The Tower of Babel

The Table of Nations is God’s blessing to Noah that the earth will be filled with His descendents, while Babel is the dispersion into all the earth.

All the nations come from Noah.

Structure of chapter 10

It is divided into 3 groups. Shem, Ham, and Japheth (following a pattern of 3 sons so far)

We have 70 descendents of these three brothers, showing a “complete” genealogy. Deuteronomy 32:8 “When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance and divided the human race, he set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the people of Israel.”

-It shows nations developing from the families, showing how all the nations came from the line of Noah.

-When it says their “sons” it is pointing to the ancestors, while “Fathered” is referring to descendents that led to the nations.

-The people are classified according to their “families”, their “languages”, their “nations” and their “lands”.

Two important groups come out of this table.

-The Canaanites, who would be the enemies of Israel and would live in the promised land.

-Nimrod, a great warrior who would because strong warriors who would come against Israel.

Main points:

The human race is united by one family

The human race is hopelessly divided by language, race, territory, and politics

These nations would stand against either with God’s plan or against God’s plan and will either receiver blessing or cursing.

The human race, although united by origin, is divided by language, territory, and politics as part of God’s design to b ring blessing to the human race.

The Tower of Babel

In Babel we see the nations striving for unity, security, and social immortality in defiance of God’s desire for them to fill the earth.

-We see one of the major sins is that they aren’t filling the earth but bringing all the nations to one place. They are trying to build their own Eden.

-The major consequence isn’t the destruction of the tower but of their languages being confused. The many nations that we have reveals God’s place to actually reduce sin by having many nations. Only until Jesus returns and the people of every “tribe, tongue, and nation” will be joined together again.

Zephaniah 3:8–9 “Therefore, wait for me— this is the Lord’s declaration— until the day I rise up for plunder. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, in order to pour out my indignation on them, all my burning anger; for the whole earth will be consumed by the fire of my jealousy. For I will then restore pure speech to the peoples so that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him with a single purpose.”

Structure of passage

A. The earth had one language (1)

B. People settled there (2)

C. They said to each other (3)

D. Come, let’s make bricks (3)

E. Let’s make for ourselves (4)

F. A City and tower (4)

G. And the Lord came down to see (5)

F. The city and the tower (5)

E. That the humans had built (5)

D. Come, let’s confuse their language (7)

C. They will not understand each other (7)

B. From there the Lord scattered (8)

A. The Lord confused the language of the whole earth (9)

Now one important detail, is the word Babel is an interesting word because it is a transliteration and it actually has the same meaning in English and in its original language now. Babel, when we think of it, is speech that doesn’t make sense, the name Babylon comes from this place.

Another thing it does, that we can’t see in English is that many of the words that are contrasting in this passage will have the same letters in different order. It shows the reversal that is taking place within humanity as well the folly in people thinking they can be like God.

-Like the word babel for Babylon and the word for confused balal

-The word “let us make bricks” is nilbenah and the word for God saying “let us confuse” is nabelah

What is also interesting is that in Mesopotamian and Sumerian records there was also one original language that separated into many.

Background of Babylon

The greatest early power of the world, but this is just its beginning.

-It shows the “original” power as a reminder to the many other nations, cities, and ndempires. That confusion would always be what happens when the world attempts to come against God.

This story shows how man always attempts to build the “ultimate achievement” to be like God.

-Our desire to inhabit a planet other than earth

-The way we attempt to use technology for “unify” all the nations of the world to one place.

-The desire to have a single currency that everyone uses.

-All of these have been thwarted, each has actually led to more disunity rather than unity.

This tower is called a ziggurat.

This shows us how God will make low those who seek to make their own will.

Independence from God is at the root of sinful rebellion

Humanity seeks unity for their own sake rather than for God's

They believed their security was found in building to preserve their desires rather than filling the earth to glorify the Lord.

The phrase "let us make bricks" (nilbena levenim) consists of a verb and noun that share an identical root (l-b-n). This verb-noun pair appears only one other time in the entire Bible: "You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks (lilbon ha'levenim)..." 10

That verse is from...Exodus! It's Pharaoh forcing the Israelites slaves to find their own raw material to meet their brick quotas. The connection between brick-making and slavery is no coincidence. In the ancient world, at least at scale, it basically *required* slave labor.

Remember 11:3—"Come, let us make bricks..."? The Hebrew word for "come" is "havah"—a very rare word that only appears 8 times outside the Babel story. 12

Its root means "to give", and so the word itself always means "give!". But on two exceptional occasions, it means "come one!". One's here in the Babel narrative. The other? Pharaoh arguing for enslaving the Israelites: "Come (havah), let us deal shrewdly with them" (1:10)

Remember Babel's objective? "A city ('ir) and a tower with its top in the heavens (va'shamayim)..." (11:4). There is literally only one other reference in the entire Bible to a city in the sky ('ir...va'shamayim).

When Moses pronounces God's judgment upon the wicked societies in Canaan, we're told those nations possessed "cities ('arim = plural of 'ir) great and fortified up to heaven (va'shamayim")" (Deuteronomy 9:1)

Consider, for instance, what God says about Babel: "And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them" (11:6). The word for "be impossible" is "yibbatzer". This root appears nearly 40 times in the Bible and almost NEVER means "be impossible". So why use it?

Answer: because what that root *usually* means is "fortified". As in: "cities great and fortified up to heaven"—our verse from Deuteronomy 9:1. Guess the root used for "fortified"... Yep. Same root as "yibbatzer". Babel's compared to the exploitative kingdoms of Canaan.

Babel seems wonderful on the surface—a society in which everyone comes together to build something. But beneath the surface, it's a dystopia. It's Egypt. It's Shechem. It's Canaan. Why is it so bad? Well, because what Genesis 11 is narrating for us is...the birth of empire.

Babel's not a free society in which people come together to build a tower. It's an empire—the first of its kind. Historically speaking, it is, in fact, in Mesopotamia that empires first emerge. And that explains the transition from Gen 10 to 11.

The single language spoken at the outset of Gen 11 represents not some golden age of mutual intelligibility. It's enforced uniformity. It's a *regression* from the diversity in Gen 10. Similarly, the brick-making wasn't some feat of public-spiritedness. It was forced labor.

But unchecked, universalism devalues us. If we're all ultimately the same, then we're all replaceable. Mere numbers.

And from there, it's just a quick jump to slavery. Which is why the Bible's skepticism of unadulterated universalism is so bound up with its hatred of empire. Empire is the natural consequence of devaluing people—refusing to see how each of us is special.

Humanity seeks achievement to resist the boundaries of God’s creation

They want God to play a supporting role to their own achievement

“Come let us make” is similar to Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.””

Genesis 1–11:26 2. Tower of Babel (11:1–9)

When Marduk heard this,

Brightly glowed his features, like the day:

“Construct Babylon, whose building you have requested,

Let its brickwork be fashioned. You shall name it ‘The Sanctuary.’ ”

The Anunnaki applied the implement;

for one whole year they molded bricks.

When the second year arrived,

They raised high the head of Esagila equaling Apsu.

Having built a stage-tower as high as Apsu,

They set up in it an abode for Marduk, Enlil, (and) Ea.

In their presence he was seated in grandeur.

Humanity attempts to make a name for themselves rather than make God’s name great. They want an autonomous identity.

They seek to define themselves by their own success.

God also tells Abram that He will make Abram’s name “Great”

Genesis 1–11:26

Babel would also be a fitting name for our “postmodern” world of pluralism, deconstructionism, and therefore “noncommunication,” which declares the autonomy of text and reader and sets meaning afloat in a sea of uncertainty. Revolt against divine and absolute truth has fated lost humanity to wander aimlessly and alone in a silent, chaotic world.

Our society see’s success as something each person defines and is responsible for themselves. It is our own burden to be successful. “the only thing stopping you is yourself” “I know who I am and everyone else can get out of the way”

-We want to “make a name for ourselves, and failure to reach that goal means it is all on us.

-There is then a double burden in “being anything you want to be”. You need to “find” who you are or who you want to be, and then you need to “become” whatever that is, no matter what it costs.

-Then you are beholden to whatever the world decides about you on social media or whatever judgment they believe is right for you. Rather than being judged by the “book of life”

“both the traditional and modern ‘selves’ are inherently insecure. They can never be either fully at peace or bold enough to ‘venture everything’ for the good and right. They are always in danger of dissolution, being so conditioned by what others think and say of you” - Keller

We therefore turn our backs on the name that God gives us

We see this in the “achievements” of the world that become spectacles of their own name. Athletic competitions, Hollywood awards, Nobel peace prize. Everything becomes about making a name for yourself. It is the power of the “world” that we make for ourselves. A universal agreement of what we have made. That type of society is always about your “image”. The rest of us live our lives through “dreams desires, and fantasies via advertisements, films, and television programs.” Through images that we make of ourselves. we make our identities all of these things that we consume. Movies, media creators, athletic teams, etc. They become “who we are”. This is a warped view of life where everything is a “spectacle

The problem isn’t technology or cities, rather a desire for autonomous human sinfulness apart from God.

God humbles the proud

God's treatment of Babel was ultimately a blessing. He helped them, despite themselves, recover the blessings of diversity bequeathed to Noah. After all, the Bible understands that humans are tempted by empire

The irony is no more seen in that “God came down” to their “large” tower. We are no closer to being "like God”

No matter how “great” our inventions or engineering, We are no closer to being "like God”

God in fact does this for the benefit of humanity, to prevent irreparable consequences, rather than any fear they would actually be like Him. It isn’t out of spite or fear, it is God’s mercy.

Psalm 139:1–5 “Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I stand up; you understand my thoughts from far away. You observe my travels and my rest; you are aware of all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, you know all about it, Lord. You have encircled me; you have placed your hand on me.”

God’s judgment cuts across the spectacle and removes hierarchies in the book of life because God knows our hearts.

Only God can unite the nations again

Acts 2:1–13 CSB

When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and rested on each one of them. Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were Jews staying in Jerusalem, devout people from every nation under heaven. When this sound occurred, a crowd came together and was confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded and amazed, saying, “Look, aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? How is it that each of us can hear them in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites; those who live in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts), Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the magnificent acts of God in our own tongues.” They were all astounded and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But some sneered and said, “They’re drunk on new wine.”

Revelation 7:9–10 “After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Genesis 1–11:26 2. Tower of Babel (11:1–9)

Pentecost shows that national distinctions are secondary to the union of a single people by the baptism of the Spirit in Christ. The gospel therefore is the reconciling antidote to the plurality of nations as it is preached among the world’s peoples.

What city are we being trained to love? The earthly or heavenly city?