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The Hebrew Alphabet Letter Samekh


The fifteenth letter of many of the Semitic alphabets, including Hebrew, is Samekh and represents /s/. The origin of the letter Samekh is not clear. It is pronounced as "sah " mekh" , and it has the sound of "s" as you would hear in the word "son".

Samekh is a voiceless alveolar fricative respresented by the sound /s/. This pronunciation remains constant between both vowels and voiced consonants.

In gematria, the value of Samekh is 60. Samekh also stands for centimeter.

The root of Samekh means "to uphold", "to lean upon" or "to support". The root is also found in semikhah which is the Jewish concept of the laying on of hands as it pertains to a blood ritual that was performed in the Jewish temple. One actually laid their hands upon the head of a victim of sacrifice. This also referred to consecrating the priesthood. Biblical references to this root occur in the Old Testament of the Bible. In ancient times, the Samekh may have been the representation of a shield. Today, the word semikhah refers to the Jewish Rabbinical ordination ceremony.

The letter Nun, which comes directly before the letter Samekh in the Hebrew alphabet, is suggestive of someone who is "bent" or one who has humbled himself in submission and brokenness to the Lord God Almighty. If you put the two letters together, then you come up with the Hebrew work nes which means miracle. A person who walks by faith is a walking miracle! The Lord will surely give His support to the lowly and the broken who will continually put their trust in Him.


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The Hebrew Alphabet Letter Samekh
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