Tower of Babel

🏷  Bible text Semitic interlinear · text   —   by Gerry · Dec 2020 · 2845 words

The literal Tower of Babel story is already about superiors confusing their subjects, to prevent them from achieving anything. Still, it is surprisingly hard to de-pun, because it focuses on the actions of the people rather than the spooks: The ˁyr w-mgdl “city & tower” pun with ˀwr m-gdl “understanding the nobility”. The story seems to talk about how the people once wanted to build up clarity & understanding about their rulers — that is what the rulers needed to prevent through confusion.

How to read this

In the beginning, the oppressed were united.

As usual, the Tower of Babel can be read in 2 ways: The face-value story is a religious one, and the pun-encrypted story teaches spookery. Here, it’s about the unity of the people, and how the rulers break it through confusion.

However, this text is made so ambiguous (it’s only ever “they” or “them”) that the Tower of Babel is perhaps supposed to be read in 3 ways: Depending on who is meant by “them” in each sentence, the parable teaches spookery either from the perspective of the rulers or the subjects. The name Babel may even allude to this, because bll bˁl b-ˁlb actually means “confuse lords with subjects”!

Genesis 11:1

This may be a double-pun, depending on who is “them”: The rṣṣ “oppressed” initially had one špṭ “judgement” and one dbr “understanding”. The rṣṣ “oppressors” had a united špṭ “government” and a united dbr “leadership”. A united government (of moles) would also be the spooks’ solution to all their troubles with the common people.

Encrypted: And it was that all the oppressed [had] a judgment united and a behavior united.

Official: And it was that all the earth [had] language one and speech one.

And it was that
yhy: be, become
wyhy   ויהי
yhy: be, become
And it was that

all
kl: all
kl   כל
kl: all
all

the oppressed [had]
rṣṣ: oppressed
hˀrṣ   הארץ
ˀrṣ: earth, country
the earth [had]

a judgment
špṭ: judge, judgment, decide, govern, rule
šph   שפה
šph: language; špt: language
language

united
ˀḥt: one, united
ˀḥt   אחת
ˀḥt: one, united
one

and a behavior
dbr: lead, guide, act, behave, conduct
wdbrym   ודברים
dbr: word, speech
and speech

united.
ˀḥd: one, united
ˀḥdym   אחדים
ˀḥd: one, united
one.

Genesis 11:1

The oppressed understood that they were deceived.

Genesis 11:2

Encrypted: And it came to pass as they [the people?] were deceived by the “hidden” that they [the “hidden”?] happened [to be?] examined among the oppressed who were stirring & waking up [?], and was explained [?] their existence & nature [?].

Official: And it came to pass as they journeyed from the east that they [the people?] found a plain in the land of Shinar and dwelt there.

And it came to pass
yhy: be, become
wyhy   ויהי
yhy: be, become
And it came to pass

as they [the people?] were deceived
b-: as; nšˀ: deceive, beguile; -m: them
bnsˁm   בנסעם
b-: as; nsˁ: move, journey; -m: them
as they journeyed

by the “hidden”
m-: by; ktm: dark, hidden
mqdm   מקדם
m-: from; qdm: east
from the east

that they [the “hidden”?] happened
mṣˀ: find, encounter, happen
wymṣˀw   וימצאו
mṣˀ: find, encounter, happen
that they [the people?] found

[to be?] examined
bqˀ: examine, search
bqˁh   בקעה
bqˁh: valley, plain
a plain

among the oppressed
b-: among; rṣṣ: oppressed
bˀrṣ   בארץ
b-: in; ˀrṣ: land
in the land

who were stirring & waking up [?],
š-: who; nˁr: servant, shake off, stirred up, wake, awake
šnˁr   שנער
šnˁr: Shinar
of Shinar

and was explained [?]
yšb: settled, explained
wyšbw   וישבו
yšb: dwell
and dwelt

their existence & nature [?].
šm: existing, nature, character
šm   שם
šm: place, there
there.

Genesis 11:2

The oppressed plan a rebellion.

Genesis 11:3

This may be a double-pun, depending on who is “them”: The common people have lb “will” and gmr “determination” to srb “rebel”; The spooks employ lˁb “mockery” and ḫmr “veils” to srb “confound”.

Encrypted: And they [the people] said one to another: Come, let us build an understanding of them [the “hidden”] and rebel to refuse [them]. And there was to them the will for thought & understanding, and the stirred-up / determination there was to them to wreak destruction.

Official: And they said one to another: Come, let us build bricks and bake [them] into a baked state. And there was to them brick for stone, and asphalt there was to them for mortar.

And they [the people] said
ˀmr: say
wyˀmrw   ויאמרו
ˀmr: say
And they said

one
ˀyš: one
ˀyš   איש
ˀyš: one
one

to
ˀl: to
ˀl   אל
ˀl: to
to

another:
: another
rˁhw   רעהו
: another
another:

Come,
hbh: come
hbh   הבה
hbh: come
Come,

let us build
n-: will; l-: to; bnh: build
nlbnh   נלבנה
n-: will; l-: to; bnh: build
let us build

an understanding of them [the “hidden”]
lb: heart, mind, will, thought, understanding; -m: them
lbnym   לבנים
lbnh: brick
bricks

and rebel
n-: will; srb: refuse, deny, against, rebel, decline office
wnšrph   ונשרפה
n-: will; šrp: burn, burned
and bake [them]

to refuse [them].
l-: to; srb: refuse, deny, against, rebel, decline office
lšrph   לשרפה
l-: to; šrp: burn, burned
into a baked state.

And there was
hyh: be
wthy   ותהי
hyh: be
And there was

to them
lhm: to them
lhm   להם
lhm: to them
to them

the will
lb: heart, mind, will, thought, understanding
hlbnh   הלבנה
lbnh: brick
brick

for thought & understanding,
l-: for; lb: heart, mind, will, thought, understanding
lˀbn   לאבן
l-: to; ˀbn: stone
for stone,

and the stirred-up / determination
kmr: heat, stirred; gmr: conclude, determine, decide
whḥmr   והחמר
ḥmr: clay, asphalt, mortar
and asphalt

there was
hyh: be
hyh   היה
hyh: be
there was

to them
lhm: to them
lhm   להם
lhm: to them
to them

to wreak destruction.
l-: to; kmr: heat, stirred; gmr: conclude, finish, destroy
lḥmr   לחמר
l-: to; ḥmr: clay, asphalt, mortar
for mortar.

Genesis 11:3

The oppressed plan to build an understanding of the nobility.

Genesis 11:4

This may be a double-pun, depending on who is “them”: The common people need ˀwr “understanding” of the gdl “nobility”; The spooks need rˀw “appearances” that are gdl “noble”.

Encrypted: And they [the people?] said: Come, let us build for ourselves an understanding [of] the twisted / nobility [whose] leaders & rulers [are] veiled. And let us make for ourselves a mighty force [of our own?] lest [we] be shattered & broken over the face of all the earth.

Official: And they [the people] said: Come, let us build for ourselves a city and a tower [whose] top [is] in the heavens. And let us make for ourselves a name lest [we] be scattered over the face of all the earth.

And they [the people?] said:
ˀmr: say
wyˀmrw   ויאמרו
ˀmr: say
And they [the people] said:

Come,
hbh: come
hbh   הבה
hbh: come
Come,

let us build
n-: will; bnh: build
nbnh   נבנה
n-: will; bnh: build
let us build

for ourselves
lnw: to us
lnw   לנו
lnw: to us
for ourselves

an understanding
ˀwr: clear, enlighten, understanding
ˁyr   עיר
ˁyr: city
a city

[of] the twisted / nobility
m-: of; gdl: arrogant, twisted, majesty; gdwl: noble, leader
wmgdl   ומגדל
mgdl: tower
and a tower

[whose] leaders & rulers [are]
rˀš: leader, master, ruler
wrˀšw   וראשו
rˀš: head, top
[whose] top [is]

veiled.
b-: in; ṣmh: veil; ṣmṣm: veil oneself
bšmym   בשמים
b-: in; šmym: heavens
in the heavens.

And let us make
n-: will; ˁšh: make
wnˁšh   ונעשה
n-: will; ˁšh: make
And let us make

for ourselves
lnw: to us
lnw   לנו
lnw: to us
for ourselves

a mighty force [of our own?]
ˁṣm: strong, mighty, force
šm   שם
šm: name
a name

lest
pn: lest, or else, otherwise
pn   פן
pn: lest, or else, otherwise
lest

[we] be shattered & broken
npṣ: shatter, break
npwṣ   נפוץ
npṣ: scatter
[we] be scattered

over
ˁl: on, over, to
ˁl   על
ˁl: on, over, to
over

the face
pny: face
pny   פני
pny: face
the face

of all
kl: all
kl   כל
kl: all
of all

the earth.
ˀrṣ: earth
hˀrṣ   הארץ
ˀrṣ: earth
the earth.

Genesis 11:4

The rulers fear their schemes cannot be withheld any more.

Genesis 11:5

Encrypted: But came down the “hidden” to see the understanding [of] the nobility which had built the sons of [common] men.

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

But came down
yrd: come down
wyrd   וירד
yrd: come down
But came down

the “hidden”
yḥbh: hidden
yhwh   יהוה
yhwh: Yahweh
Yahweh

to see
l-: to; rˀt: see
lrˀt   לראת
l-: to; rˀt: see
to see

 
ˀt: to
ˀt   את
ˀt: to
 

the understanding
ˀwr: clear, enlighten, understanding
hˁyr   העיר
ˁyr: city
the city

[of]
ˀt: to
wˀt   ואת
ˀt: to
and

the nobility
m-: of; gdl: majesty; gdwl: noble, leader
hmgdl   המגדל
mgdl: tower
the tower

which
ˀšr: which
ˀšr   אשר
ˀšr: which
which

had built
bnh: build
bnw   בנו
bnh: build
had built

the sons
bny: sons
bny   בני
bny: sons
the sons

of [common] men.
ˀdm: man, men
hˀdm   האדם
ˀdm: man, men
of men.

Genesis 11:5

Genesis 11:6

Encrypted: And said the “hidden”: Behold, the people [are] united and [have] a judgment united, to everything. And this they have begun to do, now nothing will be withheld from them [of] all that WE scheme to do.

Official: And said Yahweh Behold, the people [are] one and [have] language one, to everything. And this they have begun to do, now nothing will be withheld from them [of] all that they devise to do.

And said
ˀmr: say
wyˀmr   ויאמר
ˀmr: say
And said

the “hidden”:
yḥbh: hidden
yhwh   יהוה
yhwh: Yahweh
Yahweh

Behold,
hn: lo, behold
hn   הן
hn: lo, behold
Behold,

the people [are]
ˁm: people
ˁm   עם
ˁm: people
the people [are]

united
ˀḥd: one, united
ˀḥd   אחד
ˀḥd: one, united
one

and [have] a judgment
špṭ: judge, judgment, decide, govern, rule
wšph   ושפה
šph: language; špt: language
and [have] language

united,
ˀḥt: one, united
ˀḥt   אחת
ˀḥt: one, united
one,

to everything.
l-: to; kl: all; -m: them
lklm   לכלם
l-: to; kl: all; -m: them
to everything.

And this
zh: this
wzh   וזה
zh: this
And this

they have begun
ḥll: begin
hḥlm   החלם
ḥll: begin
they have begun

to do,
l-: to; ˁšh: do
lˁšwt   לעשות
l-: to; ˁšh: do
to do,

now
ˁth: now, already
wˁth   ועתה
ˁth: now, already
now

nothing
: not, nothing
lˀ   לא
: not, nothing
nothing

will be withheld
bṣr: withhold
ybṣr   יבצר
bṣr: withhold
will be withheld

from them
m-: from; hm: them
mhm   מהם
m-: from; hm: them
from them

[of] all
kl: all
kl   כל
kl: all
[of] all

that
ˀšr: which
ˀšr   אשר
ˀšr: which
that

WE scheme
zmm: devise, plan, scheme
yzmw   יזמו
zmm: devise, plan, scheme
they devise

to do.
l-: to; ˁšh: do
lˁšwt   לעשות
l-: to; ˁšh: do
to do.

Genesis 11:6

The rulers confuse the people, to prevent understanding.

Genesis 11:7

How do the the “hidden” confuse the people? The verse may be a double-pun, as bll-špt-m means “confuse their decisions”, but also “mingle with their decisionmakers”, even “anoint their decisionmakers”! Having rebellous people be “misled” by overlord moles is certainly what the spooks did in later epochs.

Encrypted: Come, let us go down and confuse / mingle there their judgment & rules / with their judges & rulers, that not may understand one man the judgments & decisions of another.

Official: Come, let us go down and confuse there their language, that not may understand one man the speech of another.

Come,
hbh: come
hbh   הבה
hbh: come
Come,

let us go down
n-: will; yrd: go down, bring down
nrdh   נרדה
n-: will; yrd: go down, bring down
let us go down

and confuse / mingle
n-: will; bll: mix, mingle, anoint
wnblh   ונבלה
n-: will; bll: confuse, confound
and confuse

there
šm: there
šm   שם
šm: there
there

their judgment & rules / with their judges & rulers,
špṭ: judge, judgment, govern, governor, rule, ruler; -m: their
šptm   שפתם
špt: language; -m: their
their language,

that
ˀšr: that
ˀšr   אשר
ˀšr: that
that

not
: not
lˀ   לא
: not
not

may understand
šmˁ: listen, obey, understand
yšmˁw   ישמעו
šmˁ: listen, obey, understand
may understand

one man
ˀyš: man
ˀyš   איש
ˀyš: man
one man

the judgments & decisions
špṭ: judge, judgment, decide, govern, rule
špt   שפת
špt: speech
the speech

of another.
: another
rˁhw   רעהו
: another
of another.

Genesis 11:7

Genesis 11:8

Encrypted: So destroyed the “hidden” them [the people] from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased to build up clarity & understanding.

Official: So scattered Yahweh them [the people] from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased to build the city.

So destroyed
pṣṣ: break, destroy
wypṣ   ויפץ
pwṣ: scatter
So scattered

the “hidden”
yḥbh: hidden
yhwh   יהוה
yhwh: Yahweh
Yahweh

them [the people]
ˀt: to; -m: them
ˀtm   אתם
ˀt: to; -m: them
them [the people]

from there
m-: from; šm: there
mšm   משם
m-: from; šm: there
from there

over
ˁl: over
ˁl   על
ˁl: over
over

the face
pny: face
pny   פני
pny: face
the face

of all
kl: all
kl   כל
kl: all
of all

the earth,
ˀrṣ: earth
hˀrṣ   הארץ
ˀrṣ: earth
the earth,

and they ceased
ḥdl: cease, desist, stop
wyḥdlw   ויחדלו
ḥdl: cease, desist, stop
and they ceased

to build up
l-: to; bnt: build
lbnt   לבנת
l-: to; bnt: build
to build

clarity & understanding.
ˀwr: clear, enlighten, understanding
hˁyr   העיר
ˁyr: city
the city.

Genesis 11:8

Genesis 11:9

Here’s the official Babylon pun: “Babel” = bblbll = “confusion”. As anyone can see, this story has nothing at all to do with the actual Babylon, and that real city was certainly not named for this pun. It was probably already ruled by spooks or proto-spooks though.

Encrypted: Upon thus is called the name “Babel”, for there confused the “hidden” the judgment & decisions of all the oppressed, and from there destroyed them the “hidden” over the face of all the earth.

Official: Upon thus is called the name “Babel”, for there confused Yahweh the language of all the earth, and from there scattered them Yahweh over the face of all the earth.

Upon
ˁl: upon
ˁl   על
ˁl: upon
Upon

thus
kn: thus
kn   כן
kn: thus
thus

is called
qrˀ: call
qrˀ   קרא
qrˀ: call
is called

the name
šm: name
šmh   שמה
šm: name
the name

“Babel”,
bbl: Babel, Babylon
bbl   בבל
bbl: Babel, Babylon
“Babel”,

for
ky: for
ky   כי
ky: for
for

there
šm: there
šm   שם
šm: there
there

confused
bll: mix, confuse, confound
bll   בלל
bll: mix, confuse, confound
confused

the “hidden”
yḥbh: hidden
yhwh   יהוה
yhwh: Yahweh
Yahweh

the judgment & decisions
špṭ: judge, judgment, decide, govern, rule
špt   שפת
špt: language
the language

of all
kl: all
kl   כל
kl: all
of all

the oppressed,
ˀrṣ: earth
hˀrṣ   הארץ
ˀrṣ: earth
the earth,

and from there
m-: from; šm: there
wmšm   ומשם
m-: from; šm: there
and from there

destroyed them
pṣṣ: break, destroy
hpyṣm   הפיצם
pwṣ: scatter
scattered them

the “hidden”
yḥbh: hidden
yhwh   יהוה
yhwh: Yahweh
Yahweh

over
ˁl: over
ˁl   על
ˁl: over
over

the face
pny: face
pny   פני
pny: face
the face

of all
kl: all
kl   כל
kl: all
of all

the earth.
ˀrṣ: earth
hˀrṣ   הארץ
ˀrṣ: earth
the earth.

Genesis 11:9

🏷  Bible text Semitic interlinear · text