Tower of Babel
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 11:6
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.
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 11:8
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 11:9
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.