Basics
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Over 7 million people worldwide speak Hebrew. The Hebrew alphabet consists of 22 characters. In the United States, there are over 200,000 native Hebrew speakers, as well as over 2 million non-native speakers.
History
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The oldest examples of written Hebrew date back to between the 11th and 10th centuries BC. Most of the Old Testament in the Bible was written originally in Hebrew.
Significance
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Today, Modern Hebrew is spoken by more people than speak traditional Hebrew. Hebrew is significant as a traditional and historical language for people of the Christian and Jewish faiths. It is also the origin of the Yiddish language spoken by many Jews in Eastern Europe.
Geography
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The Hebrew language was traditionally spoken by people from Israel, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and other areas in the Middle East, according to Hebrew Language Miscellaneous Facts. It is spoken today by people all over the planet.
Famous Ties
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Hebrew is the language in which God first spoke to Adam in the Old Testament, per Genesis 2:16. In Genesis 5:21, where the descendants of Adam are listed, all of the names are Hebrew names through the time of Noah.
