Introduction
Review Genesis as the book of "Beginnings" (EXAMPLES: ending with human government). Now we come to another beginning – the beginning of the perversion of human government – the Babel Project. Read 11:1,2 (MAP). Read 11:3-9. This well-known passage raises four important questions . . .
Did this really happen?
Is this event mythical or historical? Most people in our culture have been trained to view this as a myth – a story that someone created to explain something (e.g., how the different ethno-linguistic groups came to be) rather than the report of an actual event. But there are two reasons why we should view it as history.
First, the Bible tells us it is history. Like all the events of Genesis, it is narrated as a historical event (referring to place, people, etc.). There is no textual indication that it is a myth or parable; it is the same kind of narrative as other events that are clearly historical (Gen. 10:18-30; Gen. 14 BATTLE OF KINGS, etc.). Also, the New Testament refers to it as a historical event (Acts 17:26).
In addition, there is some extra-biblical attestation to this event. Many of the cities mentioned in association with Babel in 10:10-12 have been excavated. Scholars used to say that Calah, for example (10:12) was a mythical city – but it has been excavated along with a tablet that speaks of it as the city of "Nimrud."[1]
The Sumerians had an account of the whole human race having one language, and the Mesopotamians had an account of the dividing of those languages.[2]
Neo-Babylonian ziggurats (which have been excavated) were evidently built on the model of this tower.[3]
Why was God so upset?
Is God anti-city and anti-skyscraper or anti-civilization? It sounds like God was intimidated and threatened by their progress: "If I don't do something, they'll pass Me up and no one will need Me!" No, God was upset because this whole project was an act of rebellion against Him, which in the long run would lead to their destruction.
It was founded by Nimrod (read 10:8-10a). Nimrod is from a root that means "to rebel." The language here also indicates that he was a mighty hunter (often used of hunting people) "in the face of" or "in defiance of" the Lord.[4] In other words, Nimrod was like Lamech of 4:23,24 – only worse. He was the first tyrannical emperor, who the Babylonians later deified as Marduk.[5]
They built the city in direct defiance of God's command to spread out and "fill the earth" (contrast 9:1 to 11:4b ". . . lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.").
Their purpose in building the city was to "make a name for ourselves" (11:4). This is the direct opposite of "calling on the name of the Lord" (4:26) or allowing God to "make your name great" (12:2). In other words, their intent was to build a society that exalted them and kept God out.