The word, integrity, is found sixteen times in the Old Testament. (In this era of television and corruption, integrity is scarcely to be found at all.) In eleven passages, the word translated “integrity” in the King James Version is tom [8537] (pronounced tome). According to Strong, this masculine noun refers to “integrity, completeness, fullness, simplicity, and innocence.” When Abimelech, for example, took Abram’s “sister” as a wife, he did so in the integrity of his heart, which is the reason that God did not kill him (Gen. 20:5-6). In other words, he had not done anything intentionally wrong.

Twice David writes that he has walked in integrity (Ps. 25:21; 26:1). He also vows to do so in the future (Ps. 26:11). He is confident that God will uphold him in his integrity (Ps. 41:12). The same word is translated “upright” or ”uprightly” seven times in Proverbs in addition to “integrity,” as in: “Better is the poor who walks in his integrity, than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool” (Pr. 19:1).

The other word is related to the first [8538]; it is tummah (pronounced toom maw’) and is the feminine form of the word. This is the word used four times in Job when he is asked if he still retains his integrity (2:3, 9; 27:5; 31:6). Solomon also used it in Proverbs 11:3. The word does not appear in the New Testament at all in the King James, but several translations use it in Titus 2:7, where the King James has incorruption. Paul charged Titus to be a pattern of good works and that in doctrine he should show integrity or incorruption. All Christians should walk in integrity and especially allow no corruption to infiltrate New Testament teaching.

Tom Wacaster included the following story in a June 1, 2016, posting of Tom’s Pen: “Major William Dean died in 1985. He was a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor and was considered one of American’s greatest heroes. He fought in the Korean War and was captured and tortured. Dean resisted all efforts by the communists to extract military information from him. In order to maintain his sanity he would resort to mind games, or reciting passages from the Bible. One day the general was informed by his captors that he was to be taken out and shot. A firing squad was standing in readiness. The condemned was granted a few moments in which to write a letter to his wife. He penned what he thought would be his last words. In addition to the words of love and devotion to his wife, he wrote a sentence for his son. ‘Tell Bill the word is integrity.’” What an outstanding legacy to leave a young person—not only to say it but to live it!