Why Did God Confuse the Language of Men in the Story of the Tower of Babel?

After the flood and the time of Noah, arguably the greatest story of unity in human history was witnessed in the land of Shinar—the building of a great tower, popularly known as the Tower of Babel.

Contrary to popular opinion, God did not put their project to a halt because he felt threatened by human unity and was against unity. No.

We just may have not been paying attention to the very important detail.

Genesis 11:1–4(NKJV)

1 - Now the whole earth had one language and one speech.

2 - And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there.

3 - Then they said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar.

Now take a look at this:

4 - And they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth."

This was an organized rebellion against God’s first principal proclamation to man as a blessing.

Genesis 1:27–28(NKJV)

27 - So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

28 - Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; FILL THE EARTH and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

God's purpose was for man to fill the earth. (KJV uses the word “replenish.”) God didn’t create humans to cluster around one location but to spread all over the earth which he created for them. But these men were in an attempt to stop this from happening.

‘And they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth"’ (Genesis 11:4).

After the flood, God had earlier given the same proclamation to show that his purpose for man never changed.

Genesis 9:1(NKJV)

So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: "Be fruitful and multiply, and FILL THE EARTH".

So, approximately a hundred years later, these men rose to embark on a project in direct rebellion against God's word.

One fascinating thing to also realize is that despite how high their tower was, God still had to come downwards, to show that it was below Him still.

Genesis 11:5(NKJV)

But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.

We should learn to always see God as who He is—God. He is in every way superior to us, higher than us, and wiser than us. No matter how high man tries to climb, he will always be below God.

Confusing their language ensured that they scattered across the earth, in the end.

Babel means confusion; this came as a result of rebellion. We should never try to fight God's will.

His perfect master plan, in the end, is for our own good.

Victor Ibosiola © 2023