In the Judeo-Christian tradition the first communicative intercourse between God and mankind occurs on the sixth day of Creation, shortly after man and woman spring forth from God's word. This communication is an admonition, or instruction and is found in Gen. 1:28-29. For the sake of argument, we have to assume that this communication is verbal in nature, as those relating the story understood the concept of language; for we cannot imagine what other type of communication took place since the significance of another direct, physical form of communication other than that most commonly used by humans is not mentioned or even inferred. And, although it appears that God grants the first couple the power of speech without the peculiar creative wallop God uses to create the world, there is no evident argument against the concept that mankind could be considered as being created "in the image of God" but without the ability to use language in the same way: God may be able to create with the "word" but language, as used for the first time by the first man, only serves to label the myriad productions of God's creation.
Mankind thus appears destined to live in the terran environment without otherwise adding to its core creative product -- language, for man, is limited to designating, describing creation. It is significant, however, that the first man and not God was the one who used [verbal] language to assign names and therefore identity to the beasts of the air and earth (though curiously, not of the sea):
Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field.
What are we to make of this linguistic enigma? Why was Adam afforded the privilege of naming the other living creatures that are under his dominion? It may be reasonable to imagine that this act is significant in that it is the initial reference point of mankind's exercise of its supremacy over the earth and its creatures. Is it, however, symbolic for any other reason? Other than accepting it as mankind's first act of dominion, the only other significance may lie in the notion that the power of language for mankind (albeit, not the "batteries included" version of God's spoken word) is central to mankind's existence as shown later in Genesis.
In the story of the Tower of Babel in Chapter 11 of Genesis we see the state of the world several generations after the flood as the descendants of the three sons of Noah begin to spread out over the face of the earth. Though this episode is but one of perhaps thousands of myths relating to the source of the many Terran peoples, it serves as a particularly illuminating view into the origins and general understanding of language as it pertains to human societal evolution.
The Covenant between mankind and the God of the second chapter of Genesis has now changed following the Flood. Compared to the declaration of Gen.1:15-17, Chapter 9 contains a Covenant between God and mankind, which unlike their relationship prior to the Fall is not limited to a prescription for man to simply fill the earth with his progeny. An element of fear has been injected into the power of mankind, as he resumes his dominion over all other living creatures of the earth -- it could, in many respects be said that there is a parallel situation in the kratology between God and mankind and that of mankind with the rest of creation. In the first instance, God gives simple dominion over creation to mankind: in this instance, fear is identified as the tool or method of exercising dominion (as in God's admonition in Chapter 2) and now again in the first real Covenant or 'contract" between God and Noah and his descendants.
So, several generations after Noah, we find the story shifting to Babylonia, where the sons of Ham had settled. He was the youngest of Noah's three sons; the other two were Shem and Japheth. It was Ham’s son Canaan who was cursed by his father to be a slave to the other two because Ham saw his father's drunken nakedness (Gen.9:20-27). Here, in the land of Shinar, as it was known in that time, Ham's descendants decided to build a monument, a town with a tower that would rise to the heavens:
Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2As men moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there.3 They said to each other, "Come, let's make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."
5 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. 6 The LORD said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other." 8So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why it was called Babel – because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
What is the first thing we notice about this story? It is a declaration about the state of affairs of mankind and their language, and the power it can give to them. This is rather clear in both halves of the story, the first half emphasizing mankind’s actions and the second half revealing God’s actions in response . What is not so clear is a) mankind’s motive and this is due, ironically, to linguistic uncertainty with regards to the consequences both of building the tower and of gaining fame for it, and b) God’s motive for the punishment.
In the first half the Hamites have been spreading about on the earth and, having decided to settle in Shinar, they undertake to build a town with a tower reaching to the heavens. The most intriguing attitude connected to this construction is that they are aware of the fact that they will gain great fame from having built the tower but they also acknowledge that the building of this tower will somehow affect their further dispersal over the earth. The sin of Pride is very evident as part of their motive, but it is not the whole story.
On the issue of dispersal, there are two relevant verses at the end of the story of the Flood (Gen.9:1 and 9:7) in which God blesses mankind, commanding them to be fruitful and spread out over the entire earth (just as he did in Gen.1:28). Though we cannot know the mind of God, this blessing appears to be nothing more than a divine wish that mankind enjoy the entire world that was once destroyed because of their wickedness. Although it is not part of the Covenant proper with Moses and his progeny it must nevertheless be significant that it is stated twice within a short time in the text and in such proximity to this Covenant.
This brings us back to question of mankind’s motive in building the tower. Having consulted six English versions of Gen.11:1-9(the New International Version is quoted above), five of these suggested that the motive was both one of pride and one of perhaps an attempt to avoid God’s command about spreading throughout the earth. This is clear in the “rationale words” such as “lest”, “so that ... not” and “otherwise ... not”. This is also evident in the French, German, Dutch, Italian and Spanish translations consulted. However, the Septuagint (Greek), Vulgate (Latin), and Esperanto versions suggest a slightly different motive. The word “before” is prominent in the same rationale (“build the tower and make a name for ourselves before we are spread out ...”). Part of the motive here is still pride-driven, but here we see perhaps an attempt to do an end run around God’s command: knowing that they are still to be dispersed, they decide to build it anyway, if just for the fame it will bring. Which of these two attitudes is more deserving of the punishment meted out by God?
Punishment indeed. Equally puzzling is the “rationale” behind God’s dispersal of mankind throughout the world and the fracturization of human language for this, mankind’s (albeit Middle-Eastern mankind’s) latest sin. What can be the danger of mankind accomplishing anything he sets his mind to, as perceives God in verse 7? God had already severely punished mankind with the banishment from the Garden of Eden for becoming “like one of us, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:22). Is this subsequent sin of pride so great a transgression that it merited the assigned punishment? Or is it the first instance of God punishing mankind for being socially/ technologically far advanced of their own spiritual growth?
There is much historical commentary on God’s punishment for this second general transgression of disobedience (the first being, of course the eating of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in Gen.3:1-6). One of the most fascinating commentaries is that of the French translators of La Bible de Jérusalem and comes to us as a footnote attached to the story of Genesis 11:
This Yahwist story offers a different explanation for the diversity of peoples and languages. It is the punishment for a collective offence which, like that of the first parents is still a sin of immoderation. Union could only be restored in Christ the Saviour: the miracle of tongues at the Pentecost (Acts 2:5-12) and the assembly of nations in heaven (Revelation 7: 9-10) ... The tradition is related to the ruins of one of those high-storied towers that were constructed in Mesopotamia as a symbol of the sacred mountain and a repository of the divinity. The builders would have seen in it a means to meet their god. But the Yahwists see in it an enterprise of demented pride. This theme of the tower combines with that of the city: it is a condemnation of urban civilization.
This interpretation is somewhat difficult to digest, given the argument of inevitability: urbanization is simply a logical development of human co-existence, given such factors as limited land mass and the inherently social nature of humans. Urbanization is the result of the simple evolution of group parameters with regards to civil efficiency and general societal progress. Some parameters seem to develop haphazardly (like dress, and some social customs like the treatment of strangers and the physically and mentally handicapped) while others only come about through conscious, collective effort (like dealing with crime and punishment, political structures, security and military activities).
Can mankind only retain a worshipful respect of God within the bounds of linguistic diversity, as represented by the punishment meted out on the Hamites? Or, is the Tower episode an initial example of the Israelites periodic straying from the proper worship of God? Is it a foreshadowing of the Golden Calf of Exodus 32? Or is it possibly the principle act which may have inspired God as to the necessity of the tenth commandment (not to mention the first, second and third) – thou shall not covet an easy way to heaven?
Envisioned in the [work in progress] novel The Terran Chronicles is an international academic and scientific community founded on principles of ethnic/linguistic/cultural preservation and promotion all the while fostering inter-cultural respect and collaboration on the projects of the community destined for the betterment of planetary civilization as a whole. The machina of the community is a language: a neutral, planned language. For various reasons the one chosen was the International Language, Esperanto, without a doubt the most successful of the erroneously-labeled “artificial” languages. Esperanto is the official language of the community’s administration, educational programs and publications, with other languages appearing as appropriate. The community is a “univercity”, a unique graduate-study university town where up to twenty thousand students and researchers live for up to four years. Situated on a large, remote island in the boreal fastness of East-Central Quebec, the university boasts all the usual amenities, among which: comfortable private housing, superb recreational facilities, massive library and resource centre, and ultra-modern research laboratories.
The purpose of this univercity is to establish a truly international academic gefrataro (brother-sisterhood) that will advance the humanitarian aims of the institution from which they have received their final education. And as requisite participants of the “Terran Project”, a far-reaching “co-operative” placement program in which graduates spend a total of two years performing a social/educational service in parts of the world outside of their home region. Perhaps the most pragmatic undertaking of the Terran Project is the proposed work of the Instruistoj trans limoj (ITL) program (Teachers across Borders - inspired by that most humanitarian of groups, Médecins sans frontières (Doctors without borders)). ITL is charged firstly with the development of a standard curriculum available in Esperanto destined to be delivered world-wide Secondly, ITL also delivers self-contained, high-tech education pods throughout the planet where there is no current links to the limitless resources of the World Wide Web (www) in order to provide basic facilities and resources for education.
The difference, it would appear, between this vision and the efforts of the Hamites in Babylon is only one of motive. While fame may result for many from the accomplishments of the univercity it is not the raison d’être of its existence as it was for the Tower. Are the dreamers and builders of the univercity tempting fate once again, this time by attempting to undo what God has done, for better or worse?
Let us hope that something like the univercity can make its presence known in the world so that mankind can advance and progress, ethics hand in hand with science, fully understanding the ramifications of self-interest and pride that unchecked can be his burden as well as well the vehicle for his destruction.
r oansar t
© July 2001
Other sites about the Tower of Babel:
http://www.nunki.net/PerDud/TheWorks/Express/TowerBabel.html
http://www.hope.edu/bandstra/RTOT/CH1/CH1_2B2.HTM
For more, simply go to Google and search for “Tower of Babel” (include quotes)