Some Language Jewels from Bereshit

Some Language Jewels from Bereshit
Discovering connections between Hebrew and other languages
The Book of Bereshit (Genesis) is full of words that invite us to explore connections between Hebrew, other languages, and the way we understand the world.
Some connections are based on meaning, others on sound, consonants, or the way words seem to echo one another across languages.
Here are some of the linguistic jewels I have collected so far.
1. BERESHIT — בראשית
BERESHIT – FIRST – FRST – BRST
The opening word of the Torah immediately brings to mind the idea of a beginning: first things first.
The sounds and consonants of Bereshit invite us to explore possible connections with words in other languages, looking for similarities that might otherwise escape our attention.
2. GAN EDEN — גן עדן
GAN EDEN – GEN – DNA
This intriguing connection was brought to my attention by Abraham Abeshera (may he be healthy and well!).
The sounds of Gan Eden invite an association with gen and DNA, bringing the Garden of Eden into a modern linguistic and biological context.
It is a fascinating example of how an ancient expression can inspire new associations in the mind of a modern reader.
3. MERACHEFET AL PNEI HA-MAYIM — מרחפת על פני המים
“Hovering over the face of the waters.”
The Hebrew word merachefet suggests hovering or moving gently above something.
We can examine the consonants M–R–CH–V–T, paying attention to the sound of CH and its possible comparison with H in other languages.
The word invites us to listen carefully to its sounds and to explore possible connections with words associated with hovering.
4. RAKIA — רקיע
RAKIA = SKY
Rakia refers to the expanse or firmament described in the creation narrative.
The word invites us to investigate the relationship between sounds and consonants in different languages, including the possible interchange of R and S.
Such comparisons can be intriguing, although a similarity in sound does not, by itself, establish a historical relationship between words.
5. PERU URVU — פרו ורבו
“Be fruitful and multiply.”
The Hebrew peru immediately brings to mind pri (פרי), meaning fruit.
Here, the association is particularly natural: fruitfulness, growth, reproduction, and multiplication all belong to the same field of meaning.
The Torah’s expression thus offers a beautiful starting point for exploring the relationship between words and their meanings.
6. ERETZ — ארץ
ERETZ – EARTH
The resemblance between the Hebrew eretz, meaning land or earth, and the English earth is striking to the ear.
Both words refer to the ground on which we live and, in a broader sense, to the world itself.
The similarity invites further investigation into the history of these words and the possible connections between them.
7. PALACH — ONKELOS — PLOEGEN
A connection with cultivating the land
Another interesting observation involves the Aramaic terminology of Onkelos and the Dutch word ploegen, meaning to plough.
The similarity in sound invites us to compare words associated with working and cultivating the land.
This is a possible linguistic avenue to explore further, rather than a confirmed etymological connection.
8. VA-YECHULU — וַיְכֻלּוּ
K–L — KOL — KLAAR
The words va-yechulu appear at the conclusion of the creation account:
“And the heavens and the earth were finished.”
Here, I notice an interesting sequence of associations.
The Hebrew K–L appears in kol (כל), meaning “all.” The Dutch word klaar means “ready,” “finished,” or “complete.”
We can therefore compare the consonants:
KOL — K–L
KLAAR — K–L
The Dutch word klaar contains the consonants K and L, which also attract our attention in the Hebrew word kol.
There is another detail worth exploring: the possible interchange of L and R, as well as the role of doubled letters in words.
These observations lead us to consider how consonants can recur across languages, creating intriguing similarities in both sound and meaning.
[10/9/2026 2:51 PM] Allthatcanheal: Whether these similarities reflect a historical linguistic relationship or a creative association remains a question for further investigation. Nevertheless, they make the study of words especially enjoyable.
9. REMEZ — רמז
REMEZ = HINT
The Hebrew word remez means a hint or allusion.
In studying the Aramaic of Onkelos, I noticed a possible connection involving the expression associated with evening in the relevant passage.
This led me to compare remez with English nite, an informal spelling of night.
The sequence of associations is intriguing:
REMEZ — NITE — NIGHT
Here, the resemblance serves as a starting point for exploring sounds and meanings. It should not, however, be taken as proof that these words share a historical origin.
10. TARDEMA — תַּרְדֵּמָה
TARDEMA — SLEEP — DORMIR
The Hebrew tardema means a deep sleep.
This brings to mind the French verb dormir, meaning to sleep.
Although the words are not obviously related historically, they describe the same basic human experience.
Comparisons of this kind can be a useful way to explore the vocabulary of different languages and the ways in which they express familiar ideas.
11. VA-YAPPEL TARDEMA — וַיַּפֵּל תַּרְדֵּמָה
“And He caused a deep sleep to fall upon him.”
The Hebrew expression brings to mind the English phrase “to fall asleep.”
The verb vayappel is associated with causing something to fall, while tardema describes the deep sleep that comes over a person.
The parallel is especially appealing because both expressions use the imagery of falling to describe the onset of sleep.
It is a reminder that different languages can sometimes express the same experience through remarkably similar images.
12. THE FOUR RIVERS OF EDEN — THE FOUR NITROGENOUS BASES OF DNA
From the Garden of Eden to the language of life
There is another fascinating observation that I would like to add to these linguistic jewels.
In Bereshit 2:10, the Torah tells us:
“And a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it divided and became four branches.”
The Hebrew describes one river flowing out of Eden and dividing into four rivers:
PISHON — פִּישׁוֹן
GICHON — גִּיחוֹן
HIDDEKEL — חִדֶּקֶל
PERAT — פְּרָת
These four rivers belong to the biblical description of the Garden of Eden. The image of one source dividing into four branches invites us to contemplate another remarkable subject: DNA, the molecule that carries genetic information in living organisms.
DNA contains four principal nitrogenous bases:
Adenine (A)
Thymine (T)
Guanine (G)
Cytosine (C)
These four bases form the chemical alphabet through which DNA stores genetic information. In the familiar double-stranded DNA structure, adenine pairs with thymine, and guanine pairs with cytosine.
Here, I find an intriguing parallel worth contemplating.
In Bereshit, one river flows from Eden and divides into four branches, spreading outward to water the garden and the lands beyond. In DNA, genetic information is built from a system involving four different bases, arranged in sequences that help make life possible.
One source, four branches; one genetic language, four bases.
Of course, the four biblical rivers and the four DNA bases are not scientifically or historically established as corresponding to one another. The Torah’s rivers are part of its account of creation and geography, while the DNA bases are chemical components discovered through modern science.
Nevertheless, the numerical parallel and the imagery of a source giving rise to a system of four invite reflection. The Torah’s description of water flowing from Eden can serve as a beautiful metaphor for the abundance, diversity, and interconnectedness of life.
This observation also brings us back to the earlier association between GAN EDEN, GEN, and DNA. The Hebrew expression Gan Eden evokes the garden of life, while the word gene belongs to the modern vocabulary of heredity. Although the resemblance between these expressions does not establish a linguistic connection, it creates an interesting bridge between ancient imagery and contemporary scientific understanding.
[10/9/2026 2:51 PM] Allthatcanheal: For me, this is precisely the pleasure of collecting linguistic jewels: a word, a sound, a number, or an image can open a door to another field of knowledge and invite us to look at familiar things from a new perspective.
To be continued, בעזרת השם
These are only some of the linguistic jewels that can be discovered while studying Bereshit.
Some observations concern meanings, some concern sounds and consonants, and others are associations that may lead to further discoveries.
Not every similarity necessarily indicates a historical relationship between words. Nevertheless, careful observation, curiosity, and a willingness to compare languages can open fascinating avenues of exploration.
There are many more to come, בעזרת השם!