Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - RE: Jer 51:1 - Athbash

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Dan Wagner <Dan.Wagner AT datastream.net>
  • To: Biblical Hebrew <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: RE: Jer 51:1 - Athbash
  • Date: Thu, 28 Dec 2000 18:50:53 -0500


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Charles David Isbell [mailto:cisbell AT home.com]
> Sent: Thursday, December 28, 2000 17:55
> To: Dan Wagner; Biblical Hebrew
> Subject: Re: Jer 51:1 - Athbash
>
>
> Brian,
>
> I wrote a bit about this phenomenon in the Sassanian era Aramaic magic
> bowls. "Some Cryptograms in the Aramaic Magic Bowls," Journal of Near
> Eastern Studies 33 (1974):4, 405-407.
>
> I have no answer as to why 'Athbash is used only sometimes in
> the biblical
> text. Could it be that some later editor of the text knew
> the power of
> magic in common belief, and "threw in" a magical spelling for
> extra effect!

If so, then in Jer. 25:25 why is it used [assuming _ZMRY_ emended to _WMKY_
= _(YLM_] as a repeated reference to Elam which might indicate a double-dose
of punishment for its king? Also, why use it exclusively for Elam (and
Sheshak, of course)? The focus might be judgment upon the king of
Sheshak/Babel who will drink after all those other miscellaneous kings (v.
26), but Elam is not significant in that misc. list.

I don't know the answer, but even apart from the evidence of this possible
example, it doesn't satisfy me.

Dan Wagner

>
> Shalom,
> Charles




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page