ELTBefore Introduction
Learning Hebrew: My Journey
When I first started learning Hebrew, my main goal was to find out if the meanings people gave to Hebrew words were really true. The Hebrew alphabet was so new to me that I couldn't even recognize the letters at first. To get better, I used a children's workbook and traced the letters until I could tell them apart.
I also used tools like Strong’s Concordance and Harris’ Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament to learn what Hebrew words meant. But as I dug deeper, I noticed something troubling: much of the information wasn’t reliable. For example, the Wordbook was based on vowel marks (called nikud) that didn’t exist until 600 AD, long after Jesus’ time. Many entries had notes like:
“4a – Assumed root...” “1a – Assumed root...” “27a – Assumed root...”
These notes admitted that the roots and meanings were mostly guesses. I didn’t want to build my understanding of Hebrew on guesses, especially since I was studying the language of the Bible.
Next, I looked into what the Rabbis taught about Hebrew. They had a deeper knowledge of the language in some ways, but their teachings often left out Jesus. This meant their interpretations were sometimes off track. Even when they had some correct insights, much of what they taught was still misleading.
For example, the Rabbis told Jerome (who translated the Bible into Latin) that Hebrew had only 22 letters, like Greek. But that wasn’t true. Hebrew has 28 letters, including six “final forms” used only at the end of words. One of these letters even appeared on the priest’s clothing but wasn’t found in any words. The number 28 made more sense because each letter carries a special meaning.
The Rabbis also claimed that every Hebrew word came from three-letter roots, like in Greek. But this ignored an important part of Hebrew: the shapes and strokes of the letters themselves have meaning. These shapes are key to understanding Hebrew words, but the Rabbis didn’t focus on them.
To understand Hebrew better, I realized I needed to move away from the usual methods. I decided to study the letters and their shapes to discover their meanings on my own. Since the ancient way of understanding Hebrew had been forgotten, I began reverse-engineering the language.
I broke down about 8,000 Hebrew words (called lemmas) from Strong’s Concordance into their individual letters. Then, I studied the strokes and shapes of each letter, treating Hebrew like a huge, 3D crossword puzzle. As I worked, patterns and connections began to appear. When I applied these ideas to the first verse of Genesis, it felt like a big breakthrough.
My work isn’t finished, and I’d love to hear thoughts and ideas from others. But so far, this journey has been exciting and rewarding. I believe I’m on the right path to uncovering the deeper meanings of Hebrew and, through it, the Bible itself.
Rethinking Hebrew Study Tools
The author points out problems with modern tools like Strong’s Concordance and the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. These tools depend on vowel markings, called nikud, which were added to Hebrew around 600 AD. While these markings help with pronunciation, they may limit our understanding of deeper meanings in Hebrew texts.
Here are some of the challenges and risks involved with relying too much on nikud: Challenges and Risks
Hiding Multiple Meanings:
Vowel points lock in one specific meaning for a word, which might block us from seeing other possible meanings.
For example:
אָמַר (amar) means “word.”
אִמֵּר (immer) means “lamb.”
Without nikud, we could notice how the same word connects Jesus as both the Word (logos) and the Lamb (amnos) in Greek.
Impact on Symbolism:
Deeper readings, like those using sensus plenior (hidden or layered meanings), often explore symbolic or prophetic connections.
For instance, without nikud, we could better see אמר as tying together Jesus’ role as both the Word and the Lamb.
Potential Errors in Translation:
Modern tools rely on nikud, which can lead to narrow interpretations.
Changes in vowel markings might even cause debates or misunderstandings about scripture.
A Better Way to Study Hebrew
To find deeper connections, such as seeing Jesus as both the Word and the Lamb, we can:
Use Unpointed Texts:
Work with Hebrew texts that don’t have nikud to explore other meanings.
Understand Two-Letter Gates:
Hebrew words are often built around two-letter “gates” that hold a basic idea. A third letter is added to give more detail.
For example, the gate א-מ (ʾ-m) means “speech” or “saying.” Words like אמר (amar, “word” or “say”) and אמת (emet, “truth”) are based on this idea. Studying gates can help us find themes across scripture. The truth is the word אמר that gives life; see the ר changed to ת.
Use Typology:
Typology looks at how New Testament writers found meanings in the Hebrew Bible. This approach can reveal patterns that point to Jesus.
Conclusion
By studying Hebrew without nikud and focusing on the shapes and meanings of letters, we can uncover deeper insights. Words like אמר can show how Jesus is both the Word and the Lamb, connecting themes throughout the Bible. Exploring unpointed texts and typology opens up exciting new ways to understand scripture.
