Paleo-Hebrew Gematria
Paleo-Hebrew Gematria uses the ancient Phoenician-derived script that predates the modern Hebrew square script. This ancient writing system was used in the earliest biblical texts and inscriptions, dating back to the 10th century BCE. The numerical values follow the same pattern as traditional Hebrew gematria.
Paleo-Hebrew Alphabet
| Paleo-Hebrew Letter | Name | Numerical Value |
|---|---|---|
| 𐤀 | Aleph | 1 |
| 𐤁 | Bet | 2 |
| 𐤂 | Gimel | 3 |
| 𐤃 | Dalet | 4 |
| 𐤄 | He | 5 |
| 𐤅 | Waw | 6 |
| 𐤆 | Zayin | 7 |
| 𐤇 | Het | 8 |
| 𐤈 | Tet | 9 |
| 𐤉 | Yod | 10 |
| 𐤊 | Kaph | 20 |
| 𐤋 | Lamed | 30 |
| 𐤌 | Mem | 40 |
| 𐤍 | Nun | 50 |
| 𐤎 | Samekh | 60 |
| 𐤏 | Ayin | 70 |
| 𐤐 | Pe | 80 |
| 𐤑 | Tsade | 90 |
| 𐤒 | Qoph | 100 |
| 𐤓 | Resh | 200 |
| 𐤔 | Shin | 300 |
| 𐤕 | Taw | 400 |
Try Paleo-Hebrew Gematria
Enter a Paleo-Hebrew word or phrase to calculate its gematria value:
Examples
About Paleo-Hebrew Gematria
Paleo-Hebrew (also known as Ktav Ivri) is an ancient script used to write Hebrew before the adoption of the Aramaic-derived square script. This ancient alphabet is visually distinct from modern Hebrew letters but represents the same sounds and carries the same numerical values in gematria calculations.
The Paleo-Hebrew script was used in ancient Israel during the First Temple period and appears on archaeological findings such as the Siloam inscription, various seals, and coins from the Hasmonean period. Some of the Dead Sea Scrolls also contain text written in this ancient script, particularly for writing the divine name.
Studying Paleo-Hebrew gematria offers a connection to the most ancient forms of biblical numerology. The pictographic nature of these letters also adds another dimension to interpretation, as each letter was originally derived from a pictogram representing a concrete object or concept.
For example:
- Aleph (𐤀) originally depicted an ox head, representing strength and leadership
- Bet (𐤁) depicted a house or tent, representing family and shelter
- Mem (𐤌) depicted water, representing chaos or mighty potential
- Ayin (𐤏) depicted an eye, representing perception and understanding
This combination of numerical values and pictographic meanings makes Paleo-Hebrew gematria particularly rich for those studying the deepest layers of biblical symbolism and ancient Hebrew thought.