Bible Questions Answered: Babel

Bible Questions Answered:
Our church instructor teaches that in genesis 11, the different languages came about by the people being scattered throughout the earth, but this doesn't seem like the way the story goes.
Jason/ Manchester, United Kingdom

Bible Answers:

Genesis 11:1-9 KJV
[1] And 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 throughly. 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.
[5] And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
[6] And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
[7] Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
[8] So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
[9] 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.

Your story, is an example of the cart before the horse.
And again, an example of puny man, doing his best to emasculate the power and sovereignty of Almighty God.

This story is as it stands.
Some one hundred years after the flood, Noah's descendants, had forsaken God, and instead had boasted what a great name they would make for them selves.

[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.

God saw their arrogance, and as a judgment, sent them “confusion of tongues.”
The work of the city and tower, ended and they fled into other lands.

And as a result of the confusion of their language, (for they all had up until this time, one language,) the place was called “Babel *.

Babel: (Hebrew: baw-bel, confusion.)

[9] 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.

Oh the sin of arrogance, are we and our people guilty of this sin today?

I Samuel 2:3 KJV
Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed.

Psalm 12:2-4 KJV
[2] They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
[3] The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:
[4] Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?

Proverbs 8:13 KJV
The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Isaiah 13:11 KJV
And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

Obadiah 4 KJV
Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.


The God who had created man, had come and changed the tongue of man.

Genesis 18:14 KJV (God told Abraham)
"Is any thing too hard for the LORD?..."

And of course the answer is no.

Proverbs 16:19 KJV
Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Proverbs 22:4 KJV
By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

Proverbs 29:23 KJV
A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

Isaiah 57:15 KJV
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Matthew 18:4 KJV
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.