The Tower of Babel
The Tower of Babel is one of the defining moments in history! Nimrod and most of the newly settled inhabitants of the Earth, dramatically defy God for bringing the global flood upon the world by building a tower that may be used to escape a similar destruction. It is said God confused the languages of the people so that they left off building the tower.
Below are many of the historical accounts and map images of the likely location of the Tower of Babel.
Below are many of the historical accounts and map images of the likely location of the Tower of Babel.
Click on the button "Where in the World is the Tower of Babel?" link to a well-researched external article on the topic:
Many modern scholars place the Tower of Babel in Babylon instead of the upper reaches of the Euphrates. Most recognise the ziggurat (The Mountain of Heaven) discovered in J Taylor's excavations of Ur (Tell Muqqayyar)(1). It is basically a step-pyramid. However, near the ancient city of Damascus on a rocky outcrop lies the ruins of Nimrod's fortress/palace. Nearby is a town known as Nimrod and another called Sinr (Shinar?). In a valley nearby lies a massive mound approx 4km in diameter. This mound is circular, very large, and appears to have a huge section of non-geologically formed ruins resembling a large wall. This is most likely the Tower of Babel !
An article appearing in the May/June 2015 Archaeological Diggings magazine provides a traveller’s account of archaeological sites visited in the Middle East, written by Mark Twain, which chronicles Samuel Langhorne Clemens "Grand Tour" in "The Innocents Abroad". Mark Twain describes the travels from Damascus to Nimrod's Fortress at Banias. The travellers stop at a town known as Jonesborough in English, where Nimrod's tomb is located. A description of a visit to the ruins of the Tower of Babel is described on the way from Damascus to Banias - Nimrod's Fortress. It states "the two of them still stand, at this day - a colossal mass of brickwork, rent down the centre by earthquakes, and seared and vitrified by lightning’s of an angry God".(2)
The description suggests that the Tower of Babel is nearby Nimrod's Fortress.
The description suggests that the Tower of Babel is nearby Nimrod's Fortress.
Notice the white reflective ruins of a huge construction - sun baked bricks - this is not a natural deposit but is archaeological. I surmise that this is the Tower of Babel.
The Tower of Babel story from the Bible is a well know tale of rebellion against God. Soon after the Great Flood, as the survivors of this "cataclysm" (Cataclysm is derived from the Greek term the Apostle Paul uses to describe the Deluge in 2 Peter 3:6 ..."through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water."(1)) made their way down from the surrounds of Mount Ararat to the plains of the east they decided to establish themselves by building a city and a safe-haven tower. The main reason they decide to build the tower, according to Josephus, was to be able to escape another watery cataclysm. They also were of a single language and decided to make a name for themselves and unify under a single government so that they would not be scattered across the Earth. The Main instigator of this rebellious government was a man named Nimrod.
Bishop James Usher's account of the Tower of Babel
According to Manetho, as cited in Bishop James Ussher (published in 1658), "The Tower of Babel happened five years after the birth of Peleg, according to Georgius Syncellus' translation of the book of Sothis."(3) Babylonians devoted themselves to the study of astronomy, as James Ussher affirms. The Babylonians may have felt a need to study astronomy to be able to predict a return of the astronomical conditions which caused the flood - this would have been a preventative measure to provide warning should another similar cataclysm occur. Bishop Ussher states ..."it appears that the Babylonians devoted themselves to the study of astronomy, even from the very days of Nimrod, from whom all that region took the name of the land of Nimrod. Nimrod built Babylon and was the instigator of the building of the Tower of Babel according to Josephus. Moses affirmed that the royal seat of that kingdom was here. Nimrod made Babylon famous in those days."(3)
The Biblical Account of the Tower of Babel
We pick up the Genesis account in the genealogy of Cush as follows - Genesis 10:8-12 "Now Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became a mighty one on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; therefore it is said, "Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord." And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the Land of Shinar. From that land he went forth into Assyria, and built Nineveh and Rehoboth-Ir and Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city."(1)
Notice that Nimrod founded four cities in the land of Shinar and four cities in Assyria. Also is of note that where it states that "...Nimrod was a mighty hunter before the Lord...", in its original language it can be translated as "...Nimrod was a mighty hunter 'against' the Lord...". I have heard that in Jewish tradition it is recognised that Shem, who was still alive during the time of Nimrod and who was the great-uncle of Nimrod, killed Nimrod for his wicked ways.
Notice that Nimrod founded four cities in the land of Shinar and four cities in Assyria. Also is of note that where it states that "...Nimrod was a mighty hunter before the Lord...", in its original language it can be translated as "...Nimrod was a mighty hunter 'against' the Lord...". I have heard that in Jewish tradition it is recognised that Shem, who was still alive during the time of Nimrod and who was the great-uncle of Nimrod, killed Nimrod for his wicked ways.
The building of the Tower of Babel is recorded in the Bible as thus - Genesis 11:1-9 "Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words. And it came about as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, "Come let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly." And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. And they said, "Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name; lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth." And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the Lord said, "Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them. "Come, let Us go down and their confuse their language, that they might not understand one another's speech." So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth."(1)
Could this tell in northern Syria be Calah? It is in the historic Land of Shinar close by other recognizable cities Nimrod established including Nineveh. It is in a plain to the south-east of Ararat. The city of Resen was located between Calah and Nineveh.
The Tell (below) could be a likely candidate for Calah:
The Tell (below) could be a likely candidate for Calah:
Josephus account of the Tower of Babel
Antiquities of the Jews, Flavius Josephus, (Circa 94 AD), give the reason for building the tower as a rebellion against God and to be avenged on their forefathers who perished in the Deluge, plus to escape a second deluge should it occur. He says the following ...
(1.4.2) "Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and contempt of God. He was the grandson of Ham, the son of Noah, - a bold man, and of great strength of hand. He persuaded them not to ascribe it to God as if it was through His means they were happy, but to believe that it was their own courage which procured that happiness. He also gradually changed the government into tyranny, - seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God, but to bring them into a constant dependance upon his power. He also said he would be revenged on God, if He should have mind to drown the world again; for that he would build a tower too high for the waters to be able to reach! and that he would avenge himself on God for destroying their forefathers! Now the multitude were very ready to follow the determination of Nimrod, and to esteem it a piece of cowardice to submit to God: and they built a tower, neither sparing any pains nor being in any degree negligent about the work: and, by reason of the multitude of hands employed in it it grew very high sooner than anyone could expect; but the thickness of it was so great, and it was so strongly built, that thereby its great height seemed, upon the view, to be less than it really was. It was built of burnt brick cemented together with mortar, made of bitumen, that it might not be liable to admit water. When God saw that they acted so madly He did not resolve to destroy them utterly, since they were not growing wiser by the destruction of the former sinners; but He caused a tumult among them, by producing in them diverse languages: and causing that, through the multitude of those languages, they should not be able to understand one another. The place wherein they built the tower is now called Babylon; because of the confusion of that language which they readily understood before; for the Hebrews mean by the word Babel, Confusion.
The Sibyl also makes mention of this tower, and of the confusion of the language, when she says thus: - "When men were of one language, some of them built a high tower, as if they would thereby ascend up to heaven; but the gods sent storms of wind and overthrew the tower, and gave everyone his peculiar language; and for this reason it was that the city was called Babylon." But as for this plain of Shinar, in the country of Babylonia, Hestiaeus mentions it when he says thus: - "Such of the priests as were saved took the sacred vessels of Jupiter Enyalius, and came to Shinar of Babylonia."(4)
(1.4.2) "Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and contempt of God. He was the grandson of Ham, the son of Noah, - a bold man, and of great strength of hand. He persuaded them not to ascribe it to God as if it was through His means they were happy, but to believe that it was their own courage which procured that happiness. He also gradually changed the government into tyranny, - seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God, but to bring them into a constant dependance upon his power. He also said he would be revenged on God, if He should have mind to drown the world again; for that he would build a tower too high for the waters to be able to reach! and that he would avenge himself on God for destroying their forefathers! Now the multitude were very ready to follow the determination of Nimrod, and to esteem it a piece of cowardice to submit to God: and they built a tower, neither sparing any pains nor being in any degree negligent about the work: and, by reason of the multitude of hands employed in it it grew very high sooner than anyone could expect; but the thickness of it was so great, and it was so strongly built, that thereby its great height seemed, upon the view, to be less than it really was. It was built of burnt brick cemented together with mortar, made of bitumen, that it might not be liable to admit water. When God saw that they acted so madly He did not resolve to destroy them utterly, since they were not growing wiser by the destruction of the former sinners; but He caused a tumult among them, by producing in them diverse languages: and causing that, through the multitude of those languages, they should not be able to understand one another. The place wherein they built the tower is now called Babylon; because of the confusion of that language which they readily understood before; for the Hebrews mean by the word Babel, Confusion.
The Sibyl also makes mention of this tower, and of the confusion of the language, when she says thus: - "When men were of one language, some of them built a high tower, as if they would thereby ascend up to heaven; but the gods sent storms of wind and overthrew the tower, and gave everyone his peculiar language; and for this reason it was that the city was called Babylon." But as for this plain of Shinar, in the country of Babylonia, Hestiaeus mentions it when he says thus: - "Such of the priests as were saved took the sacred vessels of Jupiter Enyalius, and came to Shinar of Babylonia."(4)
The Book of Jasher account of the Tower of Babel
The Book of Jasher, an apocryphal book, is referenced twice in the Bible in Joshua Chapter 10:13 and II Samuel 1:18. It provides some interesting insights not mentioned in the Bible. There is much written about Nimrod in The Book of Jasher.
The Book of Jasher mentions that Terah, Abram's (Abraham) father was captain of the host of king Nimrod (Chapter 11:15).
Cities relevant to the location of the Tower of Babel mentioned in the book of Jasher
Chapter 11:1-4 states that Nimrod built and reigned over the following cities: Babel, Erech, Eched, Calnah.
Chapter 10:32-33 states that the descendents of Ashur, son of Shem (Noah's son) built: Nineveh, Resen, Calach, Rehobother.(5)
Here is the Biblical version for comparison: The beginning of Nimrod's kingdom - "... Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the Land of Shinar. From that land he went forth into Assyria, and built Nineveh and Rehoboth-Ir and Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city."(1)
Nimrod King of Shinar's war against Chedorlaomer King of Elam
The Book of Jasher mentions that Chedorlaomer was one of the princes of the host of Nimrod and that Chedorlaomer had subjugated all of the people of the plain including the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah. Nimrod went to war against Chedorlaomer King of Elam but lost the battle and Nimrod's wicked son Mardon was killed. It is interesting to note the location of the battle as (Chapter 13:14) "...they prepared for battle in the valley of Babel which is between Edom and Shinar."(5)
Those who are familiar with the Biblical account of Abram (Abraham) rescuing his relative Lot from the war between the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (Zoar) and the the subjugating kings of Shinar, Ellasar, Elam, and Goiim (Nations), will recognise that one of the subjugating kings mentioned is Amraphel King of Shinar! Genesis 14:9 "... - Four kings against five."(1)
In The Book of Jasher it states (Chapter 11:6) "...Nimrod called his name Amraphel..."(4). In the Genesis account Lot is taken captive by the subjugating kings and Abram goes out with his men and defeats the four kings and brings back everyone safely.
The Tower of Babel
The Book of Jasher, Chapter 9:23-24 "And all the families assembled consisting of about six hundred thousand men, and they went to seek an extensive piece of ground to build the city and the tower, and they sought in the whole earth and they found none like one valley at the east of Shinar, about two days' walk, and they journeyed there and they dwelt there. And they began to make bricks and burn fires to build the city and the tower that they had imagined to complete."(5)
The Book of Jasher, Chapter 9:27 "And when they were building they built themselves a great city and a very high and strong tower; and on account of its height the mortar and bricks did not reach the builders in their ascent to it, until those who went up had completed a full year, and after that, they reached to the builders and gave them the mortar and the bricks; thus it was done daily."(5)
The Book of Jasher, Chapter 9:37-38 "And they ceased building the city and the tower; therefore he called that place Babel, for there the Lord confounded the Language of the whole earth; behold it was at the east of the land of Shinar." And as to the tower which the sons of men built, the earth swallowed up one third part thereof, and a fire also descended from heaven and burned another third, and the other third is left to this day, and it is of that part which is aloft, and its circumference is three days' walk."(5)
The death of Nimrod
In The Book of Jasher Chapter 27 there is mention of the death of Nimrod at the hand of Esau, Abraham's son. It reveals that Esau cut off Nimrod's head with a sword in the wilderness and also killed two men who were with Nimrod at the time, walking in the wilderness.
The Book of Jasher - Chapter 27, 13-16 "And when Nimrod the son of Cush died, his men lifted him up and brought him in constanation, and buried him in his city, and all the days that Nimrod lived were two-hundred and fifteen years and he died. And the days that Nimrod reigned upon the people of the land were one hundred and eighty-five years; and Nimrod died by the sword of Esau..."(5)
The Book of Jasher mentions that Terah, Abram's (Abraham) father was captain of the host of king Nimrod (Chapter 11:15).
Cities relevant to the location of the Tower of Babel mentioned in the book of Jasher
Chapter 11:1-4 states that Nimrod built and reigned over the following cities: Babel, Erech, Eched, Calnah.
Chapter 10:32-33 states that the descendents of Ashur, son of Shem (Noah's son) built: Nineveh, Resen, Calach, Rehobother.(5)
Here is the Biblical version for comparison: The beginning of Nimrod's kingdom - "... Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the Land of Shinar. From that land he went forth into Assyria, and built Nineveh and Rehoboth-Ir and Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city."(1)
Nimrod King of Shinar's war against Chedorlaomer King of Elam
The Book of Jasher mentions that Chedorlaomer was one of the princes of the host of Nimrod and that Chedorlaomer had subjugated all of the people of the plain including the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah. Nimrod went to war against Chedorlaomer King of Elam but lost the battle and Nimrod's wicked son Mardon was killed. It is interesting to note the location of the battle as (Chapter 13:14) "...they prepared for battle in the valley of Babel which is between Edom and Shinar."(5)
Those who are familiar with the Biblical account of Abram (Abraham) rescuing his relative Lot from the war between the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (Zoar) and the the subjugating kings of Shinar, Ellasar, Elam, and Goiim (Nations), will recognise that one of the subjugating kings mentioned is Amraphel King of Shinar! Genesis 14:9 "... - Four kings against five."(1)
In The Book of Jasher it states (Chapter 11:6) "...Nimrod called his name Amraphel..."(4). In the Genesis account Lot is taken captive by the subjugating kings and Abram goes out with his men and defeats the four kings and brings back everyone safely.
The Tower of Babel
The Book of Jasher, Chapter 9:23-24 "And all the families assembled consisting of about six hundred thousand men, and they went to seek an extensive piece of ground to build the city and the tower, and they sought in the whole earth and they found none like one valley at the east of Shinar, about two days' walk, and they journeyed there and they dwelt there. And they began to make bricks and burn fires to build the city and the tower that they had imagined to complete."(5)
The Book of Jasher, Chapter 9:27 "And when they were building they built themselves a great city and a very high and strong tower; and on account of its height the mortar and bricks did not reach the builders in their ascent to it, until those who went up had completed a full year, and after that, they reached to the builders and gave them the mortar and the bricks; thus it was done daily."(5)
The Book of Jasher, Chapter 9:37-38 "And they ceased building the city and the tower; therefore he called that place Babel, for there the Lord confounded the Language of the whole earth; behold it was at the east of the land of Shinar." And as to the tower which the sons of men built, the earth swallowed up one third part thereof, and a fire also descended from heaven and burned another third, and the other third is left to this day, and it is of that part which is aloft, and its circumference is three days' walk."(5)
The death of Nimrod
In The Book of Jasher Chapter 27 there is mention of the death of Nimrod at the hand of Esau, Abraham's son. It reveals that Esau cut off Nimrod's head with a sword in the wilderness and also killed two men who were with Nimrod at the time, walking in the wilderness.
The Book of Jasher - Chapter 27, 13-16 "And when Nimrod the son of Cush died, his men lifted him up and brought him in constanation, and buried him in his city, and all the days that Nimrod lived were two-hundred and fifteen years and he died. And the days that Nimrod reigned upon the people of the land were one hundred and eighty-five years; and Nimrod died by the sword of Esau..."(5)
The city of Erech is synonymous with Uruk - refer to the Gilgamesh Epic.
Apocryphal accounts of the Tower of Babel
The Book of Jubilees, The Little Genesis, & The Apocalypse of Moses - Chapter 10, 18-21 "..."Look the children of men have become evil because the building a city and a tower in the land of Shinar was for an evil purpose." For they departed from the land of Ararat eastward to Shinar, for in his days they built the city and the tower, saying, "Come, let us rise up by the tower into heaven." They began to build, and in the fourth week they made brick with fire, and the bricks served them for stone, and the clay with which they cemented them together was asphalt which comes out of the sea, and out of the fountains of water in the land of Shinar. They built it, forty-three years were they building it. Its breadth was 203 bricks, and the height of a brick was the third of one; its height amounted to 5433 cubits and 2 palms, and the extent of one wall was thirteen times 600 feet and of the other thirty times 200 feet."(6)
Chapter 10, 23-26 "...And the Lord descended, and we descended with him to see the city and the tower that the children of men had built. He confounded their language, and they no longer understood one another's speech, and they then ceased to build the city and the tower. For this reason the whole land of Shinar is called Babel, because the Lord confounded all the language of the children of men there, and from that place they were dispersed into their cities, each according to his language and his nation. Then, the Lord sent a mighty wind against the tower and it fell to the earth, and behold it was between Asshur and Babylon in the land of Shinar, and they called its name "Overthrow".(6)
Chapter 10, 23-26 "...And the Lord descended, and we descended with him to see the city and the tower that the children of men had built. He confounded their language, and they no longer understood one another's speech, and they then ceased to build the city and the tower. For this reason the whole land of Shinar is called Babel, because the Lord confounded all the language of the children of men there, and from that place they were dispersed into their cities, each according to his language and his nation. Then, the Lord sent a mighty wind against the tower and it fell to the earth, and behold it was between Asshur and Babylon in the land of Shinar, and they called its name "Overthrow".(6)
BORSIPPA Inscription
"A former king built it (they reckon 42 ages), but he did not complete its head. Since a remote time people had abandoned it, without order expressing their words. Since that time the earthquake and the thunder had dispersed its sun-dried clay; the bricks of the casing had been split, and the earth of the interior had been scattered in heaps. Merodach, the great lord, excited my mind to repair this building. I did not change the site, nor did I take away the foundation stone.”(7)
References
1. New American Standard Bible (1993), Chain Reference, compiled and edited by F.C. Thompson, B.B Kirkbridge Bible Co. Inc., USA.
2. Archaeological Diggings, May/June 2015, Vol 22., No.3, Editor Gary Webster, Australia (www.diggings.com.au).
3. The Annals of the World - James Ussher's Classic Survey of World History, (2010), Master Books, Revised & Updated by Larry & Marion Pierce, p.22, 1762d AM, 2472 JP, 2242 BC; 1771a AM, 2480 JP, 2234 BC.
4. Josephus - The Complete Works, (1998) Nelson's Super Value Series, Translated by William Whiston, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville USA. Antiquities of the Jews, Flavius Josephus, (Circa 94 AD), 1.3.5-6. Note: Underlined words are supplied.
5. The Book of Jasher, (2010), 1st Ed., Wilder Publications, USA.
6. The Apocrypha: Including Books from the Ethiopic Bible, (2009), Compiled by Joseph Lumpkin, Fifth Estate Publishers, USA, pp.491 & 495.5.
7. page IV of The Timechart History of the World, 4th Ed., 2011, Third Millennium Press Limited, cited from Smith's Bible Dictionary.
I. Image scan: The Building of the Tower of Babel (1595) by Gemaldegalerie Alter Meister, Dresden, Germany by Martin Van Valckenborch, Gateway of the Gods - The Rise and Fall of Babylon, (2008) Anton Gill, Quercus Publishers, p.9.
II. Image scan: The Tower of Babel by Lucas Van Valckenborch, Biblica - The Bible Atlas, (2010), Global Book Publishers, Australia, p.101
III. Image: painting by Pieter Brueghel the Elder created in 1563.
1. New American Standard Bible (1993), Chain Reference, compiled and edited by F.C. Thompson, B.B Kirkbridge Bible Co. Inc., USA.
2. Archaeological Diggings, May/June 2015, Vol 22., No.3, Editor Gary Webster, Australia (www.diggings.com.au).
3. The Annals of the World - James Ussher's Classic Survey of World History, (2010), Master Books, Revised & Updated by Larry & Marion Pierce, p.22, 1762d AM, 2472 JP, 2242 BC; 1771a AM, 2480 JP, 2234 BC.
4. Josephus - The Complete Works, (1998) Nelson's Super Value Series, Translated by William Whiston, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville USA. Antiquities of the Jews, Flavius Josephus, (Circa 94 AD), 1.3.5-6. Note: Underlined words are supplied.
5. The Book of Jasher, (2010), 1st Ed., Wilder Publications, USA.
6. The Apocrypha: Including Books from the Ethiopic Bible, (2009), Compiled by Joseph Lumpkin, Fifth Estate Publishers, USA, pp.491 & 495.5.
7. page IV of The Timechart History of the World, 4th Ed., 2011, Third Millennium Press Limited, cited from Smith's Bible Dictionary.
I. Image scan: The Building of the Tower of Babel (1595) by Gemaldegalerie Alter Meister, Dresden, Germany by Martin Van Valckenborch, Gateway of the Gods - The Rise and Fall of Babylon, (2008) Anton Gill, Quercus Publishers, p.9.
II. Image scan: The Tower of Babel by Lucas Van Valckenborch, Biblica - The Bible Atlas, (2010), Global Book Publishers, Australia, p.101
III. Image: painting by Pieter Brueghel the Elder created in 1563.