Hebrew Study - Learn to Read the Holy Tongue - Yehovah Covenant Fellowship

Scripture was first spoken and written in Hebrew. Yeshua read from the Hebrew scrolls, and every name He was called - יֵשׁוּעַ (Yeshua), מָשִׁיחַ (Mashiach) - carries its meaning in the Holy Tongue. When we learn to read Hebrew, the Word comes alive as it was first given.

How Hebrew Reading Works - 5 Steps

Read right to left. Hebrew books open on the right. The first letter of a word is on the right, and reading moves leftward.

The 22 letters are consonants. Each letter makes a consonant sound (like English b, d, m). See the Aleph-Bet table below.

The vowels are small dots and dashes. They are written below or beside the letters - that is what you sound out: consonant + vowel = syllable.

Sound it out. Example: בַּ = ba, בֵּ = be, בּוֹ = bo, בּוּ = bu. The letter ב (bet) carries the vowel.

Practice with words you already know. Shalom, Torah, Yeshua, Amen - the table below will help you read them.

The Aleph-Bet - 22 Letters

Letter	Name	Sound	Transliteration
א	Aleph	silent; a catch in the throat	' (a silent carrier)
ב	Bet	b (or v without the dot)	b / v
ג	Gimel	g as in give	g
ד	Dalet	d as in door	d
ה	He	h as in house	h
ו	Vav	v (or w)	v / w
ז	Zayin	z as in zebra	z
ח	Het	ch as in Bach (throaty)	ch / kh
ט	Tet	t as in time	t
י	Yod	y as in yes	y
כ	Kaf	k (or kh without the dot)	k / kh
ל	Lamed	l as in love	l
מ	Mem	m as in mother	m
נ	Nun	n as in night	n
ס	Samekh	s as in sun	s
ע	Ayin	silent; deep guttural (carries a vowel)	' (a silent carrier)
פ	Pe	p (or f without the dot)	p / f
צ	Tsadi	ts as in cats	ts / tz
ק	Qof	k, made deep in the throat	q / k
ר	Resh	r, slightly rolled	r
ש	Shin	sh (dot right) or s (dot left)	sh / s
ת	Tav	t as in tent	t

Final Letters (Sofit)

Five letters change shape when they end a word - the sound stays the same:

Normal	End of Word	Name
כ	ך	Kaf sofit
מ	ם	Mem sofit
נ	ן	Nun sofit
פ	ף	Pe sofit
צ	ץ	Tsadi sofit

The Vowels (Niqqud)

Sign	Name	Sound	As in
ַ	Patach	a	father
ָ	Qamats	a	father
ֶ	Segol	e	bed
ֵ	Tsere	e	they
ִ	Hiriq	i	machine
ֹ	Cholam	o	go
ֻ	Qubuts	u	ruler
וּ	Shuruk	u	ruler (a vav with a dot)
ְ	Sheva	silent, or a very short e	taken

The dot inside a letter (like בּ) is called a dagesh - it makes the letter "hard" (b instead of v, p instead of f, k instead of kh).

Your First Hebrew Words

Sound these out using the tables above:

שָׁלוֹםSha-lomPeace, wholeness

תּוֹרָהTo-rahInstruction, the Law

יֵשׁוּעַYe-shu-aSalvation - Yeshua

אָמֵןA-menTruly, so be it

אַבָּאAb-baFather, Dad

בְּרֵאשִׁיתBe-rei-shitIn the beginning

Key Scripture Words

יְהוָה

YHVH

The LORD - the sacred Name: Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh, "Behold the hand, behold the nails"

יֵשׁוּעַ

Yeshua

Salvation - the Name above every name

מָשִׁיחַ

Mashiach

Messiah - the Anointed One

אֱלֹהִים

Elohim

God (mighty One)

רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ

Ruach HaQodesh

The Holy Spirit (Wind/Breath of the Holy)

שָׁלוֹם

Shalom

Peace, wholeness, completeness

תּוֹרָה

Torah

Instruction - the first five books

חֶסֶד

Chesed

Lovingkindness, covenant mercy

אֱמוּנָה

Emunah

Faith, trust, firmness

צֶדֶק

Tzedek

Righteousness, justice

קֹדֶשׁ

Qodesh

Holiness, set apart

שַׁבָּת

Shabbat

Sabbath - the seventh day rest

אָב

Father

בֵּן

Ben

Son

נָבִיא

Navi

Prophet

מַלְאָךְ

Malakh

Messenger, angel

לֵב

Lev

Heart

נֶפֶשׁ

Nefesh

Soul, life, being

חַיִּים

Chayim

Life

דֶּרֶךְ

Derekh

Way, path

אֶרֶץ

Eretz

Land, earth

אוֹר

Light

אָמֵן

Amen

Truly - "so be it"

Did you know? The Hebrew name Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ) means "Salvation" - and in Matthew 1:21 the angel says, "Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." The Hebrew יֵשׁוּעַ is the name, and its meaning is the message.