Letter • Name • Pronunciation • Meaning (pictograph)
Biblical/ancient meanings are traditional/pictographic and used for learning.
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The four letters YHVH (יהוה) are the Tetragrammaton — God’s covenant name in the Hebrew Bible.
Meaning: Related to Exodus 3:14 (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh ) — "I AM WHO I AM." The root forms show past (היה — "He was" ), present (הוה — "He is" ), and future (יהיה — "He will be" ). In essence, YHVH = the Eternal One, the self-existent God.
Traditionally too holy to pronounce; substitutes include Adonai (Lord ) or HaShem (The Name ).
Early Christian interpretation connects YHVH with the person and work of Jesus.
In short: YHVH is the Eternal One, and Jesus reveals and fulfills that Name through salvation, presence, and eschatological hope.
| Letter (Hebrew) | Name (Translit) | Pronunciation | Meaning / Symbol | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| א | Aleph | Silent / glottal (like a breath) — like 'a' in some vocalizations | Ox, strength, leader | Represents the primal strength; often silent in modern Hebrew. |
| בּ / ב | Bet / Vet | b (Bet with dagesh) / v (Vet without dagesh) | House, dwelling | "Bet" means house; the shape suggests an entrance. |
| ג | Gimel | g as in 'go' | Camel, lifting up | Often associated with movement or generosity. |
| ד | Dalet | d as in 'door' | Door, pathway | Relates to access or humility. |
| ה | He | h as in 'house' (breath) | Breath, window, revelation | Connected with divine revelation and spirit. |
| ו | Vav | v (sometimes w) | Hook, nail, connection | Functions as a conjunction 'and' in Hebrew. |
| ז | Zayin | z as in 'zoo' | Weapon, sword | Linked to sustenance and struggle. |
| ח | Chet | kh (like German Bach) | Fence, enclosure, life | A guttural sound not found in many languages. |
| ט | Tet | t (soft) | Basket, surround, goodness | Sometimes associated with 'good' in Semitic roots. |
| י | Yod | y as in 'yes' | Hand, work, spark | Smallest letter; often symbolizes the divine point of action. |
| כ / ך | Kaf / Final Kaf | k (or kh soft) | Palm, open hand | Final form ך used at word ends. |
| ל | Lamed | l as in 'lion' | Staff, learning, teaching | Letter with a tall ascender in the script. |
| מ / ם | Mem / Final Mem | m as in 'mother' | Water, chaos, nations | Represents flow; final form ם used at word ends. |
| נ / ן | Nun / Final Nun | n as in 'nest' | Seed, offspring, life | Final ן appears at ends of words. |
| ס | Samekh | s as in 'sun' | Support, pillar | Encircling/support image in ancient pictographs. |
| ע | Ayin | silent or 'ah/eh' (pharyngeal) | Eye, insight, vision | Originally a voiced pharyngeal — often silent in Modern Hebrew. |
| פ / ף | Pe / Final Pe | p (with dagesh) or f (without) | Mouth, speech, expression | Final ף used at word ends. |
| צ / ץ | Tsade / Final Tsade | ts as in 'cats' | Righteousness, hook | Often linked to justice and humility. |
| ק | Qof | k (deep/kq) — back-of-throat k | Back of head, holiness | Represents the sacred, boundary between sacred and profane. |
| ר | Resh | r (rolled or guttural) | Head, beginning, leader | May have a slight guttural sound historically. |
| שׁ / שׂ | Shin / Sin | sh (shin) / s (sin) | Tooth, consume | Distinguished by a dot on the right (shin) or left (sin). |
| ת | Tav | t as in 'truth' | Mark, covenant, sign | Last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. |
Notes: This chart uses common pictographic/ancient meanings for learning. Modern Hebrew pronunciation differs in some cases (Ayin, Chet, Qof). End-forms: ך,ם,ן,ף,ץ are final-letter forms used at the end of words.