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101 Myths of the Bible: how ancient scribes - Conscious Evolution TV

101 Myths of the Bible: how ancient scribes - Conscious Evolution TV

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yth #43:<br />

God confused <strong>the</strong> common language <strong>of</strong> humanity and<br />

scattered <strong>the</strong> people about <strong>the</strong> world.<br />

The Myth: And <strong>the</strong> whole earth was <strong>of</strong> one language, and <strong>of</strong> one speech. And it<br />

came to pass, as <strong>the</strong>y journeyed from <strong>the</strong> east, that <strong>the</strong>y found a plain in <strong>the</strong> land <strong>of</strong><br />

Shinar; and <strong>the</strong>y dwelt <strong>the</strong>re. And <strong>the</strong>y said one to ano<strong>the</strong>r, Go to, let us make brick,<br />

and burn <strong>the</strong>m thoroughly. And <strong>the</strong>y had brick for stone, and slime had <strong>the</strong>y for mortar.<br />

And <strong>the</strong>y said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto<br />

heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon <strong>the</strong> face <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

whole earth. And <strong>the</strong> LORD came down to see <strong>the</strong> city and <strong>the</strong> tower, which <strong>the</strong> children<br />

<strong>of</strong> men builded. And <strong>the</strong> LORD said, Behold, <strong>the</strong> people is one, and <strong>the</strong>y have all<br />

one language; and this <strong>the</strong>y begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from<br />

<strong>the</strong>m, which <strong>the</strong>y have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and <strong>the</strong>re confound <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

language, that <strong>the</strong>y may not understand one ano<strong>the</strong>r’s speech. So <strong>the</strong> LORD scattered<br />

<strong>the</strong>m abroad from <strong>the</strong>nce upon <strong>the</strong> face <strong>of</strong> all <strong>the</strong> earth: and <strong>the</strong>y left <strong>of</strong>f to build <strong>the</strong><br />

city. Therefore is <strong>the</strong> name <strong>of</strong> it called Babel; because <strong>the</strong> LORD did <strong>the</strong>re confound<br />

<strong>the</strong> language <strong>of</strong> all <strong>the</strong> earth: and from <strong>the</strong>nce did <strong>the</strong> LORD scatter <strong>the</strong>m abroad<br />

upon <strong>the</strong> face <strong>of</strong> all <strong>the</strong> earth. (Gen. 11:1–9)<br />

The Reality: The children <strong>of</strong> Noah’s sons spoke different languages and lived in<br />

different nations long before <strong>the</strong> events described in this account.<br />

The biblical story <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Tower <strong>of</strong> Babel begins with <strong>the</strong> claim that <strong>the</strong> entire world<br />

spoke one language. It <strong>the</strong>n says,“<strong>the</strong>y journeyed from <strong>the</strong> east, that <strong>the</strong>y found a plain<br />

in <strong>the</strong> land <strong>of</strong> Shinar.” Who is this“<strong>the</strong>y” mentioned in <strong>the</strong> story?<br />

Presumably,“<strong>the</strong>y” refers back to <strong>the</strong> last mentioned group <strong>of</strong> people to precede <strong>the</strong><br />

reference. That would be <strong>the</strong> “generations <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sons <strong>of</strong> Noah, Shem, Ham, and<br />

Japheth” (Gen. 10:1). Genesis 10 divides <strong>the</strong> descendants <strong>of</strong> Noah into three branches,<br />

each associated with one <strong>of</strong> his sons, and, according to <strong>the</strong> account, <strong>the</strong>se descendants<br />

founded numerous nations and spoke different languages. About <strong>the</strong> sons <strong>of</strong> Japheth,<br />

95

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