“And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech (Genesis 11:1).”
The previous chapter ended with the descendants of Noah spreading out around the world, yet still, they were all joined by language. I have to say, I’m jealous of that state. As the daughter of an Israeli father who was raised in America but currently lives in Israel, lack of shared language is something I struggle with on a daily basis. If all the world was of one speech, regardless of our locations, I imagine that my life would be much easier than it currently is, as I work to master Hebrew.
But I digress. The people of the world come together, and decide, “Let us build a city, and a tower, with its top in heaven, and let us make us a name; lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth (Genesis 11:4).”
For some reason, this angers God, and He takes away their shared speech so that the building project cannot be completed, and the people scatter once again. What was it about this initiative that so angered God? Why couldn’t the people build a monument? Was it because they were arrogant and needed to be taught a lesson?
I feel for the people in this instance. Reading the Tanakh from the perspective of the ancient Near Eastern culture in which it took place, this instinct of the people to build in order to solidify their presence seems completely understandable, and not cause for punishment. Not to mention, with this story immediately following that of the flood, I see the fear and psychology that might have motivated this, and the desire to not be forgotten. Nonetheless, the people are dispersed, and scatter around the world in their respective languages and cultures.
At the end of this chapter, we are introduced to our next great hero of Torah: Abram, and his wife, Sarai. Looking forward to exploring their adventures over the next few chapters!
929 Days of Tanakh 