Genesis 11 – Confused Languages and Words
Before the confusion of languages and the mixing of words in Genesis 11, it was much, much easier for us to clearly understand Scripture and Instructions from The Lord God and each other. That was during the first two thousand years from creation. Back then, there was no need for translators and translations because everyone spoke and understood the original language, Hebrew.
Genesis 11.1
The whole earth was of one language and one speech.
Then humankind began using language and words destructively. Under King Nimrod’s command, large groups of people united to construct a massive tower into The Heavens so they could be like God.
Genesis 11.2 – 4
And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they lived there, [under the rule of king Nimrod]. See Genesis 10.9-10. And they said one to another, Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had them for mortar. And they said, ‘Come, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach to heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.’ In essence, they were rebelling against The Lords Blessing in Genesis 9.1 to fill the earth completely, i.e., to fill the world from Aleph to Tav. וּמִלְאוּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ – Voo Mee Lih Voo – Eht – Haw Aw Rehtz
Genesis 10.9-10
He [Nimrod] was a mighty hunter in the face of The Lord; therefore, it is said, ‘Like Nimrod the mighty hunter in the face of The Lord.’ And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, IN THE LAND OF SHINAR.
And then The Lord God Confused the language and the words to put a stop to the improper disobedient behavior. In the blink of an eye, our world’s unity of language became confused. Instantly people could no longer understand each other or the meanings of words. Communication was significantly impacted. The world’s libraries of knowledge, history, and theology became usable by most people because all communication was in Hebrew, a language that was no longer accessible to them. Just about everything came to an immediate halt while people searched for others who spoke like them. People from sixty-nine different languages began seeking those with whom they could communicate. Eventually, people located and grouped with others with whom they could share. The construction of the tower stopped. Ultimately, each language group was disbursed throughout the globe. Translators and translations were now necessary to communicate.
Genesis 11.5 – 9
And The Lord Came down to see the city and the tower, which the sons of men built. And The Lord Said, Behold, the people are one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do; and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have schemed to do. Come, let us go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. So The Lord scattered them abroad from there upon the face of all the earth, and they left off the building of the city. Therefore the name of it is called Babel; because The Lord Confused the language of all the earth; and from there did The Lord Scatter them abroad upon the face of all the world.
Do we realize the significance of confusing the languages? Hebrew is the Holy Language. Let’s think about that. The Lord God Introduced sixth-nine unholy languages. What does that tell us? Confusion exists in each of the sixty-nine languages, While Hebrew remains pure and accurate. Following the confounding of speech, the meanings of each word were confused. The confounding of language and words impacts each of us right here and right now! We struggle with communication on many levels. Words do matter. Words art is only misunderstood. May we be mindful of the words we select. Husbands and wives have issues communicating. Employers and employees work to improve their communication. Words in our age have different meanings than they used to. We wonder which definition is intended when we are trying to have meaningful communication.
Translators insert words into Scripture that are not in the original language to provide readers with a smoother, more comfortable sentence. How do individuals know the words from the original language from words which are inserted? Let’s review an example in Isaiah 42 and Jeremiah 9.
Isaiah 42.8
אֲנִי יְהֹוָה הוּא שְׁמִי וּכְבוֹדִי לְאַחֵר לֹא־אֶתֵּן וּתְהִלָּתִי לַפְּסִילִים: ס
Isaiah 42.8
I [Am The] Lord; that [is] My Name, And My Glory I will not Give to another, neither My Praise to carved idols.
Jeremiah 9.23 / KJV 9.24
Let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I [Am The] Lord who Exercises Loving Kindness, Justice, and Righteousness, in the earth; for in these things I Delight, Says [The] Lord.
Here is an example of a translation from Hebrew into English with transition words.
אֲנִי יְהֹוָה הוּא שְׁמִי – I am The Lord that is My Name.
Here is an example of a translation from Hebrew into English WITHOUT transition words.
אֲנִי יְהֹוָה הוּא שְׁמִי – I Lord that My Name.
Some Christians believe ‘I am’ refers to Jesus but it does not. As noted above ‘AM’ is added as a transition word for easy reading.
Dear Ones, words do matter. May we be mindful of the words we select. May we bring peace and healing into our world through our carewful selection of our words. May this coming Sabbath and every Sabbath be a blessed Day.
Good Sabbath!
Dr. Akiva Gamliel Belk
