Which is more likely?

[Athetotheist]

Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
(Genesis 11:1-9)

Is it more likely that this literally happened, or is it more likely that this was originally someone's answer when a child asked why people in different places have different languages?

[1213]

Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
(Genesis 11:1-9)

Is it more likely that this literally happened, or is it more likely that this was originally someone's answer when a child asked why people in different places have different languages?

I believe it likely happened as told in the Bible, because people have the tendency to go opposite direction, to a single language, to control everyone. The tower of Babel seems to have been the first attempt of one world government to rule them all, one government to find them, one government to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. And apparently God didn't like it. Now world leaders seem to be trying to do the same, one government, one religion, one language so that they can rule everyone as they wish. People also seem to want to develop things to more simple version. That is why I don't believe humans would on their own developed all the languages.

[Athetotheist]

[Replying to 1213 in post #11]

The tower of Babel seems to have been the first attempt of one world government

That isn't specified as the reason. The reason given is that

"If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them."

Did Yahweh believe that they could actually build a tower which would reach to the heavens?

[RBD]

[Replying to RBD in post #7]

It's not an answer for anyone who still thinks as a child. Childish people think anything they don't like is childish.

1Co 13:11
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Instead of addressing my question about a child's potential question, you'd rather call me childish. So you looked up a Bible verse with the word "child" in it and flung it at me.

You ask a childish question, you get a childish answer.

You ask if Scripture is true or just another bedtime fable. And so, I say it's only a bedtime fable for childish people, no matter the age. if that applies to you, then that's on you.

Now if you have a serious question or challenge to the Scripture...

[Athetotheist]

[Replying to RBD in post #13]

You ask if Scripture is true or just another bedtime fable. And so, I say it's only a bedtime fable for childish people, no matter the age. if that applies to you, then that's on you.

Now if you have a serious question or challenge to the Scripture...

Oh, we've been dealing with that elsewhere.

[bjs1]

[Replying to bjs1 in post #6]

Really? I read it again and I still can’t find that part. Where specifically does the story tell us that it is explaining the circumstances of why languages developed?

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away..

If you were to read Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem, "Ozymandias" above and I were to tell you that it's about the impermanence of power and fame, would you ask me where specifically the poem explains that?

No, I would not ask that. The theme of the poem seems clear. The theme of Genesis 11 also seems clear, as I pointed out in post #4.

However, if you were to tell me that the president of Shelley’s local HOA is a petty tyrant, and this poem is about his inevitable fall from power, then I would ask you to show me where specifically the poem explains that.

Similarly, if you tell me that Genesis 11 is about the development of languages throughout the world (beyond the themes arrogance and self-importance), then I would ask you to show me where the passage says that. Indeed, that is exactly what has happened.

[Athetotheist]

[Replying to bjs1 in post #15]

However, if you were to tell me that the president of Shelley’s local HOA is a petty tyrant, and this poem is about his inevitable fall from power, then I would ask you to show me where specifically the poem explains that.

Similarly, if you tell me that Genesis 11 is about the development of languages throughout the world (beyond the themes arrogance and self-importance), then I would ask you to show me where the passage says that. Indeed, that is exactly what has happened.

Let's try a short quiz.

1. In the first sentence of the passage, what are we told about the whole world?

2. What do the people fear will happen if they do not make a name for themselves?

3. When Yahweh comes down to see the city and the tower which the people are building, on what basis does he assume that nothing will be impossible for them?

4. It was called Babel because Yahweh confused the language of _______________.

5. In the last sentence, Yahweh scatters the people ________________________________.

Bonus question:
Is the modern world more like the beginning of the passage or more like the end of the passage?

[1213]

[Replying to 1213 in post #11]

The tower of Babel seems to have been the first attempt of one world government

That isn't specified as the reason. The reason given is that

"If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them."

The reason why people build the tower was to prevent people to be scattered. So, it was about preventing the freedom of the people. And apparently God didn't like that.

And they said, Come, let us build a city and a tower with its head in the heavens, and make a name for ourselves, that we not be scattered on the face of all the earth.
Gen. 11:4

Did Yahweh believe that they could actually build a tower which would reach to the heavens?

Nowadays people make buildings that reach heavens (sky). So, maybe God knew people could do that. But, I don't think it was then about reaching heavens.

[Athetotheist]

[Replying to 1213 in post #17]

The reason why people build the tower was to prevent people to be scattered. So, it was about preventing the freedom of the people.

Is that what the text says, or is it only your presumption? Why couldn't it have been to keep from losing the mutually beneficial cohesion of their community?

Nowadays people make buildings that reach heavens (sky). So, maybe God knew people could do that. But, I don't think it was then about reaching heavens.

Then what were the things which wouldn't be impossible for them, and why were those things so troubling?

[Mr E]

[Replying to Athetotheist in post #1]

Is it more likely that this literally happened, or is it more likely that this was originally someone's answer when a child asked why people in different places have different languages?

It's much more likely that the account is historical, as an off-the-cuff answer given simply to pacify a child's curiosity wouldn't carry sufficient significance to be included in the historical records (such as we have) from antiquity.

Furthermore, modern linguists acknowledge a likely common origin for language families found anywhere on earth. They call this a 'proto-language' from which all variations originate. It's the best theory and explanation they can come up with to explain the reality, without of course acknowledging the veracity of scripture.

For fun, --I'm not sure how familiar you or anyone else might be with the book of Jubilees (dating back to the second century BCE) but it has a much more vivid description of this tower... Jubilees 10 goes into great detail and for perspective, the tower of Babel would dwarf the tallest modern skyscrapers by a factor of three.

It had been under construction continuously for 43 years-

Height: Roughly 8,150 feet (2,484 meters)—nearly three times taller than the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world today.

[Mr E]