The Book Behind the Numbers
The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT) is a two-volume reference compiled by R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke — three of the most respected Old Testament scholars of the twentieth century. First published in 1980, TWOT assigns a unique number to every Hebrew and Aramaic root in the Old Testament and provides a concise theological discussion of each word family.
Where a concordance tells you where a word appears and a lexicon tells you what it means, TWOT tells you why it matters theologically. It traces how a single root unfolds across the narrative of Scripture — from Genesis to Malachi — revealing connections you would never see in translation alone.
TWOT Numbers vs. Strong's Numbers
Most Bible students are familiar with Strong's Concordance numbers (H1–H8674 for Hebrew). Strong's indexes every distinct word form in the Hebrew text. TWOT takes a different approach: it groups related words under their shared root.
For example, Strong's assigns separate numbers to the noun, verb, and adjective forms derived from a single Hebrew root. TWOT gathers them under one root number and uses letter suffixes (a, b, c…) for each derivative. This root-based system reveals word families and semantic connections that Strong's numbering obscures.
The result: TWOT is a theological tool, while Strong's is a concordance tool. Serious word study uses both.
Example: חֶסֶד — "Chesed"
In the BiblicalTools.org Bible Reader, clicking the word chesed in any Old Testament passage surfaces both its Strong's number (H2617) and its TWOT number (698a). The TWOT entry reveals that this word does not simply mean "kindness" — it carries the weight of covenant obligation, the loyal love Jehovah pledges to His people. Understanding the root (TWOT 698) connects chesed to every other word in its family, deepening your study exponentially.
TWOT in the BiblicalTools.org Bible Reader
Our interlinear Bible reader integrates TWOT numbers directly into the Hebrew text. Every word is linked to its root entry, so you can move from reading a passage to studying the theological depth of its vocabulary in one click. No separate books, no cross-referencing between volumes — the data is embedded in the text.
- Click any Hebrew word to see its Strong's number, TWOT number, transliteration, and gloss
- Explore root connections — see every word derived from the same root
- Read alongside the KJ3 Literal Translation — the most literal English rendering available
- No Hebrew knowledge required — everything is presented visually with English equivalents