BEHTH

Behth, or, as commonly anglicized, beth [ב]. The second letter in the Hebrew alphabet. The name assigned to the letter means “house.” Later, as a number, outside the Hebrew Scriptures, it denoted two.

It has a labial sound similar to the English “b” when the dagesh lene (a dot placed in the middle of this Hebrew character used to harden the letter’s pronunciation, as בּ) is added. Without the dot it has a softer sound close to “v,” as in the word “vine.”

In the Hebrew, the opening word in each of the eight verses of Psalm 119:9-16 begins with this letter, in keeping with the style of the psalm.—See ALPHABET.