Getting an Understanding the Rebellion at Babel

Revolt on a world Scale

Getting an Understanding the Rebellion at Babel

by Bodie Hodge on August 19, 2010

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Nations that once feared God now ignore Him and despise His Word. Children from godly homes are rebelling against the faith of their parents. Not much has changed in the last four thousand years, since Babel.

The Tower of Babel (2242 BC) was a post-Flood rebellion against God by Noah’s descendants. God judged them by dividing the single language into multiple language families. As these groups spread out and became isolated, certain features (e.g. skin shade, eye shape) became dominant in certain groups.

God recorded key moments in history to warn and comfort His people (; ). We may get discouraged by the sins of our nation and our children, but God wants to encourage us. A quick walk through the Bible’s account of Babel reveals some important lessons for us today. God is still patiently working out His plans, even though we can’t always see how.

📷Shop Now 📷 Shop Now When did the events at the Tower of Babel happen? What did the tower look like? Are there any records of Noah’s descendants found throughout the world after they left Babel? What about different languages? Are Noah and his sons found in any ancient genealogies? In this chapter, we’ll examine the fascinating answers to questions about what happened on the plain of Shinar. For background to this chapter, please rea11. When Did the Event at Babel Occur? Renowned chronologist Archbishop James Ussher1 placed the time of Babel at 106 years after the Flood, when Peleg was born.2 To Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan25). Although this may not be the exact date, it is in range because Peleg was in the fourth generation after the Flood. Some have suggested that this division refers to a geophysical splitting of the continents; however, this is associated with the flood of Noah’s time—not the events at Babel. The massive amounts of water and the crustal breakup indicated i11 (the fountains of the great deep burst forth) were substantial enough to cause catastrophic movements of plates. Continental collision formations, such as high mountains, were already in place prior to Peleg’s day. For example, we know the mountains of Ararat had formed by the end of the Flood because the ark landed there. These mountains are caused by a collision with the Arabian plate and the Eurasian plate. So these would have already moved by the time the Flood had ended. Continental splitting during the day of Peleg would have caused another global flood! Instead, the division mentioned here refers to the linguistic division that happened when God confused the language at Babel. Even the Jewish historian Josephus (who lived near the time of Christ) stated: He was called Peleg, because he was born at the dispersion of the nations to their various countries. . . .3 Prominent modern theologians such as John Whitcomb reaffirm this as well.4 According to Archbishop Ussher, the date of Babel would have been near 2242 B.C.5 See table 1 for a comparison to other events according to Ussher. Table 1. Major Dates According to Ussher Major event Date (According to Ussher) Creation 4004 B.C. Global Flood 2348 B.C. Tower of Babel 2242 B.C. Call of Abraham 1921 B.C. Time of the Judges (Moses was first) 1491 B.C. (God appeared to Moses in the burning bush) Time of the Kings (Saul was the first) 1095 B.C. Split Kingdom 975 B.C. Christ Was Born 5 B.C. It was during the days of Peleg that the family groups left the plain of Shinar and traveled to different parts of the world, taking with them their own language that other families couldn’t understand. Not long after this, Babylon (2234 B.C.), Egypt (2188 B.C.), and Greece (2089 B.C.) began.6 Civilizations that were closer to Babel (e.g., those in the Middle East) were established prior to civilizations farther from Babel (e.g., those in Australia or the Americas). Even more fascinating is that as people went around the world, they left evidence of this event! Let’s take a look. Ziggurats throughout the World 📷 The Tower of Babel has traditionally been depicted as a type of ziggurat, although the Bible doesn’t give specific dimensions. The Hebrew word for tower used 11, referring to the Tower of Babel, is migdal: a tower; by analogy, a rostrum; figuratively, a (pyramidal) bed of flowers. Interestingly, this word means tower but figuratively reflects a flowerbed that yields a pyramidal shape. This gives a little support to the idea that the Tower of Babel may have been pyramidal or ziggurat shaped. In what is now Iraq, Robert Koldewey excavated a structure some think to be the foundation of the original Tower of Babel. It underlays a later ziggurat that was thought to be built by Hammurabi in the 19th century B.C.7 📷 When people were scattered from the Tower of Babel in the time of Peleg, they likely took this building concept with them to places all over the world. It makes sense that many of the families that were scattered from Babel took varying ideas of the tower to their new lands and began building projects of their own. Ziggurats, pyramids, mounds, and the like have been found in many parts of the world—from Mesopotamia to Egypt to South America. The ancient Chinese built pyramids and the Mississippian culture built mounds. Pyramids are classed slightly differently from ziggurats, as are mounds, but the similarities are striking. Why did the people at Shinar build a tower? Some suspect that they were afraid of another flood, similar to the one that Noah and his sons had informed them about. However, Dr. John Gill casts doubt on this idea. It is generally thought what led them to it was to secure them from another flood, they might be in fear of; but this seems not likely, since they had the covenant and oath of God, that the earth should never be destroyed by water any more; and besides, had this been the thing in view, they would not have chosen a plain to build on, a plain that lay between two of the greatest rivers, Tigris, and Euphrates, but rather one of the highest mountains and hills they could have found: nor could a building of brick be a sufficient defense against such a force of water, as the waters of the flood were; and besides, but few at most could be preserved at the top of the tower, to which, in such a case, they would have betook themselves.8 The Bible records that the people said among themselves: Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole eart11:4) 📷 It seems that the tower was to be a special place to keep people together, rather than filling the earth as God had commanded thems 9:1). It is possible that the tower was built under the guise that it was a place for sacrifice unto God. This would have prevented people from going too far since they would have to come back to offer sacrifices at Babel. A recurring theme in Scripture is that people seek to do things they think will honor God but end up disobeying God. One example is when Saul offered a sacrifice when he wasn’t supposed:8–13). It is better to obey than sacrifice. In fact, many ziggurats and pyramids around the world were used for sacrifice or other sacred religious events, such as burying people (e.g., pharaohs of Egypt). Perhaps the concept of sacred sacrifice and religious festivities with ziggurats was a carryover from Babel. Regardless, ziggurats and pyramids all over the world are an excellent confirmation of the original recorded in God’s Word—the Tower of Babel. Noah in Royal Genealogies of Europe 📷 Table 2. Biblical Table of Nations The Bibsis 10 gives an outline of family groups that left Babel (see table 2). These people moved throughout the world and populated virtually every continent. (Was Antarctica ever settled in the past? At this point I am unaware.) Historians have commented on genealogical records in the past and other ancient documents on the origins of various peoples.9 📷 Table 3. Irish Genealogies Permission for use granted by New Wine Press These genealogies seem to connect prominent modern houses and royal lines with the Table of Nations listed in the Bible. In these genealogies, Noah is found on the top of the lists on many of these documents, some of which feature variant spellings such as Noe, Noa, and Noah. One historian discovered a relationship between the ancient name of Sceaf (Seskef, Scef) and the biblical Japheth.10 This seems reasonable, as Japheth has traditionally been seen as the ancestor of the European nations. Most of the European genealogies researched have a variant of Sceaf with the exception of Irish genealogies, which still used the name Japheth. The Irish genealogical chart is reprinted in table 3.11 📷 Table 4. Nennius’s Table of Nations Permission for use granted by New Wine Press Anglo-Saxon chronologies feature six royal houses.12 An eighth century Roman historian, Nennius, developed a table of nations of the lineages of many of the European people groups from Noah’s son Japheth: Gauls, Goths, Bavarians, Saxons, and Romans. Nennius’s table of nations is reproduced in table 4.13 Though it repeats the Goths in two different areas, Nennius’s chart bears strong similarities to the history that Josephus recorded,14 as well as the Bible’s Table of Nations. However, there are clearly enough differences to show that it was neither a copy from the biblical text nor from the Jewish historian Josephus.15 Chinese records also describe Nuah with three sons, Lo Han, Lo Shen, and Jahphu, according to the Miautso people of China.16 Although original documents of ancient sources sometimes no longer exist and one has to rely on quotes from other ancient books, it is interesting how in many places we find similarities to the Table of Nations given in the Bible. Noah’s Grandsons’ Names Are Everywhere! History abounds with names that are reused. Names of places become names of people; names of people become names of places. After the Flood, several of Noah’s descendants were named for places prior to the Flood. See table 5 for a list. Table 5. A Few Pre-Flood and Post-Flood References Name Bible Reference Pre-Flood Bible Reference Post-Flood Person ssiis 10:29 Noah’s grandson through Ham; Noah’s great, great, great, great grandson through Shessis 10:6 Noah’s grandson through Hamsis 10:22 Noah’s grandson through Shem Names may vary throughout history. For example, Pennsylvania was named for William Penn; St. Petersburg in Russia was named for Peter the Great, who was ultimately named for Peter who penned two books of the Bible. Names can undergo many changes such as variations in spelling, differences in symbols, and alterations in pronunciation. Despite any changes, however, the names of post-Flood regions, cities, rivers, or languages should bear similarity to the names of those leaving Babel. One would be surprised how often these names appear. Table 6 lists some of these. Table 6. Noah’s Descendants’ Names Reflected Around the World17 Name Descendant of Noah What Is It? Aramaic Aram Language that came out of Babel and still survives, likely with changes down the ages. Some short parts of the Bible are written in Aramaic. Jesus spoke it on the cross when He said: “ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTrk 15:34). Cush Cush Ancient name of Ethiopia. In fact, people of Ethiopia still call themselves Cushites. Medes Madai People group often associated with the Persians. Ashkenaz Ashkenaz Still the Hebrew name for Germany. Galacia, Gaul, and Galicia Gomer These regions are the old names for an area in modern Turkey, France, and Northwestern Spain, respectively, where Gomer was said to have lived. His family lines continued to spread across southern Europe. The Book of Galatians by Paul was written to the church at Galatia. Gomeraeg Gomer This is the old name for the Welsh language on the British Isles from their ancestor, Gomer, whose ancestors began to populate the Isle from the mainland. Javan Javan This is still the Hebrew name for Greece. His sons, Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim (Chittim), and Dodanim still have reference to places in Greece. For example, Paul, the author who penned much of the New Testament, was from the region of Tats 21:39) and a city called Tarsus. Jeremiah mentions Kiiah 2:10 and is modern-day Cyprus (and other nearby ancient regions that now had varied names such as Cethim, Citius, Cethima, Cilicia). The Greeks worshiped Jupiter Dodanaeus from Japheth/Dodanim. The Elysians, were ancient Greek people. Meshech/ Moscow Mechech Mechech is the old name for Moscow, Russia, and one region called the Mechech Lowland still holds the original name today. Canaan Canaan The region of Palestine that God removed from the Canaanites for their sin and gave as an inheritance to the Israelites beginning with the conquest of Joshua. It is often termed the Holy Land and is where modern-day Israel resides. Elamites Elam This was the old name for the Persians prior to Cyrus. Assyria Asshur Asshur is still the Hebrew name for Assyria. Hebrew Eber This people group and language was named for Eber. Abraham was a Hebrew, and the bulk of the Old Testament is written in Hebrew. Taurus/ Toros Tarshish A mountain range in Turkey. Tanais is the old name of the Don River flowing into the Black Sea. Mizraim Mizraim This is still the Hebrew name for Egypt. We Don’t Speak the Same Language Anymore! The Tower of Babel explains why everyone doesn’t speak the same language today. There are over 6,900 spoken languages in the world today.18 Yet the number of languages emerging from Babel at the time of the dispersion would have been much less than this—likely less than 100 different original language families. So where did all these languages come from? Linguists recognize that most languages have similarities to other languages. Related languages belong to what are called language families. These original language families (probably less than 100) resulted from God’s confusion of the language at Babel. Since that time, the original language families have grown and changed into the abundant number of languages today. Noah’s great-great-grandson Eber fathered Peleg when the events at Babel took place. The modern language of Hebrew is named after Eber. Noah’s grandson Aram was the progenitor of Aramaic. The Bible lists Noah’s grandsons, great-grandsons, great-great-grandsons, and great-great-great-grandsons who received a language at Bnesis 10. Eber and Aram were but two! From Js 10:2–5) came at least 14 language families; fr 10:6–20), 39; fro10:22–31), at least 25 (excluding Peleg and other children who may have just been born). The total number of languages that may have come out of Babel accornesis 10 may have been at least 78, assuming Noah, Ham, Shem, Japheth, and Peleg didn’t receive a new language. This excludes some descendants of Shem who are given slight men11:11–17; they may have also received a language. Both Vistawide World Languages and Cultures19 and Ethnologue,20 companies that provide statistics on language, agree that only 94 languages families have been so far ascertained. With further study in years to come, this may change, but this figure is well within the range of families that dispersed fromnesis 10). Is it feasible for 7,000 languages to develop from less than 100 in 4,000 years? The languages that came out of the confusion at Babel were “root languages” or language families. Over time, those root languages have varied by borrowing from other languages, developing new terms and phrases, and losing previous words and phrases. Let’s look at changes in the English language, as an example. English has changed so much over the course of 1,000 years that early speakers would hardly recognize it today. Table 7 provides a look at the chathew 6:9. Table 7.21 Beginthew 6:9 Date Our Father who art in heaven and/or Our Father who is in heaven Late Modern English (1700s) Our father which art in heauen Early Modern English (1500–1700) (KJV 1611) Oure fader that art in heuenis Middle English (1100–1500) Fæder ure þu þe eart on heofonum Old English (c. A.D. 1000) Just as English has changed significantly over the past 1,000 years, it becomes easy to see how the original languages at Babel could have rapidly changed in the 4,000 years since that time, whether spoken or written. In conclusion, there exist a great many confirmations of the Bible’s account of the Tower of Babel and what happened as a result. Even stories about a tower and sudden language changes appear in ancient histories from Sumerian, Grecian, Polynesian, Mexican, and Native American sources.22 This is what we would expect since the Tower of Babel was a real event. Language changes, ziggurats, names of Noah found throughout the world, and tower legends are excellent confirmations of the events at Babel.

1 Corinthians 10:11 KJV 1900

11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Romans 15:4 KJV 1900

4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

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Babel began with a heart of rebellion. Illustrations by Jon Taylor.

“Now the whole earth had one language and one speech.” ()

Genesis 11:1 KJV 1900

1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

To properly understand the account of Babel, we must remember the circumstances in which Moses presented it to the Hebrew people. They had just been freed from slavery in Egypt around 1491 BC. They were about to enter the Promised Land and annihilate the wicked nations of Canaan. They needed to understand where nations came from and why God had the authority to judge them for their sin.

Moses knew about the history, geography, languages, and cultures of his world. He had been trained in the court of pharaoh. Yet he did not rely on his education because God spoke to Him directly. God’s words—whether spoken to Moses or recorded in the Bible for us today—are the highest authority we could or should ever want.

God’s claims do not have to be “proven,” yet the evidence lines up with God’s statements about the past. describes a unique revolution in human history. At first, all people on earth were literally of “one lip” and “one words.” They had the same grammar and vocabulary. But as a result of God’s judgment, their language was divided into several languages, according to “families.” This is what we find today.

Genesis 11:1–9 KJV 1900

1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. 3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. 4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. 5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 6 And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. 7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. 9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

“They found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there.” (v. 2)

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Babel was most likely located in Mesopotamia. The Bible tells us that the nations were divided from this location.

After the Flood (about 2348 BC, according to Ussher) God had commanded Noah’s descendants to “be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth” (), but instead they took up permanent residence, with no apparent intention to spread out.

Genesis 9:1 KJV 1900

1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

This rebellion, which took place a century or two after Noah’s Flood, was no surprise to God. While promising not to send another Flood, God told Noah that human sinfulness was still a problem: “The imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (). Rebellion has been a pattern ever since Adam disobeyed God.

Genesis 8:21 KJV 1900

21 And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

“Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” (v. 3)

Where did these early humans learn to build a city and tower? Long before Noah’s Flood, Cain was a city-builder, and his descendant Tubal-cain was gifted in brass and iron (). It is clear from the genealogies in Genesis that Noah lived among these people for six hundred years before the Flood came, acquiring their technology and possibly their books. His sons had plenty of time to develop their construction skills, too, while building the Ark.

“Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower . . . lest we be scattered abroad.” (v. 4)

The settlers at Babel went out of their way to ensure that they would not be scattered, contrary to what God had commanded. They put down roots in one place, including a tower that they could rally around.

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Contrary to God’s command, the settlers at Babel planned to stay together. Illustrations by Jon Taylor.

Notice the words us, ourselves, and we. Moses makes it clear that pride was the real problem at Babel. Building cities and towers is not evil, but proud motives can turn even the most worthwhile activities into sin. Any human activity, done for the wrong reason, is wicked, as warns (“The plowing of the wicked is sin”).

Proverbs 21:4 KJV 1900

4 An high look, and a proud heart, And the plowing of the wicked, is sin.

The rebels wanted to build their tower “whose top is in the heavens.” This figure of speech, a hyperbole, is similar to the description of the cities in Canaan as “walled up to heaven” ().

Deuteronomy 1:28 KJV 1900

28 Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.

There is some question about the purpose of the tower. Some have suggested they wanted to build a structure large enough and strong enough to survive another Flood, but why would they build the tower in the plains rather than on a mountain? Other commentators, such as Luther, suggest that the builders wanted to construct a symbol of their self-reliance. The rebels were shaking their fist at heaven, as it were, by building such a great structure in their own power.

Early Jewish writers and Christian commentators suggested that the tower was the first center of false religion in the post-Flood world. ( also indicates that Babel was the mother of world religions.) One recent suggestion is that, like ziggurats built in later cities of the region, the tower was a symbolic bridge between heaven and earth, a place where the gods could come down to earth or rest (David S. DeWitt, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 22:1, p. 19).

Revelation 17:5 KJV 1900

5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

While God does interact with humans in unusual ways (see Jacob’s ladder in ), it is the height of folly for humans to think they can bridge the gap between the physical world and the spiritual world by their own efforts.

Genesis 28:12 KJV 1900

12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

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“. . . and let us make a name for ourselves.” (v. 4)

This sentence reveals the arrogance of the people at Babel. They sought a name for themselves rather than to honor the name of their Creator, who is above all and whose name is worthy of all praise.

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The settlers at Babel sought to glorify themselves rather than to honor the name of their Creator. Illustrations by Jon Taylor.

Throughout history, humans have longed to share God’s glory. The serpent tempted Eve with the promise that she and Adam could “be as gods.” All man-made religions try to “honor” God by the works of our own hands. God, in contrast, is not impressed by our works. He desires obedience and humility (). Moses’s account reminds us how we are all naturally stubborn and rebellious.

1 Samuel 15:22–23 KJV 1900

22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king.

Ironically, if we are humble and obedient, God will honor our name. Moses shows this by contrasting the events at Babel with the later faithfulness of Abraham. God promised to make Abraham’s name great, and all he needed was humble faith ().

Genesis 12:2 KJV 1900

2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

“But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower.” (v. 5)

This verse marks the dramatic turning point in Moses’s account of the events at Babel. God takes note of man’s plans. Then He steps in to reverse them.

Repeatedly, we learn that God observes our actions (Adam, the wicked generation of Noah’s day, Babel, Sodom and Gomorrah, etc.), and He judges us accordingly. Nothing escapes God’s attention. No individual sin, no sin of a nation. That is the lesson of Babel.

“. . . now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.” (v. 6)

This is one of the most amazing claims in the Bible. God has truly given mankind incredible gifts. He can fly to the moon, land probes on comets, and peer into the deepest recesses of the universe.

God gave us these talents for the purpose of glorifying His name, but our incredible gifts, if used for the wrong purpose, can destroy us. So God “restrains” humans. Unlike the judgment during Noah’s day, when God wiped out the entire world, here He intervened before the rebellion had gone too far.

“Come, let us go down and there confound their language.” (v. 7)

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We can see God’s mercy in His judgment at Babel. Illustrations by Jon Taylor.

God’s gentleness in judging the rebels at Babel is a lesson for us today. God did not let man’s rebellion run its full course, as He had before Noah’s Flood. He nipped the rebellion in its early stages so that humans would not hurt themselves too much.

By changing one language into many, He separated nations more effectively than any Wall of China. God stepped in to prevent the human race from falling under the sway of a single, absolute tyrant over all the earth. Only in His time would Christ gather together God’s family from every nation and tongue ().

Revelation 7:9 KJV 1900

9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

Note God’s ironic words. Just as the rebels said, “Let us build a tower,” God said, “Let us confound their language.” Man’s counsels can’t stand in the face of God’s counsel. As the original creator of human speech, God could easily rewire speech so that the evil speakers could no longer speak to one another.

“So the Lord scattered them abroad.” (v. 8)

Moses closes this account with a reminder that God will always accomplish His will. We may think we have found a way to circumvent His will, but that is just an appearance. As King Solomon later wrote, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes” ().

Proverbs 21:1 KJV 1900

1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever he will.

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The end result of God’s judgment was the scattering of the settlers. Illustrations by Jon Taylor.

By this simple act, God forced humanity to proceed down His chosen path—to resettle the earth by families.

God’s first judgment after the Flood proved that He would continue to superintend the events of human history. God wants us to turn to Him, rather than relying on ourselves. One day, whether they like it or not, all people will bow their knee before the name of Jesus Christ, the true bridge between heaven and earth ().

Philippians 2:9–11 KJV 1900

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

“Therefore its name is called Babel.” (v. 9)

Mankind’s rebellion came full circle. The people earned a name for their city, but not a name of their own choosing. Their city’s name became Babel, from a related word meaning “confusion.”

But the story does not end there. The next verse opens a new chapter in the history of mankind: “This is the genealogy of Shem” (). The history of this family becomes the focus of the rest of the Old Testament.

Genesis 11:10 KJV 1900

10 These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood:

Through Abraham, a descendant of Shem, all the nations on earth would be blessed. God had promised Abraham that He would make of him a great nation and make his name great (). God planned that the nations would one day learn about a Savior, Jesus Christ, who would descend from Abraham. All along, God had planned eventually to build a city, united under the rule of Christ. Unlike impatient man, however, God would patiently build this city on His own timetable.

Genesis 12:2 KJV 1900

2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

With the eyes of faith, Abraham looked for this city, “whose builder and maker is God” (). In contrast to the tiny cities built by human hands, God’s city will be everlasting, built on a grand scale, approximately 1,500 miles (2,225 km) square and 1,500 miles high, with streets of gold and walls of precious jewels ().

Hebrews 11:10 KJV 1900

10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Revelation 21:16 KJV 1900

16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

God’s plans included an incredible way for repentant sinners to join Him in this city—by faith in Jesus Christ. With His dramatic miracle at Pentecost when people from nations all over the earth first heard the gospel in their own tongue, God let the world know that He had begun overcoming the effects of Babel. Since then, He has been patiently fulfilling His plan to call people to His eternal city “out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation” ().

Revelation 5:9 KJV 1900

9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

What Happened at the Tower of Babel?

BY JOHN D. MORRIS, PH.D.

Biblical history takes us through several world-changing, but non-repeatable episodes;

including Creation, the Curse, and the global Flood of Noah's day.

By basing our historical thinking on these true events, we have a much better chance of properly reconstructing the past than if we adopt the untrue view of evolution and uniformity.

When it comes to human history and national origins, a similarly all-inclusive event happened in the past, which must be in our thinking if we are to get it right. This was the break-up of the languages and the dispersion of families into all parts of the world.

When Noah and his family left the Ark, God instructed them to "be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth" ().

Genesis 9:1 KJV 1900

1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

Unfortunately, soon they gathered at Babel, and under the leadership of rebellious Nimrod they built a tower "lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth" ().

Genesis 11:4 KJV 1900

4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

The tower became an astrological worship center to exalt the creation rather than the Creator. But God wanted them to disperse throughout the earth. He separated their languages into many, for as long as they all spoke the same language no endeavor was beyond their reach ().

Genesis 11:6 KJV 1900

6 And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

has come to be known as the Table of Nations, for it documents 70 nations/language groups migrating to fill the earth, prodded on by their lack of ability to communicate with the others.

Genesis 10 KJV 1900

1 Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. 2 The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. 3 And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. 4 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations. 6 And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. 7 And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan. 8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord. 10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, 12 And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city. 13 And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, 14 And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim. 15 And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth, 16 And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, 17 And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, 18 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad. 19 And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha. 20 These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations. 21 Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born. 22 The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. 23 And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash. 24 And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber. 25 And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan. 26 And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, 27 And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah, 28 And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba, 29 And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan. 30 And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east. 31 These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations. 32 These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.

Archaeology has confirmed these basic details, identifying major locations and people groups, although some have been obscured or lost in time.

Similarly, linguists have discovered that the number of separate language groups is of the same order of magnitude as the 70 listed in the Bible.

Again, some have combined with others or faded into extinction, but the story has the ring of truth about it.

Ever since then, human history has been marked by the conquest of uninhabited lands and by the wars between tribes who spoke different tongues.

Some of the language groups included individuals with special skills in mining, metallurgy, music, agriculture, and animal husbandry, and thus some groups quickly rose to prominence over the rest. Others lived in caves with the meagerest of technology. Each group carried with it memories of their common history—Creation, Fall and Flood, and Babel—which eventually deteriorated into vague legends. They also carried Nimrod's great error of astrology and the misuse of the signs of the Zodiac, explaining why nearly all cultures have essentially the same baseless system.

With the one language, all genetic traits were originally shared among humankind, but once the break-up occurred, ethnic traits began to be expressed, quickly leading to today's "races." Natural selection would match traits to an environment.

The Ice Age was occurring during the centuries following Babel, resulting in harsh climates in Europe, a well-watered Egypt, and a lower sea-level allowing global migration across land bridges such as between Siberia and Alaska.

Without Babel and the dispersion, in our thinking, we would be hard pressed to devise a coherent view of human history. With it the facts fall into place and our appreciation for Scripture increases.