Peshitta Constellations

Explore the New Testament from its Aramaic roots

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Read the New Testament in its original Aramaic with transliteration and translation. Click any underlined word to discover its triliteral root. Use the ⚙️ settings to choose your preferred translation language and script.

Read Luke 1:28 →

Every triliteral root connects Aramaic to its sister languages. Search a root and explore its Hebrew and Arabic cognates, then visualize the full Semitic family as an interactive graph. The Root Card shows the semantic field, a key verse, and sister roots — roots sharing 2 of 3 consonants (e.g., SH-L-M ↔ SH-L-KH).

Explore ܫܘܚ R-W-KH → | Visualize R-W-KH →

Select a verse and watch how all its roots form a constellation of interconnected meanings. From the reader, click the scatter_plot icon next to the verse number.

scatter_plot The Annunciation — Luke 1:28 →

Semitic languages don't define: they radiate. Every word grows from a triliteral root that opens a force field. Discover the method of Semitic exegesis behind this application.

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ܫܟܒ SH-KH-P — lie down, sleep

Semantic field: reclining, horizontal rest, prostration

What gets lost in translation: In Aramaic, ܫܟܒ (shkhab) is fundamentally a postural, bodily act: the body laying itself horizontal upon the ground, the bed, or the tomb. The root covers everything from simply reclining to rest, to … Explore this root →

שָׁכַב shakhavשִׁכְבָה shikh'vahשָׁכֵב shakhev شَكَبَ shakabaشَاكِب shāki'bشَكْب shak'b

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head, chief

Peshitta Occurrences

Form	Transliteration	Gloss	References
ܕܪܝܫ	dryš drysh	of-head, chief	Luke 14:7 John 3:3 John 3:7 2 Corinthians 3:1 Galatians 4:9 Galatians 4:19 Ephesians 1:10 Ephesians 2:2 1 Thessalonians 4:16 Titus 3:5 Hebrews 5:12 Hebrews 6:6 Hebrews 6:6 1 Peter 1:3 1 Peter 1:23
ܘܪܝܫ	wryš wrysh	and-head, chief	Mark 12:39 Mark 12:39 Luke 20:46 Luke 20:46
ܠܪܝܫ	lryš lrysh	to-head, chief	Luke 20:17 John 2:8 Acts 4:11
ܒܪܝܫܗ	bryšh bryshh	in-head, chief-his	Hebrews 2:7 Hebrews 2:9
ܒܪܝܫ	bryš brysh	in-head, chief	Luke 14:8 1 Peter 2:6
ܘܕܪܝܫ	wdryš wdrysh	and.of-head, chief	Colossians 2:16
ܕܒܪܝܫ	dbryš dbrysh	that.in-head, chief	Hebrews 10:7

Hebrew Cognates

Word	Transliteration	Meaning
רֹאשׁ	rosh	head, chief
רִאשׁוֹן	rishon	first
ראשי	rō'shî	principal, primary
ראשית	rē'shît	beginning, origin
רישאי	rēshâ'î	chief, most important

Arabic Cognates

Word	Transliteration	Meaning
رَأْس	ra's	head
رَئِيس	ra'is	chief, president
رَأْسَة	ra'sah	leadership, headship
رَأْسِي	ra'sī	principal, fundamental
رُؤَسَاء	ru'asā'	chiefs, leaders