Babel

Definition

Babel was a chief city in a region called Shinar in the southern part of Mesopotamia. Shinar was later called Babylonia.

• The city of Babel was founded by Ham’s great-grandson, Nimrod, who ruled the region of Shinar.
• The people of Shinar became proud and decided to build a tower high enough to reach heaven. This later became known as the “Tower of Babel.”
• Because the people building the tower refused to spread out as God had commanded, he confused their languages so that they could not understand one another. This forced them to move away to live in many different places across the earth.
• The root meaning of the word for “Babel” is “confusion,” named for when God confused the people’s language.

(Translation suggestions: How to Translate Names)

(See also: Babylon, Ham, Mesopotamia)

Bible References

• Genesis 10:8-10
• Genesis 11:9

Word Data

• Strong’s: H0894