Biblical Hebrew: The Language of Scripture

Nun

by

Karl D. Coke, Ph. D

[Please note: The Hebrew alphabet is not presented in this article online. If you would like to have the article in print, please contact our office.]

The Nun is the fourteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It makes the English equivalent sound of "n." As a numeral, it stands for the number 50. You will notice above that the regular nun n is written at the right above. The form to the left is called nun sofit, or "final nun." It takes this shape if the nun happens to be the last letter in any Hebrew word. According to the Gesenius Hebrew Lexicon, page 523, "The name of this letter in Syriac, Chaldee and Arabic, denotes a fish, the form of which appears to have been intended by its original figure." That is to say, the shape of the letter resembles a fish as it swims.

The biblical Hebrew word for "fish" is (dahg) as found in Jonah 2:1. On page 189 the Gesenius Hebrew Lexicon says of (dahg), "a trace of this Hebrew word is found in the Gr[eek] iJcquv"" (ichthus-which is Greek for fish). It also says that (dahg) is the masculine form of fish, and is "so called from being so wonderfully prolific." The letter nun, which is a picture of a fish, carries the same idea, that is, indicating a "school" of fish.

The most prolific species of fish found in the Sea of Galilee is the Tilapia. This fish is commonly called "St. Peter’s Fish" and is eaten by thousands of Israel tourists each year. "Yield from the Lake of Galilee for 1965 was: Tilapia species, 304 tons; Bleak, 787 tons; Barbel, 123 tons; Gray Mullet, 55 tons; others, 9 tons; total 1278 tons." This is according to page 543 of The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Volume Two. Needless to say, the fish contained in the Sea of Galilee are "prolific."

According to The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, page 430, "This term is used to signify the inhabitants of Egypt (Ezekiel 29:4-5), the visible church (Matthew 13:48), and defenseless people taken by Chaldeans (Habakkuk 1:14). In Christian symbolism the fish is of great significance. It is among the earliest art forms, and pertains to a period of Church history which causes it to be among the most interesting and important objects in the whole range of Christian symbolism. It is generally thought to be the symbol of Christ. The word in Greek was made up of the initial letters of the words in the article of faith so dear to the early Church: "I, Ihsou'", Jesus; C, Cristov", Christ; Q, Qeou', of God; U, Uiov", Son; S, SwthJr, Savior–Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior." So the Greek letters which spell fish are also

an acronym for "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior."

In an interesting passage from the Mishnah (Oral Tradition), recorded in the Second Division, Moed (Set Feasts) in Yom Tob (or Betzah) 31 it says, "They [Jews] may not catch fish from a vivarium [an indoor enclosed pool] on a Festival-day or put food before them." The general rule was "What must still be hunted is forbidden, but what needs not to be hunted [wild animals and birds in a vivarium] is permitted." Obviously, fish in a natural pond or in an indoor pond still need to be hunted. Therefore, fishing on Feast Days was prohibited. It must be done before.

This fact impacts Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000 men plus women and children. This incident took place in the middle of a grain field on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The field contained the grain for making thousands of loaves of bread. The Sea of Galilee contained tons of fish. But how could the disciples feed thousands fish and bread? Time was their problem. Only God could operate "outside" of time to feed this multitude! Besides the "Oral Tradition" (Mishnah) forbade their fishing!

This story is recorded in Matthew 14:13-21. In verse 15 it says, "As evening approached . . ." In Mark 6:35 it says, "By this time it was late in the day . . ." Luke 9:12 says it was "late in the afternoon . . ." But, in John 6:4 we are told why Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes quickly. It says, "The Jewish Passover Feast was near." Jesus had to perform this "miraculous sign" before the Feast to be obedient and show He was God. Only God operates outside "time." Yes, Jesus, I confess, "You are Lord!"

Dr. Karl D. Coke is a Hebrew teacher whose understanding of the original languages, the history, and the culture of the peoples of Holy Scripture causes the Bible to come alive for his audiences and readers. He is president of Redirection, a ministry that establishes the home as the center for spiritual development among Christian communions. Karl, his wife Karen, and their daughter Kristin live in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he also pastors Family Restoration Fellowship.

Dr. Coke offers many tape audio albums, teaching details of the Hebrew roots of Christian faith. Other audio albums, including "Tithing" and "The Twelve Tribes of Israel" and scores of individual audio cassettes are also available. Video cassettes, including "The Pryaer Shawl," "The Feasts of the Lord," are also available. Please contact Dr Coke at P. O. Box 10285, Charlotte, NC 28212, U.S.A., Tel. (704) 568-KCEA * Fax. (704) 532-9990

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