Not all languages look the same. The English language uses the modern Latin alphabet, Chinese uses characters called Hanzi, and Arabic uses letters called Huruf. If we’re not familiar with these writing systems, it can be difficult to understand what is being communicated.

The Bible is the most important book we could ever read—but what if we couldn’t understand what was being said? Though the Bible has been translated into English, looking at the languages in which it was originally written can help us gain a fuller understanding of what is being communicated.

The Old Testament was written primarily in Hebrew, and the Hebrew letters were originally pictographs. Watch the class to learn how to study them!

What Are Pictographs?

Just as emojis in modern communication use pictures to communicate ideas, ancient writing systems also used pictures to convey meaning. Early Hebrew letters can be traced to pictographic forms in which each picture communicated an idea or meaning.

• The letter Aleph (cp. English A) was originally an ox.
• The letter Beth (cp. English B) was originally a tent or house.
• The letter Kaph (cp. English C) was originally the palm of a hand.

Hebrew is also interesting because it reads right to left, which is the opposite of English. When used in proper context, studying these early pictographs can give us additional insight into Hebrew words and a more complete view of what God was saying in scripture!

How To Study Pictographs

Study tools can be very helpful when digging deeper into Scripture. For Hebrew pictographs, we have a free chart that gives you a clear view of each pictograph, the English letter it corresponds to, and its meaning. 

Remember, pictographs are a study tool. They should be considered alongside the Hebrew word itself and the context of Scripture—not used to create a meaning that is not in line with what is written in the Word of God. For now, let’s look at some examples:

• Example #1: Father – Ab (H1)
  • Ab has two letters:
    • Aleph א — an ox; it spoke of strength and the first
    • Beth ב — a house, tent, or family
  • Father speaks of the strength of the house.
• Example #2: Satan – Satan (H7854)
  • Satan has three letters:
    • Shin ש — a picture of two teeth; it spoke of devouring and destroying
    • Tet ט — a picture of a serpent or a basket; it spoke of something that surrounded something
    • Nun ן — a picture of a seed; it spoke of life or action
  • Satan speaks of one who takes life, surrounds it, and devours it—just like a serpent.
• Example #3: God – El (H410)
  • El has two letters:
    • Aleph א — an ox; it spoke of strength and the first
    • Lamed ל — a shepherd’s staff; it spoke of teaching, leading, and going toward
  • God speaks of a strong leader—strength that leads.

Want to learn even more about Hebrew pictographs, like when NOT to use them, the importance of root words, and much more? Visit Just Word Academy for full notes, a quiz, and more!