9 Hebrew words
Hebrew Words in the Bible, Explained
The Old Testament was written in Hebrew, a language that packs meaning into short root words in a way English usually can't match with a single word of its own. Take hesed (חֶסֶד): English Bibles translate it as “mercy,” “lovingkindness,” or “steadfast love” depending on the verse, because no single English word covers what hesed means — covenant loyalty that keeps its promises and then goes further. Reading the English translation alone, you'd never know all three ideas are the same Hebrew word doing the same job across two hundred and fifty verses.
That's true across the Old Testament: a lot of what sounds like a stylistic choice in English is actually one specific Hebrew word carrying a specific weight the translator had to choose how to render. You don't need to learn Hebrew to notice this — you just need someone to show you where the seams are.
That's what Sola's in-app word studies do: tap any verse and see the original Hebrew (or Greek) behind it, in plain English, without leaving the passage you're reading.
- 01
Nachamנָחַם
To grieve, relent, or be moved to comfort — the word behind God's "regret" in Genesis 6:6.
What Does Nacham Mean in Genesis 6:6?
Read the full word study - 02
Raphaרָפָא
To heal — the same word for God healing directly and for a doctor prescribing medicine.
What Does Rapha Mean? The Hebrew Word for Heal That Includes Medicine
Read the full word study - 03
Hesedחֶסֶד
Steadfast, covenant-keeping love that goes further than the promise required.
What Does HESED Mean? The Hebrew Word for Steadfast Love
Read the full word study - 04
Ruachרוּחַ
Spirit, wind, and breath — one Hebrew word for one moving, life-giving power.
What Does Ruach Mean? Hebrew Word for Spirit, Wind, Breath
Read the full word study - 05
Amenאָמֵן
From a root meaning firm and faithful — saying it stakes you on what was just said.
What Does Amen Really Mean in the Bible?
Read the full word study - 06
Qannaקַנָּא
"Jealous" — but protective covenant zeal, not insecurity or envy.
What Does Qanna Mean? The Hebrew Word for Jealous God in Exodus 34:14
Read the full word study - 07
Elohimאֱלֹהִים
The plural-form Hebrew name for God, used throughout the Old Testament.
When God Speaks in Plural: Understanding Elohim
Read the full word study - 08
Tselemצֶלֶם
"Image" — in the ancient world, a king's image carried his authority. So does yours.
You Are Not What the World Says You Are (What the Bible Actually Says)
Read the full word study - 09
Sheolשְׁאוֹל
The Old Testament word for the grave and the realm of the dead — not the same as "hell."
Sheol, Hades, and Hell: What the Bible Actually Means
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Frequently asked questions
What language was the Old Testament written in?
Almost entirely Hebrew, with a few short passages in Aramaic (parts of Daniel and Ezra). Hebrew reads right to left and often builds meaning from three-letter root words, which is why one root can surface as a name, a verb, and a description across different verses.
Do I need to know Hebrew to study the Bible?
No. Good translations get you most of the way there. But some Hebrew words carry more than one English word can hold at once — hesed is part loyalty, part love, part promise-keeping — so knowing the original word fills in what gets flattened in translation.
Why do Hebrew words matter if I already have an English Bible?
Because translation is a series of judgment calls, not a formula. Every English Bible picks one word to represent a Hebrew term that might carry three or four overlapping ideas. Knowing the original word shows you the options the translator chose between.
Where can I look up a Hebrew word myself?
A study Bible with Strong's numbers, an interlinear Bible, or Sola's in-app word studies, which surface the Hebrew (or Greek) behind any verse without requiring you to learn the alphabet first.
Study the original Hebrew in Sola
Get the Hebrew and Greek behind any verse, historical context, and related passages, right inside the app.
Studying the New Testament instead? See Greek Words in the New Testament, Explained.