Gematria for Beginners: The Complete Guide to Biblical Number-Letter Values
Gematria is the ancient practice of assigning numeric values to Hebrew and Greek letters. This complete beginner's guide teaches you the system, the methods, and how to calculate any word yourself.
Gematria (from the Greek geometria) is the practice of assigning numeric values to letters in a word or phrase, then analyzing the resulting number for meaning. It is not magic or superstition — it is a mathematical property of the Hebrew and Greek alphabets that was recognized and used by biblical authors.
To calculate a word's gematria, add the values of all its letters. Example: Shalom (שלום) = Shin(300) + Lamed(30) + Vav(6) + Mem(40) = 376.
How It Works: Greek
Greek isopsephy works the same way with 24 letters. Alpha=1 through Omega=800. Example: Iesous (Ἰησοῦς / Jesus) = 10+8+200+70+400+200 = 888.
Types of Gematria
Standard (Mispar Hechrachi): The basic letter-value system above
Ordinal (Mispar Siduri): Each letter = its position (Aleph=1, Bet=2... Tav=22)
Reduced (Mispar Katan): Reduce all values to single digits
Atbash: Substitute each letter with its mirror (first↔last)
Before comparing totals, review the normalization and counting rules so spelling, final forms, and the selected method stay explicit.
Is Gematria Biblical?
Yes. The Bible uses it directly: Revelation 13:18 invites the reader to "calculate the number" of the beast (666). This is an explicit instruction to use gematria. The practice is embedded in Scripture itself.
Getting Started
Use our free Gematria Calculator to compute any Hebrew, Greek, or English word. Start with names from Scripture — you'll be amazed at what the numbers reveal.