Where were the languages of mankind confounded and why?

Answer 1

A:Genesis 11:1says the world had just one language until the people of Babel built a tower to heaven, whereupon the Lord scattered them across the earth and confused their language. Thus Babel is given as the palce where language was confused.

This passage is now known to have been written by the Priestly Source shortly after the time of the Babylonian Exile. 'Babel' is of course a corruption of Babylon, and the story results from the Exile. When the Jews were taken to Babylon, they were surprised to discover a cosmopolitan city where people spoke all kinds of strange languages and where thet saw the great ziggurut that seemed to reach to the heavens. The story of Babel was the Exiles' way of explaining the multitude of languages that they now realised existed.

If we needed any evidence, subsequent history proves that languages constantly evolve and were not really created by divine intervention at one point in time. For example, the English language did not exist in biblical times, but evolved during the Middle Ages. Early English is almost incomprehensible to speakers of modern English, who even find Shakespearean English moderately difficult. The confusion of languages is a constant thing that happens everywhere in the world.

Another Answer:

The biblical account in Genesis of Babylonians inhabiting Babel, shows God interacting with rebellious and proud mankind - confusing their language into many differing ones thereby slowing down their united progress to their own selfish ends.

Today there are approximately 5,000 different languages in seven main branches. And about 1,000 of them will soon disappear within 20 years or so due to cultural and economic changes.

Interestingly, a world-renowned linquist and author, Dr. Pei said, "It seems at least partly established that language changes least rapidly when ist speakers are isolated from other communities (like Babel was), and most rapidly when they find themselves, so to speak, at the crossroads of the world (after the scattering and confusing the language at Babel)" (The Story of Language, 1965).

In other words, language 'devolves' and never evolves as is popular thought by many today.

Answer 2

The Bible reveals the "language barrier" was created in the land of Shinar... a flat plain region in Babylon (Iraq) where the post-flood inhabitants decided to construct a city... and a towering monument to their greatness.

"...the whole world had one language and a common speech. As men moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. They said... Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches into the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves..." [Gen.11:1-4 NIV]

But, God saw that this common language enabled man to exchange thoughts, ideas, plans and schemes freely without restrictions. This allowed man to accomplish too much too quickly.

"...If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let US go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other." (Gen.11:6-7 NIV)

The Bible also reveals that our Creator has allotted man a preset amount of time (till the end of the "age" of man's rule on the earth, when Christ will restore and establish God's Kingdom on earth) in which he is permitted to "choose his own way in life"... to let men make their own decisions and mistakes, whether or not they will obey their Creator's Commandments... that man may learn about sin and iniquity and where it leads. And hopefully learn to "choose the good and reject the evil" following the Judgment, and before entering into Eternal Life.

Approximately 6000 years of man's subsequent history reveals to us where the unrestricted imaginations of men has led him, since he has overcome the language barrier. He now wields the power to destroy the earth many times over through the natural inventive wickedness of his imagination.

"The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time." (Gen.6:5 NIV)

It's this wicked tendency of man's nature that would soon have returned man's post-flood society to its pre-flood decline if God had not confounded the languages - thus, delaying it for a few thousand extra years, until today.

The obstruction of man's free flow of information through the Divinely-imposed language barrier delayed the planet-destructive power man now possesses from being discovered and developed thousands of years earlier than it has.

It allowed man's allotted time to run its full duration, until the end of the age (6000 years)... until the seventh thousand years of Christ's Kingdom will begin the "seventh day" (the Sabbath day) of the seven thousand year "week" of God's plan.

"...with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (II Peter 3:8-9 NIV)