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Plowing through History from the Aleph to the Tav

Topics Ancient Hebrew Alphabet

Yud
By Jeff A. Benner

Early Middle Late Modern

Hebrew Hebrew Hebrew Hebrew

Ancient Name: Yad

Pictograph: Arm and closed hand
Meanings: Work, Throw, Make, Praise
Sound: Y, iy

History & Reconstruction

The Early Semitic pictograph of this letter is , an arm and hand. The
meaning of this letter is work, make and throw; the functions of the hand.
The Modern Hebrew name yud is a derivative of the two letter word
(yad), a Hebrew word meaning "hand," the original name for the letter.

The ancient and modern pronunciation of this letter is a "y." In Ancient

Hebrew this letter also doubled as a vowel with an "i" sound. The Greek
language adopted this letter as the vowel iota, retaining the "i" sound.

The ancient pictograph became the in the Middle Semitic script. The
letter continued to evolve into the simpler form in the Late Semitic
script. The Middle Semitic form became the Greek and Roman I. The Late
Semitic form became the Modern Hebrew ‫י‬.

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Related Pages by Jeff A. Benner

The Ancient Hebrew Language and Alphabet

(Book)
Understanding the Ancient Hebrew language of the
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The Ancient Pictographic Alphabet (Article)

The original Hebrew alphabet was written with
pictures that reveal insights into Hebrew words.

The Paleo-Hebrew Alphabet (Article)

The relationship between the Paleo-Hebrew
alphabet and the Samaritan alphabet.
 Sabbath in Ancient Hebrew (Video)
Each letter in the Hebrew alphabet was originally a
picture with meaning. In this video we will examine
the letters in the Hebrew word shabbat.

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