Bible Dictionary
INTEGRITY
Integrity is sincerity, soundness, truthfulness, and uprightness of heart. It describes a life marked by honest intentions and faithful conduct before God and people.
Definition
Integrity is simplicity, soundness, completeness, sincerity, truthfulness, and uprightness of heart. It describes genuine intentions and faithful conduct rather than mere outward appearance.
Biblical Usage
The Old Testament uses integrity for sincerity and uprightness before God and people. It is associated with walking honestly, maintaining a sound heart, and acting faithfully. The New Testament does not use the word itself, but related ideas include sincerity, truth, a pure heart, and a single eye.
Historical Background
The Hebrew term may also be translated “upright,” “perfection,” or “soundness.” The plural form appears among the words associated with the high priest’s breastplate and the sacred lots known as the Urim and Thummim.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>in-teg'-ri-ti (tom, tummah): The translation of tom, "simplicity," "soundness," "completeness," rendered also "upright," "perfection." Its original sense appears in the phrase letom (1Ki 22:34; 2Ch 18:33), "A certain man drew his bow at a venture" margin "Hebrew, in his simplicity" (compare 2Sa 15:11, "in their simplicity"). It is translated "integrity" (Ge 20:5,6; 1Ki 9:4; Ps 7:8; 25:21; 26:1,11; 41:12; 78:72; Pr 19:1; 20:7), in all which places it seems to carry the meaning of simplicity, or sincerity of heart and intention, truthfulness, uprightness. In the plural (tummim) it is one of the words on the breastplate of the high priest (Ex 28:30; De 33:8; Ezr 2:63; Ne 7:65), one of the sacred lots, indicating, perhaps, "innocence" or "integrity" Septuagint aletheia). See URIM AND THUMMIM. Another word translated "integrity" is tummah, from tamam, "to complete," "be upright," "perfect," only in Job 2:3,1; 27:5; 31:6; Pr 11:3.</p><p>The word "integrity" does not occur in the New Testament, but its equivalents may be seen in "sincerity," "truth," the "pure heart," the "single eye," etc. In the above sense of simplicity of intention it is equivalent to being honest, sincere, genuine, and is fundamental to true character.</p><p>W. L. Walker</p>