Editing Atbash (section)

== History ==

The name derives from the first, last, second, and second to last Hebrew letters ([[Aleph]]–[[Taw]]–[[Bet (letter)|Bet]]–[[Shin (letter)|Shin]]).

The Atbash cipher for the modern [[Hebrew alphabet]] would be:
{{Aligned table|cols=23|class=wikitable|col1header=on|rowstyle=text-align:center;
|◢→|{{small|Aleph}}|{{small|Bet}}|{{small|Gimel}}|{{small|Daleth}}|{{small|Heh}}|{{small|Vav}}|{{small|Zayin}}|{{small|Het}}|{{small|Tet}}|{{small|Yodh}}|{{small|Kaph}}|{{small|Lamed}}|{{small|Mem}}|{{small|Nun}}|{{small|Samech}}|{{small|Ayin}}|{{small|Peh}}|{{small|Tzady}}|{{small|Koof}}|{{small|Reish}}|{{small|Shin}}|{{small|Taw}}
|Plain |א|ב|ג|ד|ה|ו|ז|ח|ט|י|כ|ל|מ|נ|ס|ע|פ|צ|ק|ר|ש|ת
|◢←|{{small|Taw}}|{{small|Shin}}|{{small|Reish}}|{{small|Koof}}|{{small|Tzady}}|{{small|Peh}}|{{small|Ayin}}|{{small|Samech}}|{{small|Nun}}|{{small|Mem}}|{{small|Lamed}}|{{small|Kaph}}|{{small|Yodh}}|{{small|Tet}}|{{small|Het}}|{{small|Zayin}}|{{small|Vav}}|{{small|Heh}}|{{small|Daleth}}|{{small|Gimel}}|{{small|Bet}}|{{small|Aleph}}
|Cipher|ת|ש|ר|ק|צ|פ|ע|ס|נ|מ|ל|כ|י|ט|ח|ז|ו|ה|ד|ג|ב|א}}
By shifting the correlation one space to the left or the right, one may derive a variant '''Batgash''' (named for Bet–Taw–[[Gimel]]–Shin) or '''Ashbar''' (for Aleph–Shin–Bet–[[Resh|Reish]]).  Either alternative mapping leaves one letter unsubstituted; respectively Aleph and Taw.

=== In the Bible===
Several [[biblical]] words are described by commentators<ref group=n>[[Rashi]] and [[Radak]] on each of the first three verses. Also other commentators.</ref> as being examples of Atbash:<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2fnKNa7cfOoC&q=Atbash++&pg=PT1996 |title=The Moody Bible Commentary |first1=Michael |last1=Rydelnik |first2=Michael |last2=Vanlaningham |date=March 15, 2014 |publisher=Moody Publishers |isbn=9780802490186 |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Helmbold |first=A. K. |title=The Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible, Volume 1 |publisher=Zondervan |year=2009 |isbn=9780310876960 |editor-last=Silva |editor-first=Moisés |edition=Revised |location=Grand Rapids |pages=430}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Leuchter |first=Mark |date=2004 |title=Jeremiah's 70-Year Prophecy and the ימק בל/ךשש Atbash Codes |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/42614548 |journal=Biblica |volume=85 |issue=4 |pages=503–522 |jstor=42614548 |issn=0006-0887}}</ref>
* [[Jeremiah 25:26]] – "The king of ''[[Sheshach]]'' shall drink after them" – Sheshach meaning [[Babylon]] in Atbash ({{Script/Hebrew|בבל}} ''bbl'' → {{Script/Hebrew|ששך}} ''ššk'').
* [[Jeremiah 51:1]] – "Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against the inhabitants of ''Lev-kamai'', a destroying wind." – Lev-kamai meaning [[Chaldea]]ns ({{Script/Hebrew|כשדים}} ''kśdym'' → {{Script/Hebrew|לבקמי}} ''lbqmy'').
* [[Jeremiah 51:41]] – "How has ''Sheshach'' been captured! and the praise of the whole earth taken! How has Babylon become a curse among the nations!" – Sheshach meaning Babylon ({{Script/Hebrew|בבל}} ''bbl'' → {{Script/Hebrew|ששך}} ''ššk'').
Regarding a potential Atbash switch of a single letter:
* {{Bibleverse|Exodus|20:20|HE}} - "Any place ''I'' will mention My name" ({{Script/Hebrew|אזכיר}}) → "Any place ''you'' will mention My name" ({{Script/Hebrew|תזכיר}}) (a → t), according to [[Yom Tov Asevilli]]<ref>[https://www.sefaria.org.il/Midrash_Shmuel_on_Avot.3.6.1?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en Midrash Shmuel on Avot 3:6]; see discussion in [[David Zvi Hoffmann]] [https://mg.alhatorah.org/Parshan/R._David_Zvi_Hoffmann/Shemot/20.20#m7e0n6 to Exodus 20:20]</ref>