Translation Disputes

The translation disputes between Zecharia Sitchin and mainstream Assyriologists are at the heart of the controversy surrounding his work.

Key Disputed Terms

Term	Sitchin’s Translation	Scholarly Translation
SHEM	Rocketship	Name, reputation
MU	Sky vehicle	Name
Nibiru	Planet of the Crossing	A celestial body (Jupiter or a point)
Anunnaki	Those who from heaven came	The great gods
Nefilim	Those who came down	Giants, fallen ones
E.DIN	The righteous abode	Steppe, plain

Methodology

Scholars argue that Sitchin:

• Cherry-picked definitions from lexicons
• Ignored context and grammar
• Created false etymologies
• Misread cuneiform signs

See Also

• Mainstream-assyriology — Academic view
• Heiser — Theological critique
• Friedrich — Linguistic critique