Athbash

/ˈæθbæʃ/ noun

Definition

An ancient Hebrew cipher or code where letters are substituted by their reverse positions in the alphabet (A↔Z, B↔Y, etc.), used in biblical and Jewish texts.

Etymology

From Hebrew 'atbash,' where 'aleph' and 'tav' (first and last letters) are swapped with 'bet' and 'shin.' Named after this pattern of substitution that creates the cipher system.

Kelly Says

Biblical scholars found athbash ciphers in the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Book of Jeremiah—ancient writers used it to encrypt secret messages and show off their cleverness, similar to how people use code-switching today!

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