Q&A for GENESIS: Read Chapter 11 – Tower of Babel
Q: Why did God scatter the people?
What does the writer wish to say when he writes in verse 6 that may apply to us?
Start by reading the entire book of Genesis in a single pass. Then read a second time more
slowly, pausing to consult the commentary when necessary. Make notes of what you learn.
In your exegesis (what it means then), turn to passages before and after chapter 11 if it is helpful.
Paraphrase the pertinent parts of the text. Consult all three of your Bible versions to secure a
range of possible meanings. Do word studies of say, ‘language,’ or ‘name,’ or ‘scatter.’ Then
build up a contextual history of the passage, its geographical and historical loci, if available.
Consider the creation stories in the surrounding regions within the Middle East. Ask yourself
why God was so concerned that the people wanted to make a name for themselves. Was the
whole earth, as we know it involved? Did all the people on earth speak a single grammatical
language at that time? What did God achieve by confusing the languages of the people? Now
consider the genre of this passage. It is a prehistorical text, so we are not bound to take the story
to be a chronological report of what happened in spacetime. If the story is metaphorical or
analogical, what could the writer be trying to say to the original readers, then?
Now in your hermeneutics (what it means to us now), translate the lesson to circumstances in our
contemporary life and look for convergences. How do we seek a name for ourselves today? How
may this universal quest for security and significance frustrate God’s intention for us? What is
the significance of the word language in chapter 11? How does God scatter us today and does
this compromise our freedom of will?
Lay out your arguments tightly within a single page and avoid repeating yourself or writing
words to buy you time. Get straight to the point and honor the time of your reader (tutors).
Make sure your answer actually responds to the question. Here are some examples of how you
might begin your conclusion. Then remember to offer a hermeneutic.
1. “In the Genesis account, God scattered the people because …” “Today, we may draw the
lesson/inference that …”
2. “The meaning of scatter in this text might refer to …, so the story of the divine scattering
refers to …” “Today, we may draw the lesson/inference that …”
3. “The term 'people' in the texts refers to ….” “Today, we may draw the lesson/inference that
…”
4. In site of the Notes, I interpret this reading to be a literal account. I am therefore obliged to
also assume the implications that follow from this. They are …”
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Audio Bible
You can get audio Bibles from Christian book shops like Evangel Book Centre, Salvation or others.
http://www.audiotreasure.com/ (KJV only)
http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/audio/ (various versions, recommended)
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