Gematria is a system of assigning numerical values to Hebrew letters. It is a form of numerology that has been used by Jewish scholars for centuries to find hidden meanings in the Bible and other sacred texts.
The word 'gematria' is derived from the Greek word 'grammata,' which means 'letters.' The earliest known use of gematria dates back to the 2nd century BCE, when it was used by the Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria. However, it is believed that gematria was developed much earlier.
In its simplest form, gematria involves assigning a numerical value to each Hebrew letter. The numerical values are assigned based on the order of the letters in the Hebrew alphabet. For example, the letter א has a value of 1, the letter ב has a value of 2, and so on.
Once the numerical values of the letters have been assigned, they can be added together to find the numerical value of a word or phrase. For example, the word 'chai' (חַי) has a numerical value of 18, because the numerical value of the letter Chet (ח) is 8 and the numerical value of the letter Yud (י) is 10.
Gematria can be used in a variety of ways. It can be used to find hidden meanings in the Bible, to compare different words or phrases, or to create acrostics. For example, the name 'David' has a numerical value of 14, which is the same numerical value of the word 'king.' This suggests that David was destined to be king.
Biblical Interpretation: In Jewish tradition, Gematria was used to uncover hidden meanings in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh). Scholars believed that words or phrases with the same numerical value were connected in some way. For example, the word for 'life' (חי, pronounced as 'chai') has a numerical value of 18. This led to the belief that 18 was a lucky and symbolic number associated with life. Similarly, phrases with numerical equivalences were seen as having deeper connections, providing insights into the text's interpretation.
Numerical Symbolism: Greek philosophers like Pythagoras used Gematria to explore the underlying numerical patterns in the universe. They believed that numbers had inherent properties and significance. For example, the number 10 (represented by the letter Yud, in Hebrew) was seen as a symbol of completeness and perfection. This concept influenced Greek philosophy and mathematics.
Divination and Prediction: Some individuals in the past used Gematria for divination and predicting future events. They believed that by manipulating words and numbers, they could gain insights into upcoming circumstances or make sense of seemingly random occurrences.
Naming and Identity: Gematria was sometimes used in the past to choose or change names. Parents might calculate the numerical value of potential names for their child to ensure a name with positive or auspicious connotations. Similarly, individuals might adopt new names with specific numerical values as a reflection of their identity or spiritual path.
These examples demonstrate the diverse ways in which Gematria was employed in the past, ranging from religious interpretation and mysticism to philosophical exploration and even practical applications like naming. It reflects the belief that numbers and words held deep and interconnected meanings that could be unraveled through careful analysis and contemplation.
The English version of gematria is based on the Hebrew system, but it uses the English alphabet. The numerical values of the letters are assigned based on their position in the alphabet. For example, the letter A has a value of 1, the letter B has a value of 2, and so on.
The English version of gematria was first used in the 16th century by Christian scholars who were interested in Jewish mysticism. They used it to find hidden meanings in a variety of texts.
Similar to the Jewish and Greek versions of gematria, English gematria can be used in a variety of ways, such as finding hidden spiritual meanings between words and phrases in the Bible, finding connections between famous individuals and historical events, and making modern-day predictions such as the outcome of sporting matches and elections. Example uses, in Bible, the word 'Jesus' has a numerical value of 444, which is the same numerical value of the word 'Messiah.' In historical events, The word 'Hitler' has a numerical value of 259, which is the same value of the word 'Holocaust.' In politic, The names 'Trump' and 'Biden' have the same numerical value of 25.
The modern day English gematria has many ciphers, the most popular 8 ciphers are included in the App and they are Simple,English,Reversed English,Jewish,Hebrew,Reduced,Reversed Reduced.Hebrew. As a beginner, you might be overwhelmed by all of these ciphers, letters, and numbers. They may look complex and intimidating, but they are actually very simple and easy to understand and use.
All you need to know now is this - You could pick just one cipher or select a bunch of them or use them all as one. The choice is yours
Each cipher has its own set of values. For example 'Simple' cipher has [A=1,B=2 ...Z=26], 'English' Cipher has [A=6,B=12..Z=156], 'Reduced' cipher has its own and etc. Which one to use is up to you, you need to try them out to decide which one is right for you.
For example, If you are wondering the word 'Jesus' has any connection with the word 'Messiah'. You could do a search on both words and compare their values.
The word Jesus produces this result - 74 in 'Simple' cipher, 444 in 'English' cipher and 11 in 'Reduced' cipher
The word 'Messiah' produces this result - 74 in 'Simple' cipher, 444 in 'English' cipher and 29 in 'Reduced' cipher.
The app will highlight both 74 and 444 values to indicate that both 'Simple' cipher and 'English' cipher suggest that Jesus and Messiah indeed have connection but 'Reduced' cipher show there isn't any relatoinship between the two.
If the results produced by the 'Simple' and 'English' ciphers make sense to you, then pick them as your main gematria ciphers and do all of your searching using them. In general, pick the ciphers that yield the most relevant results and disable those that are not. Most internet users use multiple ciphers at once because they believe that this will reveal more hidden connections. However, purists would stick to just one cipher.
If you are non English speaking user, you can even create your own cipher in your own language to see if there are any mysterious connection between words and phrases hidden within your language
To learn more click on the Gematria Decoder button to lauch the App. There are more info about Gematria and how to use Gematria Decoder within the App