7189. qoshet
Lexical Summary
qoshet: Bow

Original Word: קשֶׁט
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: qoshet
Pronunciation: koh'-sheth
Phonetic Spelling: (ko'-shet)
KJV: truth
Word Origin: [from an unused root meaning to balance]

1. equity (as evenly weighed), i.e. reality

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
truth

Or qosht {kosht}; from an unused root meaning to balance; equity (as evenly weighed), i.e. Reality -- truth.

Brown-Driver-Briggs
ק֫שֶׁט noun [masculine ?] bow; — Psalm 60:6, Aramaic form of קֶשֶׁת, q. v. (ט for ת after ק).

קשׁט (√ of following; compare Palmyrene קשט succeed; Aramaic קְשׁוֺפ, קֻשְׁטָא right, truth; Syriac id., ChrPalAramaic TRUE, Mandean כשט be true, see SchwIdioticon 86; Arabic equity, justice is loan-word (see Frä206)).

קשְׁטְ noun masculine truth; — Proverbs 22:21 (according to Toy Aramaic gloss to following אִמְרֵי אֱמֶת).

קְשִׁי, קִשְׁוֺן, see I. קשׁה.

Topical Lexicon
Occurrences

Psalm 60:4
Proverbs 22:21

Semantic Range and Emphasis

The term denotes truth that is not merely factual but straight, accurate, and reliable. It carries the idea of something so exact that it can serve as a standard or plumb line. Unlike the broader Hebrew words for “truth” (such as ’emet), this word highlights precision and integrity that can be publicly tested.

Historical Setting in Psalm 60:4

David’s lament over military reverses turns toward confidence: “You have raised a banner for those who fear You, that it may be displayed because of the truth.” The banner symbolizes rallying under God’s unfailing reliability. In a culture where victory banners identified the patron deity, Israel’s banner proclaimed that the Lord’s truth—not national might—was the decisive factor. The verse therefore links divine fidelity with covenant protection, embedding the term in Israel’s military worship and liturgy.

Pedagogical Purpose in Proverbs 22:21

The collection of “Thirty Sayings of the Wise” culminates: “to show you true and reliable words, that you may give a sound answer to those who sent you.” Truth here is the benchmark for instruction, guarding both teacher and hearer from distortion. Wisdom literature thus grounds ethical formation in objective, verifiable accuracy, anticipating the prophetic insistence that words must match reality (compare Jeremiah 9:5).

Theological Themes

1. God as the Source of Truth: Psalm 60 locates steadfast truth in the character of God, echoing Deuteronomy 32:4.
2. Truth as a Public Testimony: Both texts place truth in communal settings—battlefield and court—underscoring its social impact.
3. Moral Straightness: By pairing truth with righteousness (Proverbs 22:21), Scripture frames truth as a moral, not merely intellectual, category.
4. Protection and Guidance: Truth functions as a banner (protection) and as counsel (guidance), pointing to its comprehensive role in covenant life.

Relation to Other Biblical Concepts

• ’Emet (truth/firmness) stresses stability; the present term stresses accuracy.
• Yashar (upright) overlaps in moral rectitude.
• In the New Testament, the word group for “truth” (alētheia) carries forward both connotations, culminating in Jesus’ self-identification: “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).

Practical and Ministry Applications

• Preaching: Hold forth Scripture as an unfurled banner, confident that God’s truth both rallies and protects the faithful.
• Teaching and Counseling: Ensure that counsel is precise and verifiable, equipping believers to “give a sound answer.”
• Apologetics: The term invites believers to defend the faith with accuracy, reflecting God’s own integrity.
• Corporate Worship: Songs and prayers may draw on Psalm 60’s imagery, celebrating God’s truth as a communal refuge.
• Discipleship: Form believers who embody straightness in speech and conduct, mirroring the moral alignment implied by the word.

Christological Trajectory

The Old Testament banner of truth anticipates the incarnate Truth who gathers His people under His cross (John 12:32). Proverbs’ call for accurate testimony prefigures the apostles’ mandate to bear witness “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Thus, the word’s rare appearances serve as strategic signposts pointing to the fullness of truth revealed in Jesus Christ.

Forms and Transliterations
קֹ֣שֶׁט קֹ֭שְׁטְ קשט Koshet qō·šeṭ qō·šəṭ qōšeṭ qōšəṭ
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Englishman's Concordance
Psalm 60:4
HEB: לְהִתְנוֹסֵ֑ס מִ֝פְּנֵ֗י קֹ֣שֶׁט סֶֽלָה׃
NAS: because of the truth. Selah.
KJV: because of the truth. Selah.
INT: may be displayed because of the truth Selah

Proverbs 22:21
HEB: לְהוֹדִֽיעֲךָ֗ קֹ֭שְׁטְ אִמְרֵ֣י אֱמֶ֑ת
NAS: To make you know the certainty of the words
KJV: That I might make thee know the certainty of the words
INT: know the certainty of the words of truth

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 7189
2 Occurrences


qō·šeṭ — 2 Occ.

7188
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