Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Brian Tucker" <editor AT journalofbiblicalstudies.org>]

Here is my incomplete understanding of Athbash could someone enlighten me?

Jer. 51:1LEB-QAMAI means in Hebrew "the heart of those who rise up against
me." This is referred to as an athbash and it works out to mean KASDIM, that
is the Chaldeans AKA Babylonians.

In Jer. 25:26 We see the "king of Sheshach" another athbash.

Definition: Athbash cipher - Hebrew letters are substituted in reverse
alphabetical order.

Babylon is referred to as "Sheshach."

Jer 51:41 "How Sheshach is taken..."

"Sheshach" is a cryptogram for Babel, Babylon.

There's my 2 cents worth, however the "why" questions may be unanswered. I
would guess it has something to do with not wanting to reveal what the
writer hopes will happen to the powerful empire of Babylon, but that doesn't
hold up in other places, nor does it explain this in other locations.

So, any other feel free to chime in...What and Why?


"Mere description is impossible. Language forces you to an implicit
comment." C.S. Lewis
Brian Tucker
15633 Pennsylvania
Riverview, Michigan 48192
http://journalofbiblicalstudies.org
editor AT journalofbiblicalstudies.org
jbtucker AT metroshores.net