sheshach Summary and Overview

(Jer. 25:26), supposed to be equivalent to Babel (Babylon), according to a secret (cabalistic) mode of writing among the Jews of unknown antiquity, which consisted in substituting the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet for the first, the last but one for the second, and so on. Thus the letters sh, sh, ch become b, b, l, i.e., Babel. This is supposed to be confirmed by a reference to Jer. 51:41, where Sheshach and Babylon are in parallel clauses. There seems to be no reason to doubt that Babylon is here intended by this name. (See Streane's Jeremiah, l.c.)

(from the goddess Shach, reduplicated) is a term which occurs only in #Jer 25:26; 51:41| where it is evidently used as a synonym for either Babylon or Babylonia.

SHE'SHACH , a symbolical name for Babylon, Jer 25:26; Jer 51:41, from its goddess Shach reduplicated, as Misael is called Meshach.

Jeremiah 25:26; Jeremiah 51:41; i.e. Babylon, from their goddess Shach reduplicated, as they named Misael Meshach. SHACE was the designation of a Babylonian feast to Shach, of five days' duration, during which unbridled license prevailed as at the Roman saturnalia. Slaves ruled their master, and one called zogan in each house in royal garments ruled the rest (Jeremiah 51:39; Jeremiah 51:57; Isaiah 21:5). Cyrus during it took Babylon; thus Jeremiah prophesies the concomitants of the capture. The Kabalistic system (Athbash, "the first Hebrew letter being expressed by the last, the second by the last but one," etc.) would make Sheshach answer to Babel. But in Jeremiah 51:41 concealment cannot have been Jeremiah's object, for he mentions "Babylon" (Jeremiah 51:42). It is not likely the Kabala was as yet invented.