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Bible Lexicons
Old Testament Hebrew Lexical Dictionary Hebrew Lexicon
Strong's #8347 - שֵׁשַׁךְ
- Brown-Driver-Briggs
- Strong
Sheshach = “thy fine linen”
1) another name for Babylon apparently taken from the goddess ‘Shach’
- Book
- Word
שֵׁשַׁךְ [Sheshach], a name of Babylon, Jerem. 25:26 51:41. The origin and proper signification are doubtful. The Hebrew interpreters, and also Jerome, suppose that ששך is put by אתבש (i.e. a cabalistic mode of writing, in which ת is put for א, ש for ב) for בָּבֶל, and that the prophet used that secret mode of writing for fear of the Chaldeans. Even if it Were conceded (which it cannot be) that these Kabbalæ or mysteries, or trifles, were already in use in the time of Jeremiah, how could it be explained, that in 51:41, in the same verse בָּבֶל is mentioned by its own proper name? not amiss is the supposition of C. B. Michaëlis, that שֵׁשַׁךְ is contracted from שִׁכְשַׁךְ comparing سَكَّ to cover a gate with iron or other plate, so that ששך would denote Babylon, as χαλκόπυλος. Bohlen renders it house of the prince, comparing Persic شه شاه.
