But you see, that’s the point—there is no original meaning for the original audience concerning the Tower of Babel story. The “spiritual lesson” is for us today.
This has already occurred during the Dark Ages of the church where men and women were forced to believe “sheer speculation and guesswork” at the edge of the sword, torture, and death.
My conclusions are derived from philosophical, scientific, and historical evidence brought together through the centuries by countless individuals upon the shoulders which we stand on today. This isn’t a philosophy that anything can mean anything and that has been made up as we go along. It is based on philosophical reasoning, critical thinking, and scientific evidence.
As I said Jon, I believe the message is for us today. We say the literal story doesn’t make sense because it simply doesn’t make sense—for us today or for any rational person who lived back then. Yes, the ANE people believed that the gods came down from heaven to visit their ziggurats and thus they built their ziggurats. But does this have any spiritual meaning for us today. No. Because there are no gods who come down from heaven to visit our modern day sky scrapers. However, the symbolic meaning of the story which was always meant for us today has deep spiritual significance—uniting mankind as one.
The word confound referring to comprehensible languages is found twice in the book of Genesis. Once in Genesis 11:7, and once in Genesis 11:9.
The word language is found in both verse 7 and verse 9. The word speech is found only in verse 7.
Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech [Genesis 11:7].
Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth [Genesis 11:9].
The original Hebrew word for confound is Balal - Strong’s Number: 01101 — the definitions used in this context are: to mix, mingle, confuse, confound.
The original Hebrew word for language is Saphah - Strong’s Number: 08193 — the definitions used in this context are: lip, language, speech.
The original Hebrew word for speech is Dabar - Strong’s Number: 01697 — the definitions used in this context are: speech, word, speaking, thing; a. speech, b. saying, utterance, c. word, words.
The word tongue referring to language is found three times in the book of Genesis.
By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations [Genesis 10:5].
These are the sons of Ham, after their families after their tongues in their countries, and in their nations [Genesis 10:20].
These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues in their lands, after their nations [Genesis 10:31].
The original Hebrew word for tongue is Lawshon - Strong’s Number: 03956 — the definitions used in this context are: 1. tongue, a. tongue (of men), 1. tongue (literal), 2. tongue (organ of speech), b. language.
Whether we use the terms language, speech, or tongue we are referring to the same thing (1) a body of words or the systems for their use common to a people who are of the same community or nation, the same geographical area, or the same cultural tradition, or, (2) to the usually movable organ in the floor of the mouth in humans and most vertebrates, functioning in eating, in tasting, and, in humans, in speaking.
It seems the issue is being complicated without warrant. Jon, you said that to the people of the ancient near east reference to the earth suggested the immediate vicinity of the people.
1Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.
2 The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
3 And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.
4 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations [Genesis 10:5].
I won’t quote the whole chapter 10 of Genesis however, all these members of Noah’s offspring eventually form all the nations of the world today. Some of these nations were even mentioned in Ezekiel 38 which are in reference to Russia in the north, England and the Isles in Western Europe, and Africa to the south. Clearly we’re talking about the whole planet earth here, even though from their perspective America wasn’t as yet discovered but was already inhabited by the first American Indians nonetheless. If were speaking of God, the Bible, and universal things we’re talking about the whole planet earth. The Tower of Babel story must be looked at in that context.
And it makes sense that an original ancient people spoke one language until they spread into different lands and developed different tongues because of their separation from one another. With today’s modern technology to be able to travel within hours, and communicate within minutes or seconds, I don’t see it preposterous or unreasonable to think that one day the whole earth will speak one language.
1And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.
3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.
4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth [Genesis 11:1-4].
