Paleo Hebrew Alphabet Chart
Meanings and biblical uses of each letter of Father’s alphabet. For more information on how the letters are used in Hebrew words, see our Paleo Hebrew Alphabet video series.
ALEF
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sound(s): A, E
Picture: Bull
Common Letter Meanings: Chief, Leader, Strong, Strength
Closest Hebrew Word(s), with Strongs #s: #H504 Eleph: oxen
Sample Use:
GOD (“EL” in Hebrew) is the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4).
E (alef) = Chief
L (lamed) = Shepherd
BET
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sound(s): B, V
Picture: Father’s House (temple)
Common Letter Meanings: In, Inside, Within, House, Father’s House (temple)
Closest Hebrew Word(s), with Strongs #s: #H1004 Bayit: YHVH’s temple, a house
Sample Use:
The letter Bet 
is used as a prefix all throughout the scriptures to mean “in.”
GIMMEL
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sound(s): G
Picture: Camel Foot
Common Letter Meanings: Lift, Walk, Strength, Ability
Closest Hebrew Word(s), with Strongs #s: #H1581 Gamal: camel
Sample Use:
Pride (“geeh” in Hebrew) is lifting up the horn of man. A similar word is “gaah,” which means exalted. A proud man lifts up his own horn, but GOD exalts the horn of the righteous.
G (gimmel) = lift
E (alef) = horn
H (hey) = man
DALET
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sound(s): D
Picture: Tent Door
Common Letter Meanings: Door, Gate, Move, Movement, Low, Hanging Down
Closest Hebrew Word(s), with Strongs #s: #H1817 Delet: door, gate
Sample Use:
When the sole of a foot is lowered down, a thing is crushed (“dak” in Hebrew).
D (dalet) = lower
K (kaf) = sole of foot
HEY
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sound(s): H, -ah
Picture: Man With Arms Raised
Common Letter Meanings: Look, Lo, Behold, The, This, Reveal, Man, Mankind, Existence, Life
Closest Hebrew Word(s), with Strongs #s: #H1887 He: behold, lo
Sample Use:
The word for mountain (“har” in Hebrew) is a picture of beholding the top.
H (hey) = behold
R (resh) = top
VAV
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sound(s): V
Picture: Hook
Common Letter Meanings: And, With, To join things together
Closest Hebrew Word(s), with Strongs #s: #H2053 Vav: tabernacle hook
Sample Use:
The letter Vav 
is used as a prefix all throughout the scriptures to mean “and.”
ZAYIN
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sound(s): Z
Picture: Plow’s Edge
Common Letter Meanings: Cut, Shake, Make ready, Overturn
Closest Hebrew Word(s), with Strongs #s: n.a.
Sample Use:
An olive tree (“zayit” in Hebrew) can be manually harvested by shaking the tree very strongly with the arms.
Z (zayin) = shake
Y (yod) = arm
T (tav) = strong
CHET
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sample Use:
The Hebrew word for “outcast” is “dachah.”
It’s a picture of a man being moved outside.
D (dalet) = moved
Ch (chet) = outside
H (hey) = man
TET
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sound(s): T
Picture: Container
Common Letter Meanings: Surround, Store, Keep, Contain, Cover, Gather together, Food
Closest Hebrew Word(s), with Strongs #s: #H2916 Teet: mud, mire, clay
Sample Use:
To trust in Hebrew (“batach”) is a picture of being inside a surrounding wall.
B (bet) = inside
T (tet) = surrounding
Ch (chet) = wall
YOD
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sound(s): Y
Picture: Hand and Arm
Common Letter Meanings: Work, Do, Make, Hand, Arm, Help, Power, Authority
Closest Hebrew Word(s), with Strongs #s: #H3028 Yad: hand, power, authority
Sample Use:
The Hebrew word for knowing is “yada.”
YAD (arm) = make
A (ayin) = known
KAF
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sound(s): K, Kh, -akh
Picture: Palm of Hand
Common Letter Meanings: Hand, Palm of hand, Sole of foot, Crush, Cover, Grip, Grasp, Subjugate
Closest Hebrew Word(s), with Strongs #s: #H3709 Kaph: hand, palm, grasp
Sample Use:
To walk (“halak” in Hebrew) is a picture of a staff in the palm of one’s hand.
H (hey) = man
L (lamed) = staff
K (kaph) = palm of hand
LAMED
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sound(s): L
Picture: Shepherd’s Staff
Common Letter Meanings: Staff, Lead, Guide, Teach, Protect, To, Toward
Closest Hebrew Word(s), with Strongs #s: #H3925 Lamad: teach
Sample Use:
To those who are His, HE gives a new heart (“leb”) and a new spirit so we can follow His ways.
L (lamed) = teacher/guide
B (bet) = inside
MEM
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sound(s): M
Picture: Water
Common Letter Meanings: Waters, Sea, Drink, Tumult, Upheaval, Lift up (like waves), The unknown, Many, People
Closest Hebrew Word(s), with Strongs #s: #H4325 Mayim: waters
Sample Use:
Rain (“matar” in Hebrew) is a picture of water surrounding the head.
M (mem) = water
T (tet) = surrounds
R (resh) = head
NACHASH
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sound(s): N
Picture: Serpent
Common Letter Meanings: Reflective, Shiny, GOD-given, Life (as something GOD’s light shines on), Spiritual, Serpent
Closest Hebrew Word(s), with Strongs #s: #H5175 Nachash: serpent
Sample Use:
A snakebite (“nashak” in Hebrew) is a picture of a snake’s teeth crushing something.
N (nachash) = snake
Sh (shin) = teeth
K (kaf) = crush
SAMEK
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sound(s): S
Picture: Barb
Common Letter Meanings: Hold, Establish, Prevent, Turn
Closest Hebrew Word(s), with Strongs #s: #H5564 Samak: uphold
Sample Use:
A book (“sepher” in Hebrew) is used to hold the sayings of men.
S (samek) = hold
P (peh) = saying
R (resh) = man
AYIN
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sound(s): A, E, O
Picture: Eye
Common Letter Meanings: Eye, Sight, Knowledge, Understanding, Perception
Closest Hebrew Word(s), with Strongs #s: #H5869 Ayin: eye, sight, appearance, knowledge
Sample Use:
Weeping (“dama” in Hebrew) is the movement of water from the eyes.
D (dalet) = move
M (mem) = water
A (ayin) = eye
PEH
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sound(s): P
Picture: Mouth
Common Letter Meanings: Mouth, Open, Opening, Edge, Rim, Saying, Command
Closest Hebrew Word(s), with Strongs #s: #H6310 Peh: mouth, edge, opening, command
Sample Use:
A morsel (“pat” in Hebrew) indicates a mouthful of something.
P (peh) = mouth
T (tav) = indicator
TSADE
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sample Use:
An adversary (“tsar” in Hebrew) lies in wait for man.
Ts (tsade) = lie in wait
R (resh) = man
QUF
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sample Use:
The word for assembly in Hebrew is “qahal.” It’s a picture of men gathering to the staff.
Q (quf) = gather
H (hey) = man
L (lamed) = staff
RESH
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sound(s): R
Picture: Head
Common Letter Meanings: Man, Head, Chief, Top, First, Beginning
Closest Hebrew Word(s), with Strongs #s: #H7218 Rosh: head, top, chief, beginning
Sample Use:
The word for high, exalted, and tall in Hebrew is “rum.” It’s a picture of a lifted head.
R (resh) = head
M (mem) = lifted (like waves of water)
SHIN
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sound(s): Sh, S
Picture: Teeth
Common Letter Meanings: Teeth, Eat, Front, Consume, Destroy
Closest Hebrew Word(s), with Strongs #s: #H8127 Shin: tooth, teeth
Sample Use:
To repent (“shub” in Hebrew) is to face Father’s House.
Sh (shin) = face frontward
B (bet) = Father’s House
TAV
Original Hebrew
Later Hebrew
Modern Aramaic
Sound(s): T
Picture: Mark
Common Letter Meanings: Mark, Strong indicator, Strength
Closest Hebrew Word(s), with Strongs #s: #H8420 Tav: mark
Sample Use:
Writing (“katab” in Hebrew) is a picture of the hand marking the inside of something.
K (kaf) = hand
T (tav) = mark
B (bet) = inside