The Hebrew Alphabet has many wonderful things to teach us. In the Hebrew scriptures, there are Acrostics, anagrams, Gematria as well as the meanings of the letters themselves. One way we as humans, communicate our thoughts and ideas with and to others by writing. This writing includes both letters and numbers. These letters and numbers are the building materials with which we express the products of our intelligence, our thoughts and desires.

The Hebrew Alphabet of Moses' time was a picto-graphic language, much like Egyptian hieroglyphics or the Chinese character writing. These picture letters formed a literal picture of what the writer was trying to convey.

Hebrew is read from right to left, and though the way the characters were drawn had changed over the centuries, mostly during the Babylonian captivity, the meaning of the letters remained the same.


In written communications, letters and numbers serve to express the thoughts and ideas, wants and needs of people. In Hebrew and also Greek, the entire alphabet served as both letters and numbers. In Hebrew this is called Gematria or by its Greek name Isopsephia. Therefore, in the Hebrew language, every letter has a meaning, and also a numerical value. This has tremendous significance, in that numbers become very relevant.

A word about Gematria:
Unlike English, Hebrew (and Greek) letters can be written out (spelled) creating a long or "full" spelling. (See the separate teaching on "Gematria, Methods of counting.")

Let's take a look into the pages of scripture and the Hebrew alphabet:

The First letter of the Hebrew Alphabet, called in Hebrew, the Aleph-Bet, is the Aleph. drawn as shown above. The literal meaning of aleph is ox or bull. The symbolic meaning of this letter is: God, strength, strong leader. It shows God's mastery and oneness.

In the ancient Hebrew, it was drawn like the head of an ox which is part of the original meaning of the letter. The literal meaning is "strong leader, strength, master, 1 or 1000.

This is the example of ancient wisdom in the scriptures that read: "Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?"2nd Cor. 6:14

A young, inexperienced oxen would be yoked with a full grown ox accustomed to ploughing, and the younger would learn from the older because of the latter's size and great strength, he would literally drag the young ox around in the proper direction as commanded by the ploughman.

Aleph is written out full as in the example below:


The Gematria of the letter Aleph is 1 and always means God. Yeshua/Jesus said "I and my Father are ONE". John 10:30

In the full spelling it's Gematria is 111, which is the same Gematria as "The Lord My God" (Ps 38.15) and "Children of the Living God" [Hos 1.10].

This first letter of the Hebrew alphabet that stands for God, when written out is amazing and shows the deep complex and integrated design of the word of God that millennia later, would become flesh, alive and living in the person of Yeshua/Jesus Christ. Can we believe the accuracy of the "New Testament" Greek text? Can it be traced back to the ancient Hebrew teaching. YES! I believe it can. The aleph spelled full by it's Gematria of 111 gives us a bed rock solid truth. When multiply the number 8, the number of new life, new beginnings by "" (Aleph) we arrive at the number 888 which is:Jesus in the Greek text of the New Testament! This ties the person of Jesus DIRECTLY back to the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet and God Himself!

The first and "Greatest" commandment is that we love God with all of our heart, mind and strength. My friends, what wonderful revelation awaits you when you purpose to seek God with ALL of your heart, and love Him as He has always loved you!


The letter Beyt is the 2nd letter of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet. Shown here with the dagesh vowel pointing which was NOT part of the original alphabet but added much later, and serves to help with pronunciation. It's literal meaning is House or tent. In the ancient Hebrew, it was drawn as the floor plan of a primitive house, and thus it's symbolic meaning is an household, in or into. This is the meaning this letter imparts when it is prefixed to the front of a word Such as the first word of scripture). In the spiritual aspect of this 2nd letter and it's number, 2 is found blessing (the beginning letter of the Hebrew word) Barach, and division (curse/separation). On the 2nd day, God divided the waters above from the waters below. Waters in scripture point to the nations. This is entirely within the scope of Beyt as a "House". The Holy scriptures begin with an oversized B, calling attention to the fact that God is building His "house". The house DIVIDES what is within (Family)from what (who) is outside (strangers).

In the ancient Hebrew of Moses this letter was drawn like the floor plan of a nomadic tent or "house." Spelled in full beyt is written and it's Gematria is 412. This is an amazing thing when we learn that the Tabernacle (house) that God instructed Moses to build (ref Exod. 25:8) so He could dwell in the center of His people, The Miqdash was to be the eventual meaning of Immanuel, God with us). The word for sanctuary in Hebrew is miqdash, spelled it's Gematria is 444. If we subtract the Gematria our "house" 412 from the sanctuary 444, we are left with a very interesting number, 32 which is the Gematria of (Lev) HEART. When we have a heart that loves God as we are instructed, then our body (House) becomes a SANCTUARY! However, when we leave this commandment undone, our sanctuary becomes a 412 "house" that is left desolate to us, that is, WITHOUT GOD! Reference Matt 23:38, Luke 13:35 where the LORD speaks of this desolation, for where love is NOT, there desolation reigns. Consider thoughtfully the following scripture:
Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.   Jeremiah 7.9f

In the passage above, the LORD, through the prophet, is speaking of His house, the Tabernacle/Temple, but in the spiritual realm, it has very serious implications for us, as we are told "What? know ye not that your body is the temple (HOUSE/dwelling place) of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body (HOUSE), and in your spirit, which are God's."   1st Cor. 6:19,20 Yeshua/Jesus said "make not my Father's HOUSE a HOUSE of merchandise". John 2:16


The 3rd letter of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet is the Gimel. It's literal meaning is a camel, to lift up. It's symbolic meaning is kindness, to nourish, or pride, to be lifted up. It's relationship to English becomes clear to us, being but a slight variation in pronunciation between "camel" and "gamal". Also, the third letter in Latin, the C in camel corresponds to the third Hebrew letter Gamel in "Gamal" or, "Camel".

Drawn in ancient Hebrew like the neck and head of a camel, It's Gematria is 3 but spelled full , it's Gematria is 73 which is the letter's "ordinal" value. The ordinal value is determined by the letter's position in the Alphabet. It is it's place value. The Gematria of 73 shows the "wisdom" of giving with a "good eye" as it is the ordinal Gematria of the word Wisdom (Hokmah). The number 73 is a mirror image of 37 which is the standard Gematria of the word "wisdom", coincidence? NOT hardly! There is much, much more to these two numbers which will be delved into more deeply in another teaching, but this is only a hint of the mathematical design manifested within the word of God by His own design. Yeshua/Jesus said "If I be LIFTED UP I will draw all men unto me" John 12:32


The 4th letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the Dalet. The literal meaning of Dalet is "door". It's symbolic meaning is to enter in, or the pathway or way into. It's Gematria is 4 but when written out full, it's Gematria is 434 which has many associations in Hebrew, too many to bring out in depth at this time. Some of them are:
Gen. 31:41 upon/in your house
Gen. 39:9 I will bring him
Exod. 15:13 You have redeemed (consider this one carefully)
Exod. 29:1 to hallow, sanctify
Exod. 31:11 for the Holy
Lev. 25:32 Redemption (this hits home when we realize WHERE the blood was applied and WHY)
Num. 14:31 I will bring in (associate both of these with the letter Beyt)
Num. 18:31 in your house
Deut. 12:26 your Holy things
Deut. 30:16 and you shall live (I like this one the best)

In ancient Hebrew this letter was drawn as a tent flap, and later became our English letter "D" the "door" of the living quarters of the nomadic people of the time. It's ordinal Gematria of 4 represents all of creation as indicated by the 4 compass points N,S,E and W. According to Jewish Rabbinic tradition, the Maharal, (an ancient Jewish sage expounded that even the metaphysical is divided into 4 parts, as depicted by the river that watered the garden of Eden, which, when it flowed outward, it branched into 4 streams (Gen. 2:10). The greater spiritual depth of this number is seen in the 4 actions of God to Israel in Exod. 6:6,7, where God said "I will BRING YOU OUT, I shall SAVE YOU, I shall REDEEM YOU and I shall TAKE YOU TO MYSELF AS A PEOPLE. Yeshua/Jesus said "I AM the DOOR". John 10:7,9


The 5th letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the letter "Hey". This is the letter that used to change the names
of Abram
to Abraham
and Sari
to Sarah

It's literal meaning is a window, or lattice. The symbolic meaning is behold, or to reveal. This meaning of the letter is one of the many reasons Rabbinic tradition calls the hey the letter of revelation! A computer search of the whole bible finds just six (man's number) Heh occurrences of "Behold the man" five are in the Old Testament and only one in the New, John 19:5, the verse number matches the Gematria of the Hebrew letter and also the theme, when Pilate says to the crowd "Behold the man". The full spelling of this letter is Hey-Aleph and the full Gematria is 6. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Psalm 133:1

In Ancient Hebrew this letter was drawn as a man with his hands raised toward heaven.


The 6th letter of The Hebrew alphabet is the Vav. The literal meaning is a nail. The symbolic meaning is "to secure or fasten" "add" "a connection". The letter in grammer, serves to connect or join together, two words or phrases as in English our word "and." The Gematria of this letter is the same as it's ordinal, or positional number, 6. When the letter is spelled out full, it is written twice Vav-Vav giving the full Gematria of 12.

In The ancient Hebrew the Vav was drawn as a "nail/hook".


The 7th letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the Zayin. The literal meaning of this letter is a "weapon" while the symbolic meaning is to "cut" or "cut off". Because the Gematria of this letter is 7, both ordinal that is, positional and standard, I view this letter as relating to the covenant/oath. The meaning of the number 7 itself. I am reminded of the verse in the NT book of Hebrews, as it is written: "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword (weapon), piercing even to the dividing (cutting) asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."Hebrews 4:12 (emphasis mine)

The ancient letter Zayin was drawn as a weapon.


The 8th letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the Chet. Again, it's ordinal or positional Gematria and it's standard Gematria are the same (8).
The number 8 is the number of new life/new beginning. Raised to its triplicate, 888 is the numerical name of Jesus in the Greek NT text. The literal meaning of this letter is a "fence", "hedge" or "chamber." The symbolic meaning is "to make private" or "to separate."

In ancient Hebrew the 8th letter was drawn as a fence, and the word picture it gave was Brother [Gen 24.29] because the word brother is "a strong fence" (that protects).


The 9th letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the Tet. The literal meaning of this letter is "a snake" or "to twist" and the symbolic meaning is "to surround." It's Gematria is again, both the same for ordinal and standard 9. Spelled full this letter's Gematria is 419 which has some very interesting associations.
To Judge [Oba 1:21]
The snake (Tet) brought judgment to God's children in the garden.
It also caused a very serious remedy to correct the problem.
The Nail HaYetad = 419
Remember our 6th Hebrew letter? Our future is "secure" because of the "nail" in a sure place.

The appearance of the letter in ancient Hebrew represents it's meaning, a coiled snake and the thought of surrounding, or holding in it's coils, and also of "twisting." It is amazing in that one of the ways of writing the ancient letter Tav besides as a cross, was in the form of an "X". To see this letter encircled in the "coils" of the snake, only serves to reinforce the Gospel message to me. The covenant between God and His children was held captive by the serpent (as this ancient letter illustrates) and required the Aleph (the strong leader) to judge and correct the problem with the Vav (nail). (See the ancient word picture for "sign" at the last letter of this presentation)


The 10th letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the Yod and it the smallest letter of all. It's literal meaning is a "closed hand". It's symbolic meaning is "to make" "work/works" "a deed done." It's Gematria, both ordinal and standard is 10. In Hebrew 10 represents a "minyan", a group of ten adult males necessary to have a "legal congregation" or assembly. From this Hebrew letter, the Greek "iota" was formed. The number ten represents "completeness", i.e. ten commandments, ten fingers, ten toes etc.
I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.    I Timothy 2.8

In the ancient Hebrew word pictures, the yod was drawn as a "hand" complete with the arm above the elbow. It symbolized work done. The name of the Tenth Letter, , comes from the Hebrew word for a Hand, Yad. This connection is extremely well established in the Alphabetic Verses where Yad (Hand) appears four times in the verses corresponding to Yod:
Prov. 31:19, Psalm 119:73, Lam. 1:10, 4:10

It is written: But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. John 20:24-27


The 11th letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the Chaf/Kaf. It's literal meaning is an "open hand", "a wing", "an extension". It's symbolic meaning is to cover, to allow or to open. It's Gematria is ordinal 11 standard 20.

In the picture Hebrew of Moses it was drawn like what it represented, an open hand. The center of the Hebrew alphabet, it shows the open hand of God's blessing for all who embrace Him.


The twelfth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the Lamed, the letter of teaching, learning and purpose. The Lamed is the tallest of all the letters. It's Gematria is ordinal 12, and positional 30 The Letter Lamed represents the "rod of the teacher." It is the "pointer letter" - that's why its taller than the rest, for it "points" the way toward God. And just as the role of the teacher is to point to the Truth, so the grammatical function of Lamed is to indicate the propositions "to", "for", "according to". Rabbi Yitzach Ginsburgh says of the Lamed: "The form of the lamed represents the aspiration of the truly devoted pupil to learn from the mouth of the teacher." The literal meaning of the letter lamed is "to learn" (or "teach"). All good teachers know that we "teach" to learn.

The ancient picture form of this letter is a cattle goad and in this form it symbolized: to control or the controller, to prod or urge forward, to go towards of forward, and a tongue.


The thirteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the mem. It's literal meaning is water or waters. It's Gematria is 13 ordinal and 40 standard. It's symbolic meaning is womb, chaotic water (like the ocean), mighty (as the ocean) to come from water.

In the ancient picture Hebrew it looked like this. It related to Moses, mighty, mighty waters (nations) and this is how Moses got his name. Moses means Drawn from the waters.


The fourteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the nun. It's Gematria is ordinal 14 and standard 50 This letter's meaning is: seed, fish, movement, New or active life. It's symbolic meaning is posterity, a Continuance. This gave rise to a variety of related meanings such as to continue, increase, propagate, and sprout.

In the ancient picture language this was pictured as a seed in ancient Hebrew and Egyptian cultures. As mentioned, it represented "life", "posterity", "active life". As used in the Hebrew word for son , the nun symbolized the posterity of the house.


The fifteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the Samech. It's literal meaning is a "prop" or "support". It's symbolic meaning is to prop up, support, to turn aside, like a prop on a tree to change the direction of it's growth. It's Gematria is 15 ordinal and 60 positional.

In the ancient picture Hebrew, it looked like this. The Hebrew word for book is se-fer and in the ancient word picture language it tells us that a book will support the mouth of a man or woman. (a book helps you speak to other people)


The sixteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the Ayin. The eye and this letter are symbol of sight and insightand the literal meaning of this letter. By its full spelling it has two fundamental meanings: eye and fountain.

A wonderful example of this letter is found in the alphabetic verses:
Psalm 25.15: Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
Psalm 119.123: Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness.
Psalm 145.15: The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.

In the ancient picture Hebrew of Moses this letter was drawn like a human eye because this was the literal meaning of the letter's name.


The seventeenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the Pey (Fey). It's literal meaning is mouth and it's symbolic meaning is "to open", "speak", "word", "the beginning" (like a river). The letters Gematria is 17 ordinal and 80 standard.

In the ancient picture Hebrew, the letter Pey was drawn according to the meaning, in this case, a mouth.
Let the words of my mouth,and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14 In Hebrew, a word for redeem is Pa-dah and the picture this word shows us is that "redemption is the mouth of the door". Jesus/Yeshua said "I am the door:" in John 10:7,9
The ancient and modern Hebrew letters are telling us that redemption is by the words of the door, and that door is Jesus.


The eighteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the Tzaddi. It is the symbol of righteousness and humility. The literal meaning of this letter is a fish hook. It's symbolic meaning is "to pull toward", "desire", "trouble", "harvest". Its Gematria is 18 ordinal and 90 standard.

In ancient Hebrew this letter was drawn like a hook. In Hebrew, to "want" or "desire" is Ra-tsah and the word picture tells us that desire is when a person is "hooked". Another significant word is the Hebrew word for Righteousness, Tse-dek and the word picture tells us that you are righteous when your hook is the door you follow. See John 10:7,9


The nineteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the Koof. It is the letter of Holiness and Growth cycles. It's literal meaning is "the back of the head", and it's symbolic meaning is "behind", "the least", or "last". (The last will be first) (he who would be the greatest among you [first] will be the servant [least, last] of all) The Gematria is positional 19 and standard 100, and in the ancient picture Hebrew was drawn like the picture below.



The twentieth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the Reish. The literal meaning of the Reish is "first", "Head" and the symbolic meaning is "first" "person", the "most important", "highest" or the "highest/first person". The Gematria is positional 20 and standard 200, and you can see the meaning in the way the ancient picture letter below was drawn in the shape of a mans head. An important Hebrew word is Rav (Rabbi) and by this ancient word picture, we see that he is the "head of the house".



The twenty-first letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the Sheen. It's literal meaning is "teeth" (picture the 3 upright legs as your lower front teeth) and the symbolic meaning is "sharp", "to consume, devour or destroy". Two most important words that bear out the theme of "destroy" begin with the sheen. They are the word for "Repent" [Shoov] and the word meaning peace, wholeness and wellness (Shalom).
Because repentance comes when we "destroy" our old house, leaving nothing to turn back to. In John chapter 6 and verse 66, after hearing Jesus speak a saying that was particularly hard for them to receive, many of His disciples left Him, and walked not after Him anymore (a prophetic picture of a greater falling away in the end of times?): From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.[Verse 66].
The correct answer is given to us in verse 68, where it is written:
Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
Simon Peter has "destroyed" his old house, and knows that there is nothing to turn back to. Sadly, many have NOT destroyed their old lives and will seek to turn back to their old "house" when the end time going gets tough. They will miss this revealing truth and miss out because they did NOT have a deep enough commitment to "destroy" their old "house" as part of their repentance.

The word meaning peace, wholeness and wellness [Shalom] tells us that peace comes when we "destroy" the authority that causes chaos (the works of satan?).



The twenty-second and last letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the Tav. It's literal meaning is "ownership" "covenant" "sign" "a mark" and "to join two things together".

In the ancient Hebrew picture letters the Tav was written as a cross, and later as an X. In the ancient Hebrew word for "sign" we see that the SIGN is "the strong leader nailed to the cross". It is this same word that is translated in the Greek text of Luke 2:12 which reads: And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

The Hebrew word for religion is "DaT" the ancient word picture tell us that religion is the "door of the sign" or the "door of the cross".

Truly the Hebrew language is amazing in what it has to teach us today. As we proceed farther in the coming months, we will see more amazing things from God's eternal word. We will delve deeper into the meaning of each letter, and see anagrams, acrostics and on the Jacob's ladder page, the equa-distant letter sequences known as the "Bible codes".

One last thing before we stop here. We are told in John's gospel that "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). Let's connect the dots here to get a good picture. The letters literally came off the scroll and came to life, flesh, in the person of Jesus/Yeshua. Yeshua went on to complete the plan of salvation by dying on a Roman cross. On the third day, He was resurrected, brought back to life by the power of the Holy Spirit. In a parallel, the Hebrew language died out almost 1900 years ago. It was "resurrected", brought back from the dead by the efforts of ONE man. Eliezer Ben Yehuda began this monumental task in 1881 at the age of 23 years old, he work diligently to form new words for modern things that had no word equivalent in the Hebrew language. His strongest opponents were the Orthodox Jews who felt that he was making the Holy language a "common" language of the street. However, in 1921 Hebrew was declared as an "official language" in "Palestine" and in 1967 Hebrew was restored to the common people as a "pure language".
As it is written:
For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, Zeph. 3:9a Could it just be that the Name of the LORD is a Hebrew one?