May I aks you a question? Have you ever heard someone use that word: “aks”? This is a common example of what is called metathesis—the swapping of two sounds or syllables in a word. You may have heard other examples of this too: nucular, perscription and asterix, to name a few. Historically, this has even influenced how languages developed. English, for example, used to have words as hros, waps, brid and crul, before they were replaced with the modern horse, wasp, bird and curl. The reason we use these words is that they are simply more comfterbel to pronounce—ah, there’s another one!

Some of these developments obfuscate the meaning of the word. Nuclear no longer has a nucleus; prescription is missing “pre,” and comfortable no longer brings comfort. Metathesis is a contributing factor to the decay of language. But it also seems to appear in the language of the Bible.

For this reason, some doubt the perfection of God’s Word. That is a narrow view of the Bible. If we let God teach us, we find perfection even in those things that seem imperfect.

For example, in Genesis 30 the word for sheep or lamb is used four times as בׂשכּ, pronounced keseb. From Exodus 12 onward, however, the primary word used is שׂבכּ, pronounced kebes. The letters bet and shin are swapped. Does this mean that the Bible itself was subject to metathesis and thus lingual decay? Not at all! If we study into this example of supposed decay—and many like them—we find perfection in the Bible.

The context in which these words are found shows that they are referring to two different kinds of sheep.

A keseb is a lamb that fills the human desire for wealth—like the lambs that were part of the flock of wealthy Laban. Jacob sought a portion of Laban’s flock (Genesis 30). Keseb is also used in Deuteronomy 14:4, showing it was fit for human consumption. It is no coincidence that keseb sounds almost exactly the same as keseph (כסף), which can mean desire and money. Clearly there is a poetical connection between the type of sheep Jacob was looking for and a desire for wealth.

However, a kebes refers to a sacrificial lamb and almost always refers to lambs used for sin, trespass or burnt offerings—the types of offerings that were used as an atonement for sin. The word kabash (שבּכּ) has the same Hebrew letters as kebes, and means conquer or subdue. Adding one letter gives us kibsan (ןׁשבּכ), meaning furnace. The word for washing is kabas (סבּכ)—very reminiscent of kebes. Furthermore, in Leviticus 14:8-14 this word for lamb is used in relation to washing four times. A kebes symbolizes a conquered, sacrificial lamb—quite the opposite of a keseb.

The remarkable so-called coincidences in the language of the Bible are so plenteous they should offer enough proof for the perfection of every word of God. God says He purified His words seven times (Psalm 12:6), a number representing perfection throughout the Bible. God took great care that every single word included in the Bible was perfect, even to the smallest of letters or markings (Matthew 5:18).

When something like metathesis occurs in the biblical text, it is not decay of language as it is with humans. God has real purpose behind every word and every letter.