Tower of Babel – Gen. 11:1 – 9
This story is one of the most memorable; one which we might recall even from our childhood. My memory is reinforced by the heading “Tower of Babel.” But the story is a building of a city which is named Babel. Reading the notes will allow you to hear the story afresh, hearing what you haven’t heard before and discovering that your memory’s account of the story might very well have added a point or two not in the original story or a different focus as mine did. http://www.usccb.org/bible/genesis/11.
If you’ve read the notes you might be able to detect the literary devices in this passage. As Tim was to point out later in our discussion Ch. 10 Table of Nations and this passage really deal with the same thing, an account of the fact that people after the flood were everywhere. But the accounts are quite different and reflecting on the differences brings out the diversity, depth, and power of the Bible. What are some of the differences in these two accounts?
There is a definite structure to this passage. In vs. 3 -4 the people talk in direct discourse saying what they are going to do, why, and their fear, what they want to avoid. Then in vs. 7 – God in direct discourse says what he is going to do with the result that the very thing the people don’t want to happen, happens. The opening phrase “the whole world” is a reference to its generality, not a single individual is named. The author is reporting what is common to his human experience. And what is that commonness?
What do you make of this? What is so wrong with what the people not wanting to be “scattered?” And why is God so insistent that he is going to scatter them? Tim helped us have a possible answer when he identify the time of the editor. The editor is writing after the people of Israel have returned from their exile in Babylon. Perhaps the author / editor is helping his contemporaries to come to grips with their exile and their God. Tim’s suggestion certainly opens up this passage. How often don’t we struggle with what life deals us and our relationship with God? We ask, why, especially when bad things happen. Being exiled, feeling alienated, suffering loss are all very powerful human experiences that cry out for explanation. And in this story what is the explanation? Is there an explanation?
As the conversation continued Rebecca thought their act was an act of pride. She saw pride in their wanting to make a name for themselves. In my typical devil’s advocate role, I asked, well what is so bad about wanting to make a name for yourself. Wouldn’t Tim want to make a name as a geologist; Ken, as a programmer; Fr. Tom, as a priest? It seems to me a good reputation is a good not a bad. The very tension in possible ways to understand the Bible is itself both a challenge and a blessing.
Once again, you might recognize the wealth that emerges in a faith group’s discussion on matters of importance in our life. There is always more that goes on than is recorded on the website. If you add your own observations, thoughts, questions, then the pages of the website itself can become all the more rich.