Babel

1To Begin: Grading the Mid-Year Quiz

• The Lesson:

2Background: The Genealogies of Coming Nations

• Notice the genealogical layout in Genesis 10 (especially in light of our recent look at genealogies).
• Noah’s sons: , , ’s generations to come
• Through the events in Genesis 9, their fates are sealed…
• These genealogies are not exhaustive – they are meant to introduce the reader to Israel and her with those around her.
  • NOTE: the election of God evident in these genealogies – before they even showed up, their destiny is already - .

3Background: The Flood / Babel Connection

• Genesis 10 (genealogies) and Genesis 11 (Babel) are seemingly unconnected – until you realize the account of Shem’s genealogies in 11:10-32. These seem to link with the genealogies of chapter 10.
• Genesis 10 affirms that people all came from one family. This is a major point of the Babal narrative.
• “The earth was ” (25)
• People had their “own ” (5, 20, 31)
• There is no explanation as to how this “dividing” occurred.
• Genesis 10:1-32 and Genesis 11:1-9 are also linked by reoccurring words (“scatter”, “spread out”, “build”, “earth / world / land / country” from ξρα [erets])
• Proof of the Genesis 10:1 – 11:9 connection is noticeable particularly in the wording of Genesis 10:31-32 (mention of and ).

• Before you turn the page…can you find the chiasmus?

4The Tower of Power: The Literature

• The story of Babel is a typical example of Hebrew .
• Chiasmus:
• A. “The whole earth had one language” v.1
• B. “there” v.2
• C. “each other” v.3
  • D. “Come let us make bricks” (v.3) - nilbenah
• E. “let us build for ourselves” v.4
  • F. “a city and a tower”
  • F1. “the city and the tower
  • E1. “which mankind had built”
  • D1. “come…let us mix up” (v.7) - nabelah
  • C1. “each other’s language”
• B1. “from there” v.8
• A1. “the language of the whole earth” v.9
  • Babel has several similarities in ancient literature
  • Sumerian – confusion of languages by gods for of to other gods
• Babylonian – the “lesser” gods built a great city where the great gods Marduk, Enlil, and Ea lived. It was a “ on earth of what he has wrought in ” EE 6:113
  • Babylonians believed that temples had their in the netherworld and their tops reached up to heaven. (Lambert – Babylonian Wisdom Literature)
  • The Babel narrative may be the “boasts” at the Babylonian belief of temples. (WBC – p.237)
  • Fancy brickwork and vaunted height are something to be laughed at.
  • Babel shows man’s , not his .
  • Babel mocks the impotence of man before almighty God.
  • In every way, the story of Babel lays the foundation for the coming city named: .
  • Babel stands forever as a reminder
• of the failure of godless folly Ps.14:1

5– Gordon Wenham

• Tower of Power: The Background v.1-2
  • There was “ ” on the earth.
  • Notice the geographical note: Where were they traveling? Is this direction significant?
  • The builders were purposeful in their intent
  • The desired to make a tower to “ the ”
  • Their purpose echoed the belief concerning temples.
• The Tower of Power: 4 Views on the “Sin” v.3-4
  • Some theologians believe this tower had ‘procreation’ connotations.
  • The “sky” is also interpreted “ ”
  • Humans desired to become like God – to “ ” Him.
  • They wanted to make a “ ” for themselves.
  • The tower would rise to the heavens to meet God in His dwelling place. Man would join with God to create other gods. (Note the similarities with the Genesis 6 controversy)
• 2. Some theologians believe that the sin is the intentional disobedience to God’s command to be “ , , and ” Genesis 1:28
  • This provides understanding of how the whole Bible fits together.
  • This fits a little more logically (the builders probably didn’t actually think that they could “reach” god)
  • The emphasis is put in the right place for this narrative – man’s desire to be - , usurping God’s authority.
  • 3. Some theologians believe this was the attempt to escape another . They would live as they please and trust their own strength instead of trusting in God.
  • 4. Some theologians believe that God just continued His trait of “ ”
• The Tower of Power: The Reaction of the Almighty v.5
  • This verse marks the turning point in the narrative.
  • Strong : God could the which man thought would reach the heavens.
  • God had to “ ” to see the tower.
• From the height of God, the tower seemed . Is. 40:22
• The Tower of Power: The Judgment v.6-8
  • “ ” underscores the emphasis of the previous genealogies. All people came from Adam and Noah.
  • “The beginning of their activity” could be an allusion to the previous sin in the .

  • “Let us go down” – To whom is this a referring?

  • Judgment was God forcing His Creation to do His will.
• The Tower of Power: The Conclusion v.9
  • The entire story is meant to define the word; .
  • Babylonians defined “Babel” to mean; ‘ of the god’
  • Hebrews clearly defined “Babel” to mean; ‘ ’
  • What began with “man” ends with “the LORD”
  • Babylon is forever linked with the utter irony of the creature attempting to gain the of the .
  • This is the point of the overall chiasmic structure (v.5 - )
  • Throughout Scripture, Babylon is seen as the embodiment of human and that must attract the judgment of almighty God. – Wenham
  • Note the connection with Isaiah 14:13-15
  • Man is constantly in attempts to build towers to reach the heavens and the authority of God.

  • How are some ways that humans do this?

  • In a thousand self-glorifying ways, we build our own destiny and try to make a for ourselves.
  • In this, we attack the of God.
  • But the outcome of this kind of quest only highlights the of man. We continue to amaze ourselves at our own inability to control ourselves.
  • Humans continue to harm humans.
  • Humans continue to destroy the of .
  • Humans continue to be their own worst enemy spinning out of control.
  • “We have reached for the apple of autonomy
  • Only to find ourselves naked and ashamed.”

6-Michael Horton, In the Face of God