How can gematria be used to interpret the bible?

gematria is an ancient practice originating from the Hebrew culture which assigns numerical values to words. The ancient belief was that by integrating this numerical value into the interpretation of a word or phrase, that one could more fully understand its hidden meaning. Over the years, this system has been adopted in many different ways, but one of its most popular uses is for interpreting the Bible.

Using gematria to interpret the Bible can be complicated, as it requires a knowledge of Hebrew and some theological grounding. The first step is to assign a numerical value to each letter in any given Hebrew word or phrase being interpreted. Once the numerical value is determined, one can use various methods of gematria to interpret the passage. For example, if translating a passage from the Bible that contains two Hebrew words with identical numerical values, this could point to an underlying theme between those two words which would be apparent when translated into English.

Another method of gematrical interpretation uses what's known as Equidistant Letter Sequences (ELS), or clusters of related letters that appear in biblical passages at certain intervals. By finding these clusters and assigning them a corresponding numeric value based on their placement within the text, interpreters can pinpoint themes and connections across large swaths of passages for wider interpretations on topics such as time periods and prophesies.

Finally, there are other forms of gematria dedicated solely to deciphering the Bible such as "isopsephy," which assigns numeric equivalents not only to each letter but also to each word in a Biblical phrase or passage. The addition of words further adds complexity and insight into possible interpretations than just letters alone can provide.