Hebrew Word Study – Assigning Numerical Values – Gematria(h) – Gimmel Yod Mem Teth Resh Hei. 

Deuteronomy 26:7: “And we cried unto the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our cries and saw our affliction.” 

When I was teaching in an academic setting, I never referred to the Gematria because it is usually considered very unacademic.  The Gematria is a 3000-year-old study by Jewish sages who assign certain numeric values to the Hebrew alphabet. From these values, they seek associations between various words. The Western world pretty much rejects the Gematria and relegates it to that area of religion that goes off on supernatural things (It is not unusual to find seminary or teachers of religion who don’t believe in God).  

However, it appears the Bible itself teaches the existence of a Gematria.  In Revelation 13:18 we are told: “Here is wisdom, let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast.”   That is, clear and simple, a Gematria.  

Let me give you an example here. Look at Deuteronomy 26:7. This is a wonderful promise. When we cry unto the Lord He hears our cries and sees our afflictions. But, soft, that is just a package that needs to be open. Open it up and you find many little gifts inside.  These gifts are found when you do a word study on “cry” and “affliction.”   You find more little treasures when you seek the meaning behind each Hebrew letter in each word.  There is a pleasant surprise when you search out the root word and its historical origins.  Among the many tools God has given us to study His word, you may discover the gematria to be quite valuable.  After all, numbers are very prominent in the Bible, we have a whole book called Numbers.  Where is the Spiritual value in Genesis 6:15 where Noah is told to build the ark 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high?  I’m like in Bill Cosby’s old routine: “Right, what’s a cubit?”   But who needs to know what a cubit is when you have a powerful spiritual lesson in 300, 50, and 30 which totals 380?  The Hebrew words for Egypt, thick darkness, oppressed, desolate, astonished, slip off, cast out, folly, weakness, beak off, crossroad, firmament, flock, goats, and many others all have a numerical value of 380.  The ark represents God freeing Noah from oppression, darkness, desolation, and weakness.   It represents something astonishing that God will do etc. 

You see, in Hebrew, the letters are also numbers.   Aleph is not only the first letter in the alphabet, it is also the number 1.  Beth, is not only “b” but it is the number 2.  So take the word in Deuteronomy 26;7: “our cry.”  It is spelled Qof which is also the number 100, Lamed which is also the number 30, Nun which is the number  50, and Vav which is the number 6.  This totals 186.  That is the numerical value of the word kolenu which means our cry.  Now let’s look for other Hebrew words that have the same numerical value.  Well, the very next word our affliction is ‘aneynu which is spelled Ayin = 70, Nun = 50, Yod = 10, Nun = 50, and Vav = 6.  The total numerical value of our affliction is 186.  Coincidence or God-incidence?  You choose, but no doubt the words are related.  Our affliction causes us to cry out.  

Let’s drill down deeper.  You have the Hebrew word kesalemo which means after his image.  The numerical value is also 186.  Have you ever considered the fact that God is afflicted and cries out in His affliction?  Every time we sin, every time a sinner dies and goes to Hell, is not God afflicted, does he not, like a parent, feel the pains of affliction or the sufferings of His children?   We are after all made in His image.  So if we suffer it stands to reason we inherited that trait from our Heavenly Father.   

But let’s examine this further, look at the letter Qop itself.  It is spelled Qop = 100, Vav = 6, and Pei = 80 which totals 186.  Qop means growth and holiness.  In our crying out to God in our affliction we will grow in holiness.  Did not David say in Psalms 119, “But for my affliction, I would not have sought the Lord.”  Affliction can be a road to holiness if we call out to God. 

I’m at the end of my devotional so just one more quick word association.  Henimesa’ also has a numerical value of 186. This is an interrogative Qal imperfect form from the root masa’ and means can we find?

When you go through affliction, that is a good question to ask: “Can I find God in this affliction?” And may I leave you with that “Can we find God in the gematria?”  You decide.

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