Original Word: שֵׁשַׁךְ
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Sheshak
Pronunciation: SHAY-shak
Phonetic Spelling: (shay-shak')
Definition: Sheshak
Meaning: Sheshak

Sheshach

Of foreign derivation; Sheshak, a symbol. Name of Babylon -- Sheshach.

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
a name for Bab.
NASB Translation
Sheshach (1), Sheshak (1).

שֵׁשַׁךְ proper name, of a territory = בָּבֶל (Jerome Rabb and modern; by Atbaš (׳בש׳את), i.e. disguising name by substituting last letter of alphabet for first, next last for second, etc., compare Thes); — Jeremiah 51:41 and hence (perhaps gloss) Jeremiah 25:26 (see Gie).

Word Origin: The origin of the word שֵׁשַׁךְ (Sheshak) is uncertain. It is believed to be a cryptogram or an atbash cipher for the city of Babylon.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There are no direct corresponding Strong's Greek entries for שֵׁשַׁךְ (Sheshak) as it is a specific Hebrew cryptogram for Babylon. However, the Greek equivalent for Babylon in the New Testament is Βαβυλών (Babylon), which is Strong's Greek Number 897.

Usage: The term שֵׁשַׁךְ (Sheshak) appears in the Hebrew Bible as a symbolic or cryptic reference to Babylon. It is used in contexts that imply judgment or destruction upon Babylon.

Context: Sheshak is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible in the prophetic books of Jeremiah. It appears in Jeremiah 25:26 and Jeremiah 51:41. The term is understood to be an atbash cipher, a form of cryptographic substitution where the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet is replaced with the last, the second with the second last, and so on. In this cipher, the letters of שֵׁשַׁךְ (Sheshak) correspond to בָּבֶל (Babel), which is the Hebrew name for Babylon. This cryptic reference is thought to have been used to conceal the identity of Babylon, possibly for political reasons or to emphasize the mysterious and ominous nature of the prophecy. In Jeremiah 25:26, Sheshak is listed among the nations that will drink the cup of God's wrath, symbolizing the impending judgment. In Jeremiah 51:41, the fall of Sheshak is lamented, highlighting the ultimate downfall of Babylon as part of God's divine plan.

שֵׁשַׁ֔ךְ שֵׁשַׁ֖ךְ ששך šê·šaḵ šêšaḵ sheShachInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts