SHESHACH

(Sheʹshach).

Probably a symbolic name for Babylon. (Jer 25:26; 51:41) One suggestion is that Sheshach means “Copper-Gated,” and this would fit Babylon. Still another view is that “Sheshach” stood for SiskuKI of an old Babylonian royal register. Sisku or Siska may have been a district of ancient Babylon. Jewish tradition, however, has it that Sheshach is a cipher for the Hebrew name Babel (or, Babylon), by the device known as athbash. According to this cryptographic system, the true name is disguised by replacing the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet (taw) with the first (ʼaʹleph), and the second-last letter (shin) with the second (behth), and so on. Consequently, in “Babel” each behth (b) would be changed to shin (sh), and the laʹmedh (l) to kaph (kh), thus becoming She·shakhʹ. The name Sheshach may also imply humiliation, for which Babylon was due.​—Jer 25:26, ftn; Soncino Books of the Bible, edited by A. Cohen, London, 1949.