Nimrod was not a hunter of animals but of the souls of men. In Genesis 10:9 he’s referred to as a “mighty hunter before the Lord.” Early Judaic traditions, however, interpret this as a mighty hunter “in opposition to the Lord.” Nimrod’s name, in fact, comes from the Hebrew word verb “let us revolt.” Once again, we see Hebrew word-play utilized as a teaching tool. In the Bible, we learn that some time after the days of Noah the land of Shinar (modern Mesopotamia) was ruled by the wicked Nimrod. It’s also interesting to note that the book of Ether never mentions “Babel” but simply the “great tower.” First, the word “Babel” comes from an Assyro-Babylonian word that means “Gate of God” and is related to a Hebrew word that means “confusion.” It appears that the author(s) of the Babel account are engaging in some word-play to make a particular point about the story. When we shine the light of science and scholarship on the Tower of Babel, we find some interesting things. Tales of real events could be molded to help convey the moral of the story.Īs detailed in a past issue, while I believe in actual Jaredites, Nephites and Lamanites, I also believe we can better appreciate the scriptures when we realize that ancient societies - including prophets - recorded their narratives according to their own understanding of the world around them. The main purpose was to share cultural events, heroes and villains intentionally selected to relate specific points. While such accounts were often based on actual events, historical accuracy was not a high priority. They may conflate multiple events into a single story, and they typically make erroneous assumptions based on an incomplete understanding of actual facts.Īnciently, oral and written traditions were not “histories” in the modern sense. They may represent “types” or models, or they might exaggerate a real event. Myths are often pre-scientific stories used to explain why things are as they are. In the academic world, the word myth “is detached from popular associations with falsehood.” They equate to “legends,” which may or may not be based on actual truths. While most people think of myths as fables (which is what the word actually means), scholars loosely define myths as culturally-shared narratives that bind, inspire or help delineate a particular culture. There are historical indicators, however, that suggest that the story is a myth in the scholarly sense. Some people, for instance, believe that the story of the Tower of Babel falls into the realm of fantasy rather than history. Last week I began discussing the Jaredites and the Tower of Babel, and how the story might be reconciled for those who believe that science and religion do not necessarily conflict.
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