Satire in the Bible - the Ziggurat of Babylon

 

​The Tower of Babel story in the Bible is satire, presenting a humorous yet critical commentary on human ambition. In just nine verses, it contrasts human plans to build a name by building a great tower versus God's intervention, frustrating those plans. The narrative reflects the idea of "man plans, and God laughs," as humanity's desire to reach the heavens is thwarted by divine action. The story's structure mirrors this contrast, with humans saying, "Come, let us build," and God responding with, "Come, let us go down and confuse their language." Ultimately, the tale serves as a reminder of the limits of human efforts when promoting the shem or reputation of humanity versus that of God, and the necessity for God to spread humanity over the earth in the form of nations in preparation for the mission of Abraham.

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