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# Bible: Tower of Babel

🏷 Bible text Genesis Hebrew text interlinear · text — by Gerry · Dec 2020 · 3062 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 interlinear word-by-word translation, each word is shown as a little block; each verse is a paragraph of little blocks.
- Use the Pun Config to choose your level: Minimal for secret meaning only, Beginner for secret & official English texts, Intermediate for word-by-word vocabulary, Expert for original text & glyphs.
- Possible pun-encrypted meaning is marked with light red.
- Official meaning is marked with light green.
- Pun vocabulary is in red, whenever the meaning differs. All vocabulary is linked to online dictionaries.
- Please read the introduction, the interchangeability rules, and judge yourself whether I got it right.
- Religious readers should proceed with care.

## Confusing the crowds

### 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
> יהי yhy: be, become
> ויהי wyhy
> יהי yhy: be, become
> And it was that
> all
> כל kl: all
> כל kl
> כל kl: all
> all
> the oppressed [had]
> רצץ rṣṣ: oppressed
> הארץ hˀrṣ
> ארץ ˀrṣ: earth, country
> the earth [had]
> a judgment
> שפט špṭ: judge, judgment, decide, govern, rule
> שפה šph
> שפה šph: language; שפת špt: language
> language
> united
> אחת ˀḥt: one, united
> אחת ˀḥt
> אחת ˀḥt: one, united
> one
> and a behavior
> דבר dbr: lead, guide, act, behave, conduct
> ודברים wdbrym
> דבר dbr: word, speech
> and speech
> united.
> אחד ˀḥd: one, united
> אחדים ˀḥdym
> אחד 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 high ranking ones, that they of high rank 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,
> יהי yhy: be, become
> ויהי wyhy
> יהי yhy: be, become
> And it came to pass,
> as they [the people?] were deceived
> ב־ b-: as; נשא nšˀ: deceive, beguile; ־ם -m: them
> בנסעם bnsˁm
> ב־ b-: as; נסע nsˁ: move, journey; ־ם -m: them
> as they journeyed
> by the [high] ranking [ones],
> מ־ m-: by; קדם qdm: surpass, lead, increase rank; קדימא qdymˀ: chief, first in rank
> מקדם mqdm
> מ־ m-: from; קדם qdm: east
> from the east,
> that they [of high rank?] happened
> מצא mṣˀ: find, encounter, happen
> וימצאו wymṣˀw
> מצא mṣˀ: find, encounter, happen
> that they [the people?] found
> [to be?] examined
> בקא bqˀ: examine, search
> בקעה bqˁh
> בקעה bqˁh: valley, plain
> a plain
> among the oppressed
> ב־ b-: among; רצץ rṣṣ: oppressed
> בארץ bˀrṣ
> ב־ b-: in; ארץ ˀrṣ: land
> in the land
> who were stirring & waking up [?],
> ש־ š-: who; נער nˁr: servant, shake off, stirred up, wake, awake
> שנער šnˁr
> שנער šnˁr: Shinar
> of Shinar
> and was explained [?]
> ישב yšb: settled, explained
> וישבו wyšbw
> ישב yšb: dwell
> and dwelt
> their existence & nature [?].
> שם šm: existing, nature, character
> שם 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 high-ranking ones, and rebel to refuse them. And there was to them the will for thought & understanding, and the 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
> אמר ˀmr: say
> ויאמרו wyˀmrw
> אמר ˀmr: say
> And they said
> one
> איש ˀyš: one
> איש ˀyš
> איש ˀyš: one
> one
> to
> אל ˀl: to
> אל ˀl
> אל ˀl: to
> to
> another:
> רע rˁ: another
> רעהו rˁhw
> רע rˁ: another
> another:
> Come,
> הבה hbh: come
> הבה hbh
> הבה hbh: come
> Come,
> let us build
> נ־ n-: will; ל־ l-: to; בנה bnh: build
> נלבנה nlbnh
> נ־ n-: will; ל־ l-: to; בנה bnh: build
> let us build
> an understanding of them [the high-ranking ones],
> לב lb: mind, will, thought, understanding; ־ן -n: (suffix); ־ם -m: them
> לבנים lbnym
> לבנה lbnh: brick; ־ים -ym: (plural)
> bricks,
> and rebel
> נ־ n-: will; סרב srb: refuse, deny, against, rebel, decline office
> ונשרפה wnšrph
> נ־ n-: will; שרף šrp: burn, burned
> and bake [them]
> to refuse [them].
> ל־ l-: to; סרב srb: refuse, deny, against, rebel, decline office
> לשרפה lšrph
> ל־ l-: to; שרף šrp: burn, burned
> into a baked state.
> And there was
> היה hyh: be
> ותהי wthy
> היה hyh: be
> And there was
> to them
> להם lhm: to them
> להם lhm
> להם lhm: to them
> to them
> the will
> לב lb: mind, will, thought, understanding
> הלבנה hlbnh
> לבנה lbnh: brick
> brick
> for thought & understanding,
> ל־ l-: for; לב lb: heart, mind, will, thought, understanding
> לאבן lˀbn
> ל־ l-: to; אבן ˀbn: stone
> for stone,
> and the determination
> כמר kmr: heat, stirred; גמר gmr: conclude, determine, decide
> והחמר whḥmr
> חמר ḥmr: clay, asphalt, mortar
> and asphalt
> there was
> היה hyh: be
> היה hyh
> היה hyh: be
> there was
> to them
> להם lhm: to them
> להם lhm
> להם lhm: to them
> to them
> to wreak destruction.
> ל־ l-: to; כמר kmr: heat, stirred; גמר gmr: conclude, finish, destroy
> לחמר lḥmr
> ל־ l-: to; חמר 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 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:
> אמר ˀmr: say
> ויאמרו wyˀmrw
> אמר ˀmr: say
> And they [the people] said:
> Come,
> הבה hbh: come
> הבה hbh
> הבה hbh: come
> Come,
> let us build
> נ־ n-: will; בנה bnh: build
> נבנה nbnh
> נ־ n-: will; בנה bnh: build
> let us build
> for ourselves
> לנו lnw: to us
> לנו lnw
> לנו lnw: to us
> for ourselves
> an understanding
> אור ˀwr: clear, enlighten, understanding
> עיר ˁyr
> עיר ˁyr: city
> a city
> [of] the nobility
> מ־ m-: of; גדל gdl: arrogant, twisted, majesty; גדול gdwl: noble, leader
> ומגדל wmgdl
> מגדל mgdl: tower
> and a tower
> [whose] leaders & rulers [are]
> ראש rˀš: leader, master, ruler
> וראשו wrˀšw
> ראש rˀš: head, top
> [whose] top [is]
> veiled.
> ב־ b-: in; צמה ṣmh: veil; צמצם ṣmṣm: veil oneself
> בשמים bšmym
> ב־ b-: in; שמים šmym: heavens
> in the heavens.
> And let us make
> נ־ n-: will; עשה ˁšh: make
> ונעשה wnˁšh
> נ־ n-: will; עשה ˁšh: make
> And let us make
> for ourselves
> לנו lnw: to us
> לנו lnw
> לנו lnw: to us
> for ourselves
> a mighty force [of our own?]
> עצם ˁṣm: strong, mighty, force
> שם šm
> שם šm: name
> a name
> lest
> פן pn: lest, or else, otherwise
> פן pn
> פן pn: lest, or else, otherwise
> lest
> [we] be shattered & broken
> נפץ npṣ: shatter, break
> נפוץ npwṣ
> נפץ npṣ: scatter
> [we] be scattered
> over
> על ˁl: on, over, to
> על ˁl
> על ˁl: on, over, to
> over
> the face
> פני pny: face
> פני pny
> פני pny: face
> the face
> of all
> כל kl: all
> כל kl
> כל kl: all
> of all
> the earth.
> ארץ ˀrṣ: earth
> הארץ hˀrṣ
> ארץ ˀrṣ: earth
> the earth.

> Genesis 11:4

### The rulers fear their schemes cannot be withheld any more.

#### Genesis 11:5

> Encrypted: But came down those of high esteem, 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
> ירד yrd: come down
> וירד wyrd
> ירד yrd: come down
> But came down
> [those of high] esteem,
> חבה / יחבה ḥbh / yḥbh: hidden, honor, esteem
> יהוה yhwh
> יהוה yhwh: Yahweh
> Yahweh,
> to see
> ל־ l-: to; ראת rˀt: see
> לראת lrˀt
> ל־ l-: to; ראת rˀt: see
> to see
> את ˀt: to
> את ˀt
> את ˀt: to
> the understanding
> אור ˀwr: clear, enlighten, understanding
> העיר hˁyr
> עיר ˁyr: city
> the city
> [of]
> את ˀt: to
> ואת wˀt
> את ˀt: to
> and
> the nobility
> מ־ m-: of; גדל gdl: majesty; גדול gdwl: noble, leader
> המגדל hmgdl
> מגדל mgdl: tower
> the tower
> which
> אשר ˀšr: which
> אשר ˀšr
> אשר ˀšr: which
> which
> had built
> בנה bnh: build
> בנו bnw
> בנה bnh: build
> had built
> the sons
> בני bny: sons
> בני bny
> בני bny: sons
> the sons
> of common men.
> אדם ˀdm: commoner
> האדם hˀdm
> אדם ˀdm: man, men
> of men.

> Genesis 11:5

#### Genesis 11:6

> Encrypted: And said those of high esteem: 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
> אמר ˀmr: say
> ויאמר wyˀmr
> אמר ˀmr: say
> And said
> [those of high] esteem:
> חבה / יחבה ḥbh / yḥbh: hidden, honor, esteem
> יהוה yhwh
> יהוה yhwh: Yahweh
> Yahweh
> Behold,
> הן hn: lo, behold
> הן hn
> הן hn: lo, behold
> Behold,
> the people
> עם ˁm: people
> עם ˁm
> עם ˁm: people
> the people [are]
> are united
> אחד ˀḥd: one, united
> אחד ˀḥd
> אחד ˀḥd: one, united
> one
> and [have] a judgment
> שפט špṭ: judge, judgment, decide, govern, rule
> ושפה wšph
> שפה šph: language; שפת špt: language
> and [have] language
> united,
> אחת ˀḥt: one, united
> אחת ˀḥt
> אחת ˀḥt: one, united
> one,
> to everything.
> ל־ l-: to; כל kl: all; ־ם -m: them
> לכלם lklm
> ל־ l-: to; כל kl: all; ־ם -m: them
> to everything.
> And this
> זה zh: this
> וזה wzh
> זה zh: this
> And this
> they have begun
> חלל ḥll: begin
> החלם hḥlm
> חלל ḥll: begin
> they have begun
> to do,
> ל־ l-: to; עשה ˁšh: do
> לעשות lˁšwt
> ל־ l-: to; עשה ˁšh: do
> to do,
> now
> עתה ˁth: now, already
> ועתה wˁth
> עתה ˁth: now, already
> now
> nothing
> לא lˀ: not, nothing
> לא lˀ
> לא lˀ: not, nothing
> nothing
> will be withheld
> בצר bṣr: withhold, cut off
> יבצר ybṣr
> בצר bṣr: withhold, cut off
> will be withheld
> from them
> מ־ m-: from; הם hm: them
> מהם mhm
> מ־ m-: from; הם hm: them
> from them
> [of] all
> כל kl: all
> כל kl
> כל kl: all
> [of] all
> that
> אשר ˀšr: which
> אשר ˀšr
> אשר ˀšr: which
> that
> WE scheme
> זמם zmm: devise, plan, scheme
> יזמו yzmw
> זמם zmm: devise, plan, scheme
> they devise
> to do.
> ל־ l-: to; עשה ˁšh: do
> לעשות lˁšwt
> ל־ l-: to; עשה ˁšh: do
> to do.

> Genesis 11:6

### The rulers confuse the people, to prevent understanding.

#### Genesis 11:7

How do the the rulers 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 there their judgment & rules, 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,
> הבה hbh: come
> הבה hbh
> הבה hbh: come
> Come,
> let us go down
> נ־ n-: will; ירד yrd: go down, bring down
> נרדה nrdh
> נ־ n-: will; ירד yrd: go down, bring down
> let us go down
> and confuse
> נ־ n-: will; בלל bll: mix, mingle, anoint
> ונבלה wnblh
> נ־ n-: will; בלל bll: confuse, confound
> and confuse
> there
> שם šm: there
> שם šm
> שם šm: there
> there
> their judgment & rules,
> שפט špṭ: judge, judgment, govern, governor, rule, ruler; ־ם -m: their
> שפתם šptm
> שפת špt: language; ־ם -m: their
> their language,
> that
> אשר ˀšr: that
> אשר ˀšr
> אשר ˀšr: that
> that
> not
> לא lˀ: not
> לא lˀ
> לא lˀ: not
> not
> may understand
> שמע šmˁ: listen, obey, understand
> ישמעו yšmˁw
> שמע šmˁ: listen, obey, understand
> may understand
> one man
> איש ˀyš: man
> איש ˀyš
> איש ˀyš: man
> one man
> the judgments & decisions
> שפט špṭ: judge, judgment, decide, govern, rule
> שפת špt
> שפת špt: speech
> the speech
> of another.
> רע rˁ: another
> רעהו rˁhw
> רע rˁ: another
> of another.

> Genesis 11:7

#### Genesis 11:8

> Encrypted: So destroyed those of high esteem 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
> פצץ pṣṣ: break, destroy
> ויפץ wypṣ
> פוץ pwṣ: scatter
> So scattered
> [those of high] esteem
> חבה / יחבה ḥbh / yḥbh: hidden, honor, esteem
> יהוה yhwh
> יהוה yhwh: Yahweh
> Yahweh
> them [the people]
> את ˀt: to; ־ם -m: them
> אתם ˀtm
> את ˀt: to; ־ם -m: them
> them [the people]
> from there
> מ־ m-: from; שם šm: there
> משם mšm
> מ־ m-: from; שם šm: there
> from there
> over
> על ˁl: over
> על ˁl
> על ˁl: over
> over
> the face
> פני pny: face
> פני pny
> פני pny: face
> the face
> of all
> כל kl: all
> כל kl
> כל kl: all
> of all
> the earth,
> ארץ ˀrṣ: earth
> הארץ hˀrṣ
> ארץ ˀrṣ: earth
> the earth,
> and they ceased
> חדל ḥdl: cease, desist, stop
> ויחדלו wyḥdlw
> חדל ḥdl: cease, desist, stop
> and they ceased
> to build up
> ל־ l-: to; בנת bnt: build
> לבנת lbnt
> ל־ l-: to; בנת bnt: build
> to build
> clarity & understanding.
> אור ˀwr: clear, enlighten, understanding
> העיר hˁyr
> עיר ˁyr: city
> the city.

> Genesis 11:8

#### Genesis 11:9

Here’s the official Babylon pun: “Babel” = bbl ≈ bll = “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 those of high esteem the judgment & decisions of all the oppressed, and from there destroyed them those of high esteem 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
> על ˁl: upon
> על ˁl
> על ˁl: upon
> Upon
> thus
> כן kn: thus
> כן kn
> כן kn: thus
> thus
> is called
> קרא qrˀ: call
> קרא qrˀ
> קרא qrˀ: call
> is called
> the name
> שם šm: name
> שמה šmh
> שם šm: name
> the name
> “Babel”,
> בבל bbl: Babel, Babylon
> בבל bbl
> בבל bbl: Babel, Babylon
> “Babel”,
> for
> כי ky: for
> כי ky
> כי ky: for
> for
> there
> שם šm: there
> שם šm
> שם šm: there
> there
> confused
> בלל bll: mix, confuse, confound
> בלל bll
> בלל bll: mix, confuse, confound
> confused
> [those of high] esteem
> חבה / יחבה ḥbh / yḥbh: hidden, honor, esteem
> יהוה yhwh
> יהוה yhwh: Yahweh
> Yahweh
> the judgment & decisions
> שפט špṭ: judge, judgment, decide, govern, rule
> שפת špt
> שפת špt: language
> the language
> of all
> כל kl: all
> כל kl
> כל kl: all
> of all
> the oppressed,
> רצץ rṣṣ: oppressed
> הארץ hˀrṣ
> ארץ ˀrṣ: earth
> the earth,
> and from there
> מ־ m-: from; שם šm: there
> ומשם wmšm
> מ־ m-: from; שם šm: there
> and from there
> destroyed them
> פצץ pṣṣ: break, destroy
> הפיצם hpyṣm
> פוץ pwṣ: scatter
> scattered them
> [those of high] esteem
> חבה / יחבה ḥbh / yḥbh: hidden, honor, esteem
> יהוה yhwh
> יהוה yhwh: Yahweh
> Yahweh
> over
> על ˁl: over
> על ˁl
> על ˁl: over
> over
> the face
> פני pny: face
> פני pny
> פני pny: face
> the face
> of all
> כל kl: all
> כל kl
> כל kl: all
> of all
> the earth.
> ארץ ˀrṣ: earth
> הארץ hˀrṣ
> ארץ ˀrṣ: earth
> the earth.

> Genesis 11:9

🏷 Bible text Genesis Hebrew text interlinear · text