YouVersion Logo
Search Icon

Journey Through Genesis 1-11Sample

Journey Through Genesis 1-11

DAY 14 OF 15

Babel & the Scattering of the Nations: Behind the Text

The tower in Babel was probably a temple for the regal ritual city of Babylon. Let’s see how this temple could have cemented a whole worldview. There’s also a brief essay on a tablet that has a remarkably similar story.

Regal-Ritual Cities

Museum of the Bible: Ziggurat of Ur Kasdim

The Sumerian Epic of Enmerkar

In the cuneiform account quite similar to Genesis 11, the building of a tower was highly offensive to the gods. Overnight they threw down the tower and scattered the builders. The text describes another result of divine judgment: the builders’ speech became strange.

Sumer in ancient Mesopotamia was perhaps the location of the first written language. And there is some evidence of its development. At the beginning, the culture and language was unified, but then the record shows a discontinuity in the language as people spread across the ancient Near East. This parallels the biblical record of judgment—a people judged for trying to build a name or monument for themselves and their gods.

About this Plan

Journey Through Genesis 1-11

Have you ever wished for a Bible study that could take you beyond surface-level reading? If so, get ready for our journey through Genesis 1-11! You'll get to immerse yourself in Scripture (by looking at key terms and ideas), explore what's behind it (by learning historical-cultural background), and also discover its impact by considering its implications, not only for you, but for the global church. Let's dive in!

More