers in ancient times, and Christians closed every prayer with it. As hymns became more popular, the use of the final amen was extended.

Where did the term amen come from?

Amen is derived from the Hebrew āmēn, which means “certainty,” “truth,” and “verily.” It is found in the Hebrew Bible, and in both the Old and New Testament. In English, the word has two primary pronunciations: [ ah-men ] or [ ey-men ].

What is the real meaning of amen?

The basic meaning of the Semitic root from which it is derived is “firm,” “fixed,” or “sure,” and the related Hebrew verb also means “to be reliable” and “to be trusted.” The Greek Old Testament usually translates amen as “so be it”; in the English Bible it has frequently been rendered as “verily,” or “truly.”

Is amen an African word?

So, where does it come from?” According to Asante, perhaps musician Amen Ra had a better understanding of its origins than most of those active in the three major Abrahamic faith traditions. He then pointed out that Amen is the ancient word for God. “It comes from Egypt in Africa.