The Tower of Babel
Genesis 10-11
As a child, I remember my Sunday School teacher taught the account of the Tower of Babel. In her version, the people on earth had become so smart and powerful that they built a tower that could reach heaven. God became concerned about their knowledge that He came down to confuse their language so they would not be storming heaven. With all due respect to my childhood Sunday School teacher, she got just about everything wrong.
Heaven was never in danger of being over-run by humanity. God was not scared or impressed by their work. The passage's central meaning is that the people live all together in a city, rather than scattering out to fill the earth as God commanded. God desired that the whole earth be populated, which was in danger if the people lived together.
Nimrod’s Vision and Disobedience
To better understand the Tower of Babel account in Genesis 11, it is best to put it in the context of Genesis chapter 10. In Genesis 10:8, Nimrod, a grandson of Ham, is described as a great warrior. From him will come many kingdoms. Babylon, Assyria, and many others are listed. Four times it is emphasized that each clan spoke their own language. Nimrod decided that one language would be better, rather than filling the earth; he advocates everyone living together. He is described as a mighty warrior, and so it is certainly implied that Nimrod is forcing others by violence to join living in Babel. Another command from God was broken because, in Genesis 9:6, God forbade the shedding of another's blood because every person is created in the image of God.
To get everyone to live in the same area, they needed to speak one language. Genesis 11:1 records, this is what happened. In Genesis 11:3, the people are quoted as speaking. Dr. Carmen Imes observes that this was simple Hebrew that a child would speak. They are saying to themselves, “Let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves (Genesis 11:4, NIV). The desire here is to make their name great. The problem is that they are not. The one language they are speaking is simplistic. Plus, the building materials they are using are not made to last. They are using brick instead of stone and tar instead of mortar (Genesis 11:3). Bricks crumble, and tar does not last nor adhere like mortar.
The Tower
My childhood Sunday School teacher made a lot out of the phrase, “a tower that reaches to the heavens” (Genesis 11:4). In my research on this passage, they have found that saying refers to any high structure in that part of the world. Thanks to our archaeologist and linguistic friends who find other early writings to understand the passage's context. If it refers to a high structure in the impressive city they were building, what was that tower? Two common possibilities exist. It could have been a watchtower. It was common to have a high tower with a lookout to see if enemies were coming. The other possibility was a Ziggurat, a high structure built in the center of the city with steps leading up to the top. The steps were not for the people to go up but for the gods to come down. If it were a Ziggurat, then the people of Babel were worshiping other gods already just three generations from Noah.
God’s Judgment
The text uses some vivid imagery in that the people are building a “high tower.” In Genesis 11:5, God has to come down to see it. What humanity thinks is impressive does not always impress God. God is concerned because the people have organized so that it would be possible for them to all live in one region instead of scattering and inhabiting the whole earth. God desired that the entire world be filled with humanity. To get the people of Babel to spread out, He confuses their language. The Bible teaches that they stopped building the city and scattered over the earth's whole face (Genesis 11:8-9).
Observations
I would like to make a couple of observations about this passage. They wanted to make a name for themselves, but they did not because they did not obey God’s commands. However, later Abraham, Abram will be called out of that area, and God will make his name great. An interesting fact is that Abraham comes from Ur, which would be close to this area. Archaeologists have dug up Ur and found high rise buildings there. It should not surprise us that they would be found in that area because it would have been essential to have high-rise buildings for them to get everyone to live at Babel.
Another interesting fact is that the word Babel in Hebrew is the same word for Babylon. The kingdom of Babylon is in modern-day Iraq. Hundreds of years later, the Kingdom of Babylon will become the world’s most powerful nation and conquer Judah and exile most of Israel's people to Babylon. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are part of this exile. What I find interesting is that the people of Israel would have known the story of the Tower of Babel well. My hunch, they were comforted in knowing that a nation that tries to make itself great will not last.
People, nations, and kingdoms can only be great when God is acknowledged and followed. It is our calling to follow King Jesus and His instructions to be great!