52 Hebrew Words Every Christian Should Know

by David Adamson

52 Hebrew Words Every Christian Should Know Toffee shines a light on the Old Testament Hebrew language.

Genres: Christian, Christianity, Faith, Nonfiction, Theology

120 pages, Leather Bound

Published March 15, 2018

About the author

Pastor Dave Adamson is the author of the 52 Hebrew Words Every Christian Should Know

He is a pastor at North Point Church in Atlanta, husband to Meg, and father to three daughters, and he has a particular interest in the cultural context of Jesus.

Reviews

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a refreshing daily read book of Hebrew words that encourage and enlighten the mind to the simple and profound meaning behind the Hebrew language. I truly enjoyed this book.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading a few of these everyday. Very insightful.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have heard from other reviews (and occasional Google searches) that the author's definitions for some of his 52 Hebrew words can be controversial or questionable (ie scholars disagree somewhat on their exact meaning). This means his occasional interpretation of scripture can be a stretch at best, misleading at worst. Nonetheless, it's a quick, but beautiful study of the intricacies of the Hebrew language and the power behind Scripture that sometimes gets lost in translation. Treat it like a quick weekly/daily devotional or use it to guide a series of deep-dive word studies. Cute lil book :)

[Rodney · Rating 3 out of 5]

52 Words Every Christian Should Know is a compact glossary-style book aimed at helping believers deepen their understanding of key theological terms. It covers familiar words like “grace,” “faith,” and “redemption,” alongside less common ones, presenting each with a brief definition, scriptural references, and a short explanation.

I’d give it 3.5 out of 5 stars. It’s a solid, accessible resource—perfect for new Christians or anyone wanting a quick reference without diving into heavy theology. The entries are clear, concise, and biblically grounded, making it easy to read in short bursts.

The standout section for me was the entry on the Shema. I found it fascinating to learn about this ancient Jewish declaration of faith (“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one”) and how observant Jews pray it every morning and evening as an act of devotion and reminder of God’s oneness. That historical and practical context brought the word to life in a way the other entries didn’t quite match.

The rest of the book is perfectly fine—helpful and accurate—but it rarely goes beyond surface-level explanations. Some readers may find it too basic or wish for deeper insight, stories, or application.

Overall, it’s a worthwhile little book if you’re looking for a simple theological word list, especially if you appreciate learning about foundational Jewish roots of Christian faith. Just don’t expect profound depth. Recommended with mild enthusiasm.

[SusanwithaGoodBook · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pretty neat little book. You could read one word a week or read several at a time. Each is a short devotional reading that takes you into deeper knowledge of the Hebrew meanings of words that may seem familiar but have much more meaning than you might have first believed. I'm not entirely certain I can trust the accuracy of all of it, though, because I'm not a Hebrew scholar, so I can't verify the meanings and have seen some people being critical of him. I also don't like several of his "recommended resources" for further study because I know some of them teach things I do not believe are according to God's Word. For this reason I only recommend these as a bit of something to consider and compare with what you find in scripture.

[Tobias · Rating 1 out of 5]

The idea behind the book is great, but it contains MANY errors in the Hebrew. I was first alerted when reading in the introduction about the Hebrew word ‘wadi’ for dry river bed. I would have thought ‘nachal’ to be the proper word. Then, on the entry for ‘wadi’, the Hebrew given is indeed ‘nachal’ even though the English maintains ‘wadi’ (wadi is Arabic). Pages 56-58 are also in error, with the English glosses mixed up and also spelling errors in the Hebrew. There are other problems and so, I cannot recommend the book due to the obvious errors. In fact, stay away from it as it contains too much material that cannot be trusted.

[Sharaya Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another book that reached out to me from a book cart, here at work.

Not only is it beautifully bound, but it's also near pocket-sized, which gives the impression of a book that is meant to be carried around and readily accessible at any moment.

I gained a sense of peace/shalom every time I opened it up. The images did well with giving each word meaning and I appreciated the phonetic spellings. I was ready to visit Israel from the moment I read about Wadi and later, Jerusalem.

This title was a joy and a blessing that all true believers can benefit from! It's filled with God's love and it provides many thinking points and suggested actions for readers.

[Joanna Fruhauf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fun and enlightening book! Adamson takes 52 key Hebrew words and explains their meaning, background, and how they enrich our understanding of Scripture. For example, learning that “hesed” conveys God’s steadfast, covenant love, or that “ruach” refers not just to the Spirit but to breath, wind, and life itself, makes reading the Bible feel fresh and alive. Each word is a doorway into deeper insight, and the leather-bound edition makes it feel like a treasured keepsake. Perfect for anyone who wants to explore the Bible in a richer, more meaningful way.

[Shannon Tournear · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The pictures with each of the words were really beautiful, and I liked to meditate on the word while looking at the images. This is a book that I think is best enjoyed slowly; I only read one or two pages in it a day. The only thing keeping it from 5 stars for me is the length. I would have liked a more in depth study on each word; I felt like a lot of the descriptions were two short.

[Todd Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

This short book is meant as a devotional. The author gives a couple of paragraphs for each Hebrew word he introduces. I didn’t know anything about the author prior to looking at this book. While nothing blatantly unorthodox in the devotional thoughts, his mention of his friends and recommended resources are highly troubling and reference many people who are known to promote heresy. For this reason alone I could not recommend this book.

[Scott Fabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! It was great from beginning to end. I would recommend it to any Christian. The only reason that I gave it four stars instead of five is that, as a student learning Hebrew, I would have liked to see the vowels. Everything in the book could be kept the same with just one addition: provide the vowels.

[Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid quick devotional type of book that you can make into daily readings or just read through for a quick collection of encouraging scripture references. The strongest aspect of this is the many cultural references to the Hebrews throughout the time of the Bible. Will be beneficial to anyone's spiritual reading plan.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful! De-light-full!!! Such a gorgeous book in every way! Must be seen, felt, and treasured! The lovely images were enhanced by the brief, but deeply powerful scriptural insights. Worth re-reading, pondering and studying repeatedly. I read it slowly trying to savor each “word.” I love Aussie Dave!

[Mark Knox · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. However, the linguistic analysis is not very scholarly, and the devotional content is elementary at best. An occasional good page here and there, but for the most part, not a well-written book.

[C. Meade · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book for those seeking a greater understanding of Hebrew words and phrases within the Judeo-Christian lexicon. Complete with a beautiful leather cover and color illustrations/ photos to bring the Hebrew language to life. I look forward to reading other works by Dave Adamson.

[Shaun Mulick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, would be 5 stars if there weren't so many printing errors!! Love it and highly recommend though!

[Jim Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

great pics! breathes life into the bible by understanding historical context in the original Hebrew. Follow AussieDave on Instagram to get more!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this little book. I gave it four stars because there were a few times when I felt like there was a translational leap (stretch).

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great reading adventure. It was a true delight to learn these words and what they mean. Thank you Mr. Adamson.

[Evelien · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such as beautiful book. The content is inspiring and encouraging, the soft leather cover feels very luxurious... It's the perfect gift for any christian you know!

[Tina at Mommynificent · Rating 5 out of 5]

So beautiful and so well-written! I love this book! I have learned much from it, and I think it makes an incredibly beautiful and thoughtful gift for graduation and other milestones for believers.

[Riley Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great resource for learning some basic Hebrew words! I learned a lot from this small, beautiful book. Thank you, David Adamson, for your research in composing this little gem!

[Chris Buchanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting read, especially if you care about diving deeper into Scripture. There’s so much we miss in English.

[Cindi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was interesting and encouraging to learn more about these Hebrew words and the devotions that accompany them were short, but good.

[Morgan Bostedt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find this book fascinating, and loved it immediately - however am concerned by reviews I have read regarding it being inaccurate. I plan to read 70 Hebrew Words Every Christian Should know" by Matthew Schlimm. I just wonder how much of what I’m taking in is correct.

[Amber Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such good life giving nuggets

[Dan Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much by taking in David's original knowledge of the Hebrew language. I will look at many passages in the Bible differently as a result.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hebrew is a beautiful language and I love journaling with Hebrew words