How to read the Bible in Hebrew without knowing Hebrew
You do not need to study Hebrew to benefit from it. It is enough to know how to look at the word that lies beneath the translation and follow it through the Bible. Here is how, with three words that change the way many verses are read.
Five steps
1. Read in English first. Read the whole passage and understand what it is about. The original does not replace the reading: it deepens it.
2. Notice a word that is repeated or that catches your attention. Beneath the phrase is the Hebrew word.
3. Open it. Rest the pointer on it or tap it: you will see what it means and, above all, what it means in that verse.
4. Follow it. With “Where else it appears” you go to the other verses that use the same word. This is how the Bible explains itself with the Bible.
5. Save it. In the app you can save the word and write your note, to come back to it or share it with whoever you read with.
Ruach: spirit, wind, breath
“The spirit of Elohim was hovering over the surface of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). The word is ruach, which in Hebrew means at once spirit, wind and breath: something that is not seen but moves and gives life.
Hebrew has no capital letters, so it does not distinguish “spirit” from “Spirit.” In the Old Testament we write “the spirit of Elohim” in lowercase, so as not to decide for the reader what the text does not mark; the New Testament does speak plainly of the Holy Spirit.
Chesed: loyal love
“Give thanks to YHWH, for he is good, for his loyal love is forever” (Psalm 136:1). Chesed is not a passing feeling: it is the love that stays faithful to a commitment, even when the other fails. Many Bibles translate it “mercy”; we say “loyal love,” which is what the word brings together.
Shalom: peace
“May YHWH lift up his face toward you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:26). Shalom is more than having no problems: it is being whole, well, in order with God and with others. It is the last word of the blessing that God commanded to be spoken over his people.
A final piece of advice
The original helps you understand what the text says, not make it say something else. If a word surprises you, look at how the Bible uses it in other places before drawing conclusions. And if you want to start somewhere, start with the names of God.