Facets of God Displayed in the Hebrew Aleph-Bet—Part 6

The Gezer calendar is written in Paleo-Hebrew script.

Ayin ע, Pey פ, and Tsaddiq צ

Hebrew, the original language of the Old Testament, is a fascinating language in which each letter of its alphabet is iconized with a pictograph. The pictographs can then help define the words they spell. There are a total of 22 letters in the Hebrew Aleph-Bet. This article will study the sixth set of three letters in their pictograph form. These are "ayin ע," "pey פ," and "tsaddiq צ." Each one will reveal a particular characteristic of God.

Quick Notes on Hebrew

Before we continue, please note that the words with Hebrew fonts are to be read from right to left. Knowing Hebrew won't be necessary, but knowing the directional aspect when describing the letter's position within the word is helpful. When I mention the first letter, it will be the letter beginning on the right, and the last letter will be on the left.

It is also important to note that the fonts I am using in this article are modern Hebrew ones developed during the Babylonian captivity and are used in Israel today. In their most ancient form, these letters were actual images of the pictographs we will be studying. Additionally, at the end of each section, a video will further the lesson about each letter. These videos were produced by Jewish Jewels Ministries and hosted by Dr. Danny Ben-Gigi, former professor of Hebrew at Arizona State University.

The Eye of God nebula http://web.archive.org/web/20081218213821/http://www.spacetelescope.org/copyright.html

"Ayin ע" Is an Eye

"Ayin" (ע), the 16th letter of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet, is represented by an eye. "Ayin עין" is also the Hebrew word for "eye." It shows us that God sees and notices us, as well as all the happenings of the universe.

The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Keeping watch on the evil and the good.

— Proverbs 15:3

The Bible tells us that God's seeing goes beyond simple observation; it is a searching desire to act on behalf of those who love Him.

... the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.

— 2 Chronicles

According to the above verse, He sees us and wants to show us His great strength in our situations and circumstances.

Hagar seeing God

An Example From Hagar

The story of Hagar, an Egyptian servant girl of Sarah, Abraham's wife, showcases the first mention of God "seeing" in the Bible. After Sarah mistreats Hagar, Hagar flees to the desert. While in the desert, Hagar encountered El Roi, "the God who sees me."

The angel of the Lord found her by a spring (עיןֵ (of water in the wilderness, the spring (עיןֵ)on the way to Shur. And he said, "Hagar, maid of Sar′ai, where have you come from and where are you going?" She said, "I am fleeing from my mistress Sar′ai." The angel of the Lord said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit to her." The angel of the Lord also said to her, "I will so greatly multiply your descendants that they cannot be numbered for multitude." And the angel of the Lord said to her, "Behold, you are with child, and shall bear a son; you shall call his name Ish′mael because the Lord has given heed to your affliction. He shall be a wild ass of a man, his hand against every man and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen." So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, "Thou art a God of seeing"; for she said, "Have I really seen God and remained alive after seeing him?" Therefore, the well was called Beer-la′hai-roi
— Genesis 16:7-14

"Ayin ע" is also the same Hebrew word for "fountain" or "spring of water" as is used in the above portion of Scripture. It draws its imagery from the concept of the eye that springs water from the tear ducts. It was not coincidental that Hagar was discovered at a fountain of water.

Jesus and the woman at the well.

Jesus—Fountain of Living Waters

In the book of Jeremiah, chapter two, God is revealed as the "Fountain of Living Waters." In this portion of Scripture, God accuses His people of forsaking their only hope of life and sustenance by running after other people and things to satisfy themselves.

My people have committed two evils:
They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters,
And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.

— Jeremiah 2:13

Relatedly, Jesus, in the New Testament, encounters a woman at a well who seeks her necessities in the desert of human relationships. He reveals to her that He is, in fact, the living water that she truly needs.

Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him I will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.
— John 4:13-14

Pey expresses awe and wonder

"Pey פ" Is an Open Mouth

"Pey" (פ), the 17th letter of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet, is represented by a picture of an open mouth. The Hebrew word for "wonderful" begins with the letter "pey פ." It is defined as distinguishable or miraculous. The visual for this letter is a mouth wide open in astonishment.

... His name will be called Wonderful ...
— Isaiah 9:6

The wonder of God is closely associated with what He does and how incredible He is.

I will remember the works of the Lord; Surely I will remember Your wonders (פאל) of old. I will also meditate on all Your work, And talk of Your deeds ... Who is so great a God as our God? You are the God who does wonders (פאל). You have declared Your strength among the peoples. You have with Your arm redeemed Your people ...
— Psalm 77:11-14

The mouth is an organ of speech. God spoke the entire physical world into existence.

Then God said ...
— Genesis 1:2

That is a wonder in and of itself. This letter invites us to come and hear what God has to say.

... whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
— Matthew 7:24

What God says is powerful, relevant, and worthy of our attention.

Tsaddiq is represented by a humble kneeling man
Salvator Rosa
Metropolitan Museum

"Tsaddiq צ"—A Humble Righteous Man

"Tsaddiq" (צ), the 18th letter of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet, is thought to be a picture of a man kneeling with hands lifted in praise. We learn from this letter that God is the Righteous One who is worthy of praise. In all its forms, the Hebrew word for righteousness contains the same letters as "tsaddiq צ."

The prophet Jeremiah reveals God as "Yahweh Tsidkenu" יהוה צדקנו (The Lord Our Righteousness) in his confrontation with the false shepherds of God's people.

In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

— Jeremiah 23:6

King David praises God for this same quality.

The Lord is righteous in all His ways ...
— Psalm 145:17

Christ the Righteous
James Tissot
Brooklyn Museum

Righteousness Is Linked With Humility

The quality of righteousness and its connection with the humility of kneeling, as displayed in the pictograph, is brought together by the prophet Isaiah in chapter fifty-three. This chapter paints a vivid Messianic picture of Jesus, "The Righteous Servant." He is humbly described as "a Man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, despised, stricken, smitten, oppressed, and afflicted." He humbled Himself by being "wounded for our transgression and bruised for our iniquities," He submitted to the chastisement for our peace. This portion of Scripture also tells us that He was numbered with the transgressors, even though He was righteous.

It doesn't get any lower than that, nor is there any higher form of love. The God of the universe stooped down from infinite heights to suffer with and for us. He is the God who makes things right even at the expense of Himself.

'I will go before you
And make the crooked places straight ...

— Isaiah 45:2

The Combined Conclusion

In combination, we can see that the God who sees us (ayin ע-eye), our fountain of living waters, is wonderful, miraculous, extraordinary (pey פ-mouth), as well as righteous (Tsaddiq צ-kneeling man) in all that He is and does.