A related desperate appeal is that a related modern Hebrew word does mean a "ball". However, this proves little if anything, for modern usage has very little bearing on usage more than two thousand years earlier. Modern languages evolve constantly, and one would first have to prove that the modern word evolved with the ancient understanding in mind. Note as well that since it is related, not the same word, this is as much as admitting that duwr itself does not mean (simply or exclusively) "sphere", for otherwise, there would have been no need to "evolve" a modern word. What it boils down to: While a sphere is a duwr, it is not the only thing that is a duwr, so it would not be sufficient for the absurd precision-demands of modern Skeptics, who would simply assume that the text is saying that the earth is in the shape of a circle, as in Is. 29:3.