seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 11:11 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward,[a] they found a plain in Shinar(b) and settled there.
3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”
3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”
a. Genesis 11:2 Or from the east; or in the east
b. Genesis 11:2 That is, Babylonia
I never understood these verses before. God told them to inhabit the whole earth. Here they decided to stop and build a water tight city.
Here's what studylight.org says about these verses.
Shinar was a term used also of Babylon (Genesis 10:10). The multiplied descendants from the ark came together to build a great city and tower, in rebellion against God's command to spread out over the earth (Genesis 9:1).
"Let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly" … they had asphalt for mortar: Using baked bricks and asphalt for mortar, men built a tower that was both strong and waterproof, even as Noah used the same material in waterproofing the ark (Genesis 6:14). Later Moses' mother used the same material in waterproofing Moses' basket (Exodus 2:3).
"Archaeology has revealed that this type of kiln-fired brick and asphalt construction was common in ancient Babylon." (Morris)
The heart and the materials relevant to the tower of Babel show that it was not only disobedient to God's command to fill the earth (Genesis 9:1), but it also shows man did not believe God's promise to never again flood the earth. A waterproof tower was made to "protect" man against a future deluge.
When they said let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens, they meant it.
The top of the tower was intended to be in the heavens. It is doubtful they thought they could build a tower to heaven. It is more likely they built the tower as an observation point of the heavens; it was built "unto the heavens." Most astrological and occult practices have a history back to Babel.
If they really wanted to build a tower to reach heaven, it is unlikely they would start on the plain of Shinar, which is about Sea Level. Common sense says they would start on one of the a nearby mountains.
This tower was real. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus said the tower of Babel still stood in his day and he had seen it.
"Let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly" … they had asphalt for mortar: Using baked bricks and asphalt for mortar, men built a tower that was both strong and waterproof, even as Noah used the same material in waterproofing the ark (Genesis 6:14). Later Moses' mother used the same material in waterproofing Moses' basket (Exodus 2:3).
"Archaeology has revealed that this type of kiln-fired brick and asphalt construction was common in ancient Babylon." (Morris)
The heart and the materials relevant to the tower of Babel show that it was not only disobedient to God's command to fill the earth (Genesis 9:1), but it also shows man did not believe God's promise to never again flood the earth. A waterproof tower was made to "protect" man against a future deluge.
When they said let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens, they meant it.
The top of the tower was intended to be in the heavens. It is doubtful they thought they could build a tower to heaven. It is more likely they built the tower as an observation point of the heavens; it was built "unto the heavens." Most astrological and occult practices have a history back to Babel.
If they really wanted to build a tower to reach heaven, it is unlikely they would start on the plain of Shinar, which is about Sea Level. Common sense says they would start on one of the a nearby mountains.
This tower was real. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus said the tower of Babel still stood in his day and he had seen it.
So the tower of Babel was in defiance of God's command to fill the earth. It was also a slap in the face because it was built water tight in spite of the fact that God promised never to use a flood to destroy the earth again.
