Tower of Babel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tower of Babel
מִגְדַּל בָּבֶל
The Tower of Babel by Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1563)
General information
Type	Tower
Location	Babylon

The Tower of Babel (Hebrew: מִגְדַּל בָּבֶל‎, Migdal Bavel) is a famous story found in the Book of Genesis in the Bible. It helps explain why people around the world speak so many different languages. It's like an old tale that gives a reason for something we see in the world today.

According to this ancient story, long ago, after a big flood, all the people on Earth spoke just one language. They traveled together and settled in a land called Shinar. There, they decided to build a huge city and an incredibly tall tower. Their goal was to make the tower so high that it would reach all the way to heaven.

Why the Tower Was Built

The people wanted to build this amazing tower for a few reasons. First, they wanted to make a name for themselves. They hoped to be famous for building such a grand structure. Second, they wanted to stay together in one place. They feared being scattered across the Earth. The tower would be a central point for everyone.

God's Reaction and the Confusion of Languages

When God saw the city and the tower they were building, He was not pleased. He saw that the people were very united and could achieve anything they set their minds to, even if it went against His will. To stop them, God decided to confuse their language. Suddenly, the builders could no longer understand each other. Imagine trying to work on a big project when no one speaks the same language!

Because they couldn't communicate, the people had to stop building the city and the tower. God then scattered them all over the world. This is how the story explains why there are so many different languages and why people live in different places around the globe.

Real-Life Connections to the Story

Some experts today think the story of the Tower of Babel might be connected to real buildings from ancient times. One famous building is the Etemenanki. This was a giant ziggurat (a type of pyramid-like tower) in the ancient city of Babylon. It was built for the Mesopotamian god Marduk.

The Etemenanki was a very impressive and tall structure. It was built with many levels, getting smaller as they went up. It's easy to see why people might connect such a grand ancient tower to the story of the Tower of Babel. There's also an old Sumerian story called Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta that has some similar ideas about language and building.

Images for kids

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  German Late Medieval (c. 1370s) depiction of the construction of the tower

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  Hanging Gardens of Babylon (19th century illustration), depicts the Tower of Babel in the background.

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  Tower of Babel, by Lucas van Valckenborch, 1594, Louvre Museum

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  Turris Babel from Athanasius Kircher

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  The Confusion of Tongues by Gustave Doré, a woodcut depicting the Tower of Babel

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  Tower of Babel by Endre Rozsda (1958)

See also

In Spanish: Torre de Babel para niños