The Tower of Babel story was a polemic against Babylon created during the Babylonian exile.
The Tower of Babel itself is deprived from Mesopotamia ziggurats (particularly one ziggurat called the Etemenanki). Ziggurats were believed to be gateways to the heavens, which caused the Israelites to seethe and write this story.
The text says it’s called Babel because it’s similar to another Hebrew word meaning “to confuse.” While this is technically true, “Babel” is also the name used for the city of Babylon in Hebrew.
The Tower of Babel itself is deprived from Mesopotamia ziggurats (particularly one ziggurat called the Etemenanki). Ziggurats were believed to be gateways to the heavens, which caused the Israelites to seethe and write this story.
The text says it’s called Babel because it’s similar to another Hebrew word meaning “to confuse.” While this is technically true, “Babel” is also the name used for the city of Babylon in Hebrew.
