Read Genesis 11:1-9 at Bible Gateway.
Hebrew paragraph division
Gen 11:1-9 {p} The tower of Babel rebellion against YHVH
Gen 11:1-9 chiastic structure
1a) Gen 11:1-5, The whole earth had one language + they began to build a city + tower;
1a) Gen 11:1-2, The whole earth had one language/ as they journeyed from the east, they found the plain in Shinar + dwelt there;
1b) Gen 11:3a, They said to one another: Let us make bricks + bake them thoroughly;
2b) Gen 11:3b, They had brick for stone +asphalt for mortar;
2a) Gen 11:4-5, They said: Let us build a city + tower/ to make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the earth/ YHVH came down to see the city + tower they built;
1b) Gen 11:6a, YHVH said: Indeed the people are one and they all have one language;
central axis) Gen 11:6b, And this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them;
2b) Gen 11:7, Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech;
2a) Gen 11:8-9 {p} YHVH scattered them abroad + they ceased building their city because YHVH confused the language of all the earth;
1a) Gen 11:8a, So YHVH scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth;
1b) Gen 11:8b-9a, And they ceased building the city/ Therefore its name is called Babel;
central axis) Gen 11:9b, Because there YHVH confused the language of all the earth;
2b) Gen 11:9c, And from there;
2a) Gen 11:9d, YHVH scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.
Why is building the tower rebellion against YHVH? Because He had commanded those who came off of the ark, to replenish the earth and increase in it (Gen 9:1-7). He desired that they spread abroad over the face of the earth. Thus it was in the 5th generation, when Peleg was born, the earth was divided (Gen 10:25); i.e., each of the 70 fathers of the nations, who were the descendants of Noah (Gen 10:32), were assigned to the place of their nation.
“Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations. Ask your father, and he will show you; your elders, and they will tell you: when the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel.” Deu 32:7-8
The Hebrew place name Babel is Strong’s H894, babel, a proper noun, from Strong’s H1101, the primitive root balel, “to pour together, to mix, to comingle.”
The ancient Hebrew pictographs are of the bet + lamed + lamed.
bet = the house, thus house, household, family, in, within
lamed = the shepherd’s staff, thus teach, yoke, to, bind
lamed = the shepherd’s staff, thus teach, yoke, to, bind
So the story the ancient pictographs are telling, is: bet + lamed = within the confines (bet) of the yoke (lamed). The yoke keeps the animal walking in its own path. Notice that there are two lameds, so it is a picture of a double yoke. The two walk together, but the yoke keeps each one in its own path, so that they aren’t encroaching (comingling) on the other.
One positive charge of this word is of accomplishment (the result of labor). The negative charge is of nothing, to come to nothing when effort is put forth. So the sons of man put forth effort to build the city and tower, to make a name for themselves in the place of their choosing, so as not to be spread abroad in the earth; but as this was in opposition to the plans of YHVH’s heart, their labor came to nothing. Another aspect of the negative charge is of flowing, as of water overspreading the land when its banks (its yokes) are removed. Thus the nations likewise overspread the earth. The concept of mixing is also from the negative charge of not remaining within the confines of the yoke.
Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What agreement has Christ with Belial? Or what portion has a believer with an unbeliever? What agreement has a temple of God with idols? For you are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, “I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” Therefore ‘Come out from among them, and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing. I will receive you. I will be to you a Father. You will be to me sons and daughters,’ says the Lord Almighty.’ 2 Cor 6:14-18
I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her [Mystery Babylon the Great], My people, that you have no participation in her sins, and that you don’t receive of her plagues, for her sins have reached to the sky, and God has remembered her iniquities.” Rev 18:4-5
For further study on site
tower of babel rebellion, a pivotal event in human history
the babylon connection to babel
babel/ babylon index of studies (historical, theological significance)
gen 11 and the power of unity
finding messiah in gen 11
Genesis index of studies
For further study off site
Josephus’ Antiquities of the Jews, Book I
Bricks for Stones part 1, part 2, part 3 (Brad Scott, highly recommended)
Origin of the Human Races (Answers in Genesis)
The Two Babylons by Alexander Hislop (While there are some inaccuracies in Hislop’s conclusions drawn at the end, the front section contains an enormous amount of accurate and independently verified information on Babylonian paganism, originally established by Nimrod, much of which has been retained in our culture even down to the present.)
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