IPG ISRAELI PUBLISHING GROUP

Shin (ש): Meaning, History, Gematria & Symbolism

THE IPG COMPENDIUM
ש

SHIN

Shin is the twenty-first letter of the Hebrew alphabet and carries the standard numerical value three hundred.

SHIN AT A GLANCE

THE TWENTY-FIRST LETTER

LETTER — ש
POSITION — 21
STANDARD VALUE — 300
ORDINAL VALUE — 21
SHIN — שׁ /sh/
SIN — שׂ /s/
FINAL FORM — NONE
שׁ / שׂ

ONE LETTER • TWO TRADITIONAL READINGS

In the Masoretic pointing tradition, a dot distinguishes Shin from Sin. שׁ is read /sh/ while שׂ is read /s/ in modern Hebrew.

SHIN = 300

ש = 300

The value three hundred belongs to the standard gematria system. Symbolic meanings assigned to three hundred require independent textual or interpretive support.

SCRIPTURE & LANGUAGE

שמע
שלום
שבת
שם

Shin begins many major Hebrew words and roots. Their meanings belong to the full words and contexts, not automatically to the letter itself.

LATER INTERPRETATION

Later Jewish interpretation often develops Shin through themes of divine name, fire, transformation, teeth, change, peace, and sacred speech. These are layers of reception history and must be distinguished from historical linguistics.

NEXT LETTER
ת

TAV

The twenty-second and final letter study examines Tav: standard value four hundred, ancient history, sound development, its role in Hebrew morphology, and later symbolism of sign, seal, completion, and covenant.

CONTINUE TO TAV — ת →