ת
Tav
Mark, sign, covenant, truth, completion
Tav (ת) is the twenty-second and final letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and it carries the weight of completion, fulfillment, and truth. In its most ancient pictographic form, Tav was drawn as a cross or X-shaped mark — a sign, seal, or signature. This is profoundly significant: the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, representing completion and truth, was originally shaped like a cross. The Hebrew word for truth — אֱמֶת (emet) — ends with Tav, and is composed of the first letter (Aleph), the middle letter (Mem), and the last letter (Tav) of the alphabet, teaching that truth spans from beginning to end, encompassing everything. For Christians, the cross-shaped ancient Tav carries unmistakable Messianic resonance.
How to Pronounce Tav
Tav makes a 'T' sound, like the T in 'truth' or 'Torah.' In some Ashkenazi traditions, it can also be pronounced as an 'S' sound.
“Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark (tav) on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it.”
Ancient Pictographic Form
The ancient pictographic Tav was drawn as a cross, X, or plus sign (+) — a mark or signature. It evolved through Phoenician into the Greek Tau (Τ) and the Latin T. The English word 'mark' in Ezekiel 9:4 is literally 'tav' in Hebrew.
Pictograph: A cross or X-shaped mark
Spiritual Significance
Tav represents completion, truth, and the seal of God. As the final letter, it signifies the end of a cycle and the fulfillment of God's purposes. The word emet (truth) ends with Tav, while sheker (falsehood) does not contain Tav — truth endures to the end, but lies fall short. In Ezekiel 9:4, God commands an angel to put a 'tav' (mark) on the foreheads of the righteous to protect them — a mark of salvation.
Connection to Scripture
In Ezekiel 9:4, God tells an angel to mark (tav) the foreheads of the righteous for protection — using the ancient cross-shaped letter. The word emet (truth, אֱמֶת) spans the entire alphabet: Aleph (first), Mem (middle), Tav (last). Torah (תּוֹרָה) begins with Tav.
Words That Begin with Tav
Torah
Teaching, law, instruction
Tefillah
Prayer
Teshuvah
Repentance, return
Tikvah
Hope
Emet
Truth
Modern Hebrew Usage
In modern Hebrew, Tav appears in words like תּוֹרָה (Torah, teaching/law), תְּפִלָּה (tefillah, prayer), תְּשׁוּבָה (teshuvah, repentance), and תִּקְוָה (tikvah, hope).
People Also Ask
What did the ancient Hebrew letter Tav look like?
In its most ancient pictographic form, Tav was drawn as a cross (+) or X-shaped mark. It was a sign or seal — like a signature. This cross-shaped form is significant for Christians, as the final letter of the alphabet (representing completion and truth) was shaped like the instrument of Christ's sacrifice.
What is the mark of Tav in Ezekiel?
In Ezekiel 9:4, God commands an angel to go through Jerusalem and put a 'tav' (mark) on the foreheads of the righteous — those who grieved over sin. This mark protected them from judgment. Since ancient Tav was cross-shaped, many Christians see this as a prophetic foreshadowing of the cross of Christ.
Fun Fact
The Hebrew word for truth (emet, אֱמֶת) is composed of the first (Aleph), middle (Mem), and last (Tav) letters of the alphabet — teaching that truth must encompass everything from beginning to end. The word for falsehood (sheker, שֶׁקֶר) uses three consecutive letters that are close together — lies are narrow and clustered, while truth spans the full range.
Learn the Hebrew Alphabet Step by Step
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