The Hebrew alphabet — the Aleph-Bet — is unlike any other writing system. Each of its 22 letters is simultaneously a letter, a number, and a pictograph. When you read Hebrew Scripture, you are reading on three levels at once.
The 22 Letters and Their Values
| Letter | Name | Value | Pictograph |
|---|---|---|---|
| א | Aleph | 1 | Ox head — strength, leadership |
| ב | Bet | 2 | House — dwelling, family |
| ג | Gimel | 3 | Camel — movement, carrying |
| ד | Dalet | 4 | Door — entry, pathway |
| ה | Hey | 5 | Window — revelation, breath of God |
| ו | Vav | 6 | Nail/Hook — connection, binding |
| ז | Zayin | 7 | Sword — cutting, completion |
| ח | Chet | 8 | Fence — private, new beginning |
| ט | Tet | 9 | Basket — containment, fruit |
| י | Yod | 10 | Hand — work, deed |
| כ | Kaf | 20 | Open palm — covering, allowing |
| ל | Lamed | 30 | Staff — authority, teaching |
| מ | Mem | 40 | Water — chaos, testing |
| נ | Nun | 50 | Fish — life, activity |
| ס | Samekh | 60 | Support — prop, upholding |
| ע | Ayin | 70 | Eye — seeing, perception |
| פ | Pey | 80 | Mouth — speech, word |
| צ | Tsade | 90 | Fish hook — righteousness, catching |
| ק | Qof | 100 | Back of head — behind, following |
| ר | Resh | 200 | Head — leader, beginning |
| ש | Shin | 300 | Teeth — consuming, pressing |
| ת | Tav | 400 | Cross/Mark — covenant, sign |
Reading the Layers
Consider the first word of the Bible: בראשית (Bereshit — "In the beginning"):
- Bet (ב) = 2 — House
- Resh (ר) = 200 — Head
- Aleph (א) = 1 — Strength
- Shin (ש) = 300 — Consuming fire
- Yod (י) = 10 — Hand of God
- Tav (ת) = 400 — Cross/sign
Reading the pictographs: "The house of the head of strength, the fire of God's hand on the cross." The first word of the Bible, read pictographically, points to Christ crucified.
Gematria value of בראשית = 2+200+1+300+10+400 = 913 — a number whose prime factorization and relationships continue to yield prophetic insight through deeper study.
Your Foundation
Memorizing this table is the single most valuable investment you can make in biblical gematria. These 22 letters are the building blocks of everything that follows — every calculation, every pattern, every hidden layer of meaning. Start here. Master here. Build from here.