I was surprised to read these versions
of the story of Babel and the tower because it was such a different story than
the one I had always referenced from prior knowledge. Before reading these text
selections, the only story that I knew about a tower and the intention to
somehow confront God by building a tower to reach the heavens was from the
Quran. The Quran references this story in a very different light than what was
said in the Hebrew Bible selections. It was very interesting to see those stark contrasts and still see some similar attributes. In the Quran, the tower is
referenced when the Pharaoh laughs at Moses’ statement of belief in one God and
says that he doesn’t know of any God but himself, so he orders a guy named
Haman to “bake bricks out of clay and set up for [him] a lofty tower in order that [he] may look at the God of Moses.” The similarities lie with the idea of “baking
bricks” and making a tower to be at the same level of God, but this story never
included the mention of “one language.” Also, the punishment in the Quran was that
they (the disbelievers and Pharaoh) were drowned because of this action and others, but it had nothing to say about the dispersing
of people as a punishment. I just thought it was so interesting that the Bible told
a story of how language began and spread throughout the world and how the Quran
didn’t have that story.
I think that's the most interesting aspects of religion; that all these religions can be so different and yet still share some things. It's also interesting to see how each religion has developed the story. You mention that the Quran omitted the part about language, and yet they mirror other parts of the story; it makes you wonder why that part was important to their interpretation of Babel.
ReplyDeleteIt was very interesting to read different translations of this story. Though they are very similar in wording, the meaning can be entirely different (as you noted when comparing these translations to the story in the quran).
ReplyDeleteI agree with both of you and thought your perspectives were very interesting. The meanings in which they are used can help the reader understand what needs emphasis. If the Quran mentioned how having a unifying language would go against God, then it would contradict other statements in the Quran where it encourages people "to know one another." The unity of language is promoted because God in this light would want people to understand the different languages and people, as opposed to the text selections as being looked down upon by God.
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