GIMEL

Gimel [ג].

The third letter in the Hebrew alphabet. The name assigned to the letter is similar to the word ga·malʹ, meaning “camel.” Later, outside the Hebrew Scriptures, as a number, it denoted three.

It is the softest of the palatal letters except for yohdh [י] and corresponds generally to the English “g” when it has within it the point (dagesh lene); but without this point it is pronounced softer, more down in the throat.

In the Hebrew, this is the first letter in the opening word in each of the eight verses of Psalm 119:17-24.