The inversion of maps

In some early Bibles, Psalms 48:2 mentions that Mount Zion lies in the Aquilon or northern side of the earth. That is, to the north of the dry lands.

• Psalm 48:2 "Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King." |King James Bible|

• Psalm 48:2 "Fair in situation, the joy of the whole earth; Even mount Zion, the uttermost parts of the north, The city of the great King. |Jps Tanakh|

Now, if you examine ancient maps prior to the 14th century, you'll find many upside-down, with North positioned to the South and vice versa, while the texts are printed right side up (see maps below).

In this respect, the geography of ancient Egypt is oriented with Lower Egypt to the north and Upper Egypt to the south, mainly because contemporary maps are flipped and printed upside down.

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Map from 1568 by Pierre Hamon

Map from 1554 by Giovanni Battista Ramusio

Now, if the orientation of geographic maps prior to the 14th century was upside down, this would mean that when the first Bible (Gutenberg Bible) was written in 1455, the southern part of the Earth was what is now considered the northern hemisphere. So, by inverting the maps, the true location of Mount Zion was shifted in favor of the western lands.

So, by inverting the maps, the true location of Mount Zion was occulted in favor of the western lands.

Psalms 68:15-16​

Formerly, Psalms 68:15-16 read:  

• The mountain of God is like the mountaine of Bashan: it is an high Mountaine, as mount Bashan. Why leape ye, ye high mountaines? as for this Mountaine, God deliteth to dwell in it: yea, the Lord will dwell in it for ever" - Geneva Bible of 1587

The allusion in this passage was that Mount Zion is comparable to Mount Bashan. Here the psalmist introduces Mount Zion by contrasting it with the vast expanses of Bassan. Symbolically Sion is in the image of a Mountain to express stability, robustness, reliability, unalterability, strength and confidence. But physically speaking, just like Mount Hermon, Mount Sinai and Mount Bashan, Mount Zion is not just a simple hill or isolated mountain, but rather a chain of high mountains with many elevated peaks or summits covered with forest and thicket as well as snow. 

Interestingly, Psalm 68:15-16 has been changed in many more recent Bible versions, and the allusion is now that the Mountain of God is Mount Bashan.

• "When the Almighty scattered the kings there, It was snowing in Zalmon, The mountain of God is as the mountain of Bashan; a mountain of many peaks is Mount Bashan." 

• The mountain of Bashan is a mountain of God; The mountain of Bashan is a mountain of many peaks. - NASB Bible

However, in the Old Testament, Mount Bashan, also called “the gates of hell”, was known as a place of sinister reputation and controlled by two kings: Sihon and Og - who were associated with the ancient giant clans: the Rephaim and the Anakim. The region of northern Israel, variously called Bashan and later Cesarea-Philippi, was at first the center of the cult of Ba'al, then later of the cult of Pan under Roman leadership. Israeli literature associated Ba'al with the godless and the underworld and Mount Hermon stands in the background. In Enoch, the fallen angels are said to have arrived on Earth on Mount Hermon, and the whole region was considered cursed.

In Psalm 22:12, Jesus Christ describes those who crucified Him as strong bulls or mighty men of Bashan.

• Psalm 22:12 "Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me."

🔴 How then can Mount Bassan be the mountain of the Lord? Why have contemporary scholars altered the meaning of Psalms 68:15-16? 🤔

You be the judge, and we encourage you to do your own research.

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