How to Do a Hebrew Word Study

A Different Way of Thinking

Ancient Hebrew is a concrete language. Unlike modern Western languages, which often express ideas in abstract terms, Hebrew is rooted in the physical world — in sights, sounds, and actions. Hebrew words paint vivid pictures that engage the imagination.

Take, for example, this verse:

Psalms 1:3 (KJV) – He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Can you see it?

• A tree.
• Flowing water.
• Ripening fruit.
• A leaf that doesn’t fade.

This is concrete thought — ideas expressed through things you can see, touch, and experience.

Now contrast that with:

Psalms 103:8 (KJV) – The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

Words like “merciful,” “gracious,” and “anger” are abstract. They describe ideas, but they don’t create pictures in your mind in the same way a tree or river does.

The Hebrew Behind the English

The ancient Hebrews didn’t use abstract words like we do. Instead, they described abstract ideas through concrete imagery. The original Hebrew text of Psalms 103:8 actually uses concrete words — but English translations have replaced those images with abstractions.

Let’s look at how some of those Hebrew words were originally expressed:

• Merciful (רַחוּם raḥum) – from a root that means “to wrap in the arms,” as in a parent holding a child to protect them.
• Gracious (חַנּוּן ḥannun) – rooted in the idea of providing for someone’s needs or offering comfort.
• Slow to anger (אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם ’erekh apayim) – literally “long of nose,” a picture of someone taking time before flaring their nostrils in anger.
• Plenteous in mercy (רַב־חֶסֶד rav-ḥesed) – literally “abundant in ḥesed.”

That last word, ḥesed (חֶסֶד), is the one we’ll follow throughout this mini course.

Unpacking ḥesed (חֶסֶד)

What does ḥesed mean?

It’s often translated as:

• Mercy
• Lovingkindness
• Steadfast love
• Grace

But none of those fully capture the image that the Hebrew language paints. The root of ḥesed is ח־ס־ד (ḥ–s–d) — a root that carries the sense of being kind that is expressed through action. While this definition remains abstract, we will uncover its more concrete meaning in another lesson, where we’ll explore how the ancient Hebrew people would have understood and visualized this word in everyday life.

In this lesson, we’ve just begun to scratch the surface. As we continue, we’ll use ḥesed to demonstrate how to:

• Break down a Hebrew word into its root letters
• Explore its meanings across different verses
• Discover the word’s original cultural and visual context

Exercise

Read Psalms 103:8 again, but this time, substitute the abstract words with the concrete imagery behind the Hebrew.

Now ask yourself:

1. How does this affect your understanding of God’s character?
2. What imagery comes to your mind now that wasn’t there before?

Take a moment to write down your reflections. You’re beginning to think like an ancient Hebrew.

Next up: Discovering the Root of a Hebrew Word

In the next lesson we go a level deeper — into the very roots of Hebrew words — all grounded in concrete actions, not abstract ideas.

This lesson may surprise you, especially when we uncover what a stork has to do with mercy.