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Meaning, origin and etymology of the name Babel, Babylon


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Babel/ Babylon
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Babel Babel Babylon Babylon

Babel is the beginning of the kingdom of Nimrod:
"The beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. From that land he went forth into Assyria, and built Nineveh and Rehoboth-Ir and Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city." - Genesis 10:10-12

Both TWOTOT and BDB point at this name in Sumerian, Bab-ilim, which means Gate Of The Deity. But both also refer to the verb balal balal (248) meaning mix, mingle and used in the scene were the name Babel is explained, "On account of this its name is called Babel - Babel - because YHWH balalled the speech of all the earth there" (Gen 11:9).

TWOTOT on balal: "A ritualistic term used of mixing oil into the flour or meal of the cereal offering until every particle of flour was mingled or anointed with oil."

The word Babel is used for various large empires, starting from the people that built the famous tower, to the empire of Babylon that exiled the Jews, to the world-wide empire that marks the latter days. As with Israel, these nations are as often praised as cursed. And although the verb balal indicates a mixing, it does not suggest chaos. Both Jones and NOBSE read Confusion, but if this name was derived of the verb balal it much rather means Anointment or Consecration.

We may even note that the text in Gen 11:9 does not at all suggest that the word bbl was derived from the word bll. Frankly, all it says is that the place was called Gate Of The Deity because YHWH anointed the languages there.



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