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NASB | Genesis 11:4 They said, "Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Genesis 11:4 They said, "Come, let us build a city for ourselves, and a tower whose top will reach into the heavens, and let us make a [famous] name for ourselves, so that we will not be scattered [into separate groups] and be dispersed over the surface of the entire earth [as the LORD instructed]." [Gen 9:1] |
Bible Question: How was it possible for a structure with the large dimensions of the Tower of Babel to be erected in the time and by the few people who lived directly after the flood? |
Bible Answer: Greetings, prayon! The following is from the "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia" and there is detailed information here on the building of the Tower of Babel.. "5. A BABYLONIAN DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWER , to give the Babylonian (Sumerian) name, consisted of six stages built upon a platform, and provided with a sanctuary at the top. A tablet seemingly giving a detailed description of this building was for a time in the hands of the late George Smith in the year 1876. Unfortunately he had not time to give a translation of the document, or to publish the text, but his detailed account of it (, February 12, 1876) is exceedingly interesting. First there was the outer court called the “grand court,” measuring, according to G. Smith’s estimate, 1,156 ft. by 900 ft., and a smaller one, called “the court of Ishtar and Zagaga,” 1,056 ft. by 450 ft. Round the court were six gates admitting to the temples: (1) The grand gate; (2) The gate of the rising sun (east); (3) The great gate; (4) The gate of the colossi; (5) The gate of the canal; and (6) The gate of the tower-view." 6. THE PLATFORM After this came a space or platform apparently walled—a square in form, and measuring 3 each way. Its size is doubtful, as the value of the is unknown. The sides of this enclosure faced the cardinal points. In its walls were four gates, one on each side, and named from the points toward which they looked. Within this enclosure stood a large building measuring 10 (Smith: 200 ft.) each way. Unfortunately, the name of this erection was damaged, so that its nature and use are uncertain. 7. THE CHAPELS AND SHRINES Round the base of the Tower were small temples or chapels dedicated to the various gods of the Babylonians. On the East were 16 shrines, the principal of them being dedicated to Nebo and , his spouse; on thee North were two temples dedicated to . () and Nusku respectively; on the South was a single temple to the two great gods, Anu and Bel (Enlil?). It was on the West, however, that the principal buildings lay—a double house with a court between the wings 35 cubits (Smith: 58 ft.) wide. These two wings were not alike in dimensions, the erection on one side being 100 cubits by 20 (166 ft. by 34 ft.) and on the other 100 cubits by 65 (166 ft. by 108 ft.). In these western chambers stood the couch of the god, and the golden throne mentioned by Herodotus, with other objects of great value. The couch was stated to have measured 9 cubits by 4 (15 ft. by 6 feet 8 inches). 8. THE TOWER IN ITS FIRST STAGE In the center of these groups of buildings stood the great Tower in stages, called by the Babylonians “the Tower of Babel” (). The stages decreased from the lowest upward, but each was square in plan. The first or foundation-stage was 15 each way by 5 1/2 high (300 ft. by 110 ft. high), and seems to have been decorated with the usual double recesses which are a characteristic of Assyr-Bab architecture." (part 2 of 3) Nolan |
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virginia | ||
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