“…let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” Gen. 11:4
When most people think of Genesis 11, they think of the story of the Tower of Babel. But what was the underlying motivation to build the city and the tower? Their increased desire for solidarity. Gen. 11:1 reads “Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words.” and sets the stage for the chapter. Their desire to make a great city and tower, as well as a name for themselves was not a path God wanted them to take. God, being worthy alone of all worship, requires He is seen as great in our eyes, and does not appreciate human competition for His greatness.
After the event of the flood, which no doubt left physical evidence of its occurrence, as well as the fact that many of the people’s grandparents would have the images of the aftermath still in their minds, it seems difficult to comprehend how the focus of men became their own strength in unity rather than God. It brings to mind the fact that Cain murdered Abel, and them both being children of Adam, the first man. There was only one generation between Adam and Cain – and things turned bad very quickly. Likewise, one of Noah’s children did something worthy of a curse at a time when blessings were being given. Not long after Ham was Cush, then Nimrod. And while the text doesn’t refer to the building of the city and the tower as wickedness, we can infer from God’s actions that it did not please Him.
The general opinion of antiquity is that Nimrod incited the people against God. Josephus remarks that as they saw the destruction of the flood (it took some convincing to get them to come down from the mountains), and led the people to build a tower that would reach into the heavens (literally!) so they could bring war against God for destroying their forefathers, and preventing God from flooding the earth again. It is true the text does not reveal this much; however it is quite interesting to note that they used tar, or bitumen, as mortar between the bricks of the tower, as this likely made the tower waterproof. This would illustrate A) their lack of trust in God’s promise, as He said he would never again flood the earth and destroy all living things again, and B) their misunderstanding of God’s all-powerful nature, and lastly C) their thought that God was against them in some way.
Alter’s commentary notes the wordplay happening here: The men say “Come, let us make bricks…” and “Come, let us build for ourselves a city…”. In turn, God plays along and says “Come, let Us go down there and confuse their language.” (Gen. 11:7). Additionally, there is an illustration of the punishment fitting the crime: Their desire was to be united, but God instead creates a situation which results in their scattering.
We can empathize with Nimrod and the people in a way. If they did not know or trust God, the only other thing they would try to trust in would be themselves. If such a calamity as the flood could have occurred and wiped almost everyone out, they probably felt they were safer in numbers.
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September 30, 2009 at 11:17 am
Aimee
It isn’t hard to believe that Cain murdered so quickly after creation. Since I know for myself it always surprises me how quickly I stumble over one rock and then another – it seems like I never have rest from my mistakes! And then for only the third generation after Noah to rise to rebellions so quickly as well.
Its interesting that you pointed out that Nimrod may have had to coax the people to come down from the moutain since they were probably afraid. I haven’t really thought about how the earth must have looked after they come off of the ark. Its hard to imagine the devastation in the land or even, should I say it? What if there were carcasses lyring around? Was everything fossilized? That wouldbe scary.
With the people uniting together against God it isn’t surprising that he did something about it. What stands out to me in your post, rather what it made me realize is how it seems so easy to trust people instead of God. We know that God is infinite and what He says he does, but when it comes to our own personal lives we have no idea what he is going to allow to happen. Our friends and spouses we make them promise not to hurt us and we believe them – even though we know that’s unrealistic. We would rather have the promise of a safe false reality rather than accepting that life is never what we plan but God is control. Its hard to think that its OK for bad things to happen because God did it.