The biblical story of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9) attempt to explain the origin of the world’s many languages. According to the narrative, after the Flood, united by a common language, humanity migrated from the east and settled in the plain of Shinar (southern Mesopotamia). There, they began building a city and a towering structure of fired brick, intending to reach the heavens. Their ambitions was halted by God, who confounded their common language, causing them to speak different tongues and scattering them across the earth. ¹

The story centres on a city called Babel (Hebrew Bābel) a name widely thought to derive from the Akkadian Bāb-ilu, meaning “Gate of God,” the ancient name of the city of Babylon. This name also plays on the Hebrew word bālal, “to confuse,” reflecting the division of languages in the narrative. ² In Christian tradition, this confusion is symbolically reversed at Pentecost, where the Holy Spirit allows the apostles to speak in many languages at once (Acts 2:5-13).

Thus, the story is really about the Tower of (the city of) Babylon and so, although a Coptic name for the story is not known, a fitting title might be ⲡⲓⲡⲩⲣⲅⲟⲥ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉⲃⲁⲃⲩⲗⲟⲛ (ϯⲛⲓϣϯ ⲙ̀ⲃⲁⲕⲓ). ³

ⲡⲓⲡⲩⲣⲅⲟⲥ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ-ⲃⲁⲃⲩⲗⲟⲛ
The Tower of Babel

(1) ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲛⲁⲣⲉ-ⲡⲕⲁϩⲓ ⲧⲏⲣϥ ⲟⲓ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲥⲫⲟⲧⲟⲩ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲛⲉⲙ-ⲟⲩⲥⲙⲏ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲱⲧ. (2) ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲁⲥϣⲱⲡⲓ ⲉ̀ⲧⲁⲩⲕⲓⲙ ⲙ̀ⲙⲱⲟⲩ ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗ ϧⲉⲛ-ⲛⲓⲙⲁⲛ̀ϣⲁⲓ, ⲁⲩϫⲓⲙⲓ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲙⲉϣϣⲱⲧ ϧⲉⲛ-ⲡⲕⲁϩⲓ ⲛ̀ⲥⲉⲛⲁⲁⲣ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲁⲩϣⲱⲡⲓ ⲙ̀ⲙⲁⲩ.

(1) And the whole world was one language and one speech. (2) And it happened that when they moved from the east, they found a plain in the land of Senaar [i.e. Babylonia] and they settled there.

(3) ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲡⲉϫⲉ-ⲟⲩⲣⲱⲙⲓ ⲙ̇ⲡⲉϥϣⲫⲏⲣ ϫⲉ-«ⲁ̀ⲙⲱⲓⲛⲓ, ⲙⲁⲣⲉⲛⲫⲁⲫⲉ-ϩⲁⲛⲧⲱⲃⲓ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉⲛⲫⲁⲥⲟⲩ ϧⲉⲛ-ⲟⲩⲭⲣⲱⲙ.» ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲁ̀-ⲧⲟⲩⲧⲱⲃⲓ ϣⲱⲡⲓ ⲛⲱⲟⲩ ⲉⲩⲱ̀ⲛⲓ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲡⲟⲩⲕⲁϩⲓ ⲉ̀ⲟⲩⲃⲣⲉϩⲓ-ⲡⲉ. (4) ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲡⲉϫⲱⲟⲩ ϫⲉ-«ⲁ̀ⲙⲱⲓⲛⲓ ⲙⲁⲣⲉⲛⲕⲱⲧ ⲛⲁⲛ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲃⲁⲕⲓ ⲛⲉⲙ-ⲟⲩⲡⲩⲣⲅⲟⲥ, ⲫⲁⲓ ⲉ̀ⲧⲉ-ⲧⲉϥⲁ̀ⲫⲉ ⲛⲁϣⲱⲡⲓ ϣⲁ-ⲉ̀ϩⲣⲏⲓ ⲉ̀ⲧⲫⲉ, ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲙⲁⲣⲉⲛⲑⲁⲙⲓⲟ̀ ⲛⲁⲛ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲣⲁⲛ ⲙ̀ⲡⲁⲧⲉⲛϫⲱⲣ ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓϫⲉⲛ-ⲡϩⲟ ⲙ̀ⲡⲕⲁϩⲓ ⲧⲏⲣϥ.»

(3) And a man said to this fellow: “Come, let us make bricks and bake them in fire.” And their brick was to them as stone and their mud as bitumen. (4) And they said: “Come, let us build for ourselves a city and a tower, one whose top will reach up to heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name before we are scattered upon the face of the whole world.”

(5) ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲁϥⲓ̀ ⲉ̀ⲡⲉⲥⲏⲧ ⲛ̀ϫⲉ-ⲡ⳪︦ ⲉ̀ⲛⲁⲩ ⲉ̀ϯⲃⲁⲕⲓ ⲛⲉⲙ-ⲡⲓⲡⲩⲣⲅⲟⲥ, ⲫⲏ ⲉ̀ⲛⲁⲩⲕⲱⲧ ⲙ̀ⲙⲟϥ ⲛ̀ϫⲉ-ⲛⲉⲛϣⲏⲣⲓ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ-ⲛⲓⲣⲱⲙⲓ. (6) ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲡⲉϫⲉ-ⲡ⳪︦ ϫⲉ-«ϩⲏⲡⲡⲉ ⲓⲥ-ⲟⲩⲅⲉⲛⲟⲥ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲛⲉⲙ-ⲟⲩⲥⲫⲟⲧⲟⲩ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲫⲁⲓ ⲁⲩⲉⲣϩⲏⲧⲥ ⲛ̀ⲁⲓϥ. ⲟⲩⲟϩ ϯⲛⲟⲩ ⲛ̀ⲛⲉϥⲙⲟⲩⲛⲕ ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗ ⲛ̀ϧⲏⲧⲟⲩ ⲛ̀ϫⲉ-ϩⲱⲃ ⲛⲓⲃⲉⲛ ⲉ̀ⲧⲁⲩϩⲓⲧⲟⲧⲟⲩ ⲉ̀ⲁⲓⲧⲟⲩ. (7) ⲁ̀ⲙⲱⲓⲛⲓ, ⲙⲁⲣⲉⲛϣⲉ ⲉ̀ⲡⲉⲥⲏⲧ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉⲛⲫⲉⲣϫ-ⲡⲟⲩⲗⲁⲥ ⲙ̀ⲙⲁⲩ ϩⲓⲛⲁ ⲛ̀ⲧⲟⲩϣⲧⲉⲙⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ ⲫⲟⲩⲁⲓ ⲫⲟⲩⲁⲓ ⲉ̀ⲧⲥⲙⲏ ⲙ̀ⲡⲉϥϣⲫⲏⲣ.»

(5) And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, the one which the sons of men were building. (6) And the Lord said: “Look, one people with one language for all and this they have started to do. And now anything which they undertake shall not fail among them. (7) Come, let us go down and divide their tongue there so each does not understand his fellow’s speech.”

(8) ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲁ̀-ⲡ⳪︦ ϫⲟⲣⲟⲩ ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗ ⲙ̀ⲙⲁⲩ ϩⲓϫⲉⲛ-ⲡϩⲟ ⲙ̀ⲡⲕⲁϩⲓ ⲧⲏⲣϥ. ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲁⲩϩⲣⲟⲩⲣ ⲉ̀ϫⲉⲛ-ⲡⲓⲕⲱⲧ ⲛ̀ϯⲃⲁⲕⲓ ⲛⲉⲙ-ⲡⲓⲡⲩⲣⲅⲟⲥ. (9) ⲉⲑⲃⲉ-ⲫⲁⲓ, ⲁⲩϯⲣⲉⲛ-ⲡⲉⲥⲣⲁⲛ ϫⲉ-‹ⲫⲱⲣϫ ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗ› ϫⲉ-ϧⲉⲛ ⲡⲓⲙⲁ ⲉ̀ⲧⲉⲙⲙⲁⲩ ⲁ̀-ⲡ⳪︦ ⲫⲱⲣϫ ⲛ̀ⲛⲉⲛⲥⲫⲟⲧⲟⲩ ⲙ̀ⲡⲕⲁϩⲓ ⲧⲏⲣϥ.

(8) And the Lord scattered them from there upon the face of the whole world. And they abandoned the construction of the city and the tower. (9) Because of this, they named it ‘Division’ for in that place the Lord divided the languages of the whole world.

Selected notes

(1) ⲟⲩⲥⲫⲟⲧⲟⲩ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲛⲉⲙ-ⲟⲩⲥⲙⲏ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲱⲧ. Literally means “one lip and one voice,” which renders the Septuagint text literally, but is clearly meant metaphorically for language and speech respectively. See the notes below on the alternative version of verse 9 which uses ⲁⲥⲡⲓ (for ⲥⲫⲟⲧⲟⲩ), the typical word for “language.”

(2) ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗ ϧⲉⲛ-ⲛⲓⲙⲁⲛ̀ϣⲁⲓ. The expression ⲛⲓⲙⲁⲛ̀ϣⲁⲓ literally means “the places of rising (of the Sun)” i.e. the east. This is likely a calque of Greek ἀνατολών, gen. pl. form of ἀνατολή, which means rising above the horizon of a heavenly body, especially the Sun, and so, also east.

ⲥⲉⲛⲁⲁⲣ. This is a place name, which represents Σεναὰρ of the Septuagint, which itself renders Hebrew שנער Šinʿār. Šinʿār, often rendered Shinar, is generally taken to mean Babylonia which encompassed the area of modern southern Iraq. See Davila (1992).

(3) ⲉⲩⲱ̀ⲛⲓ. A contraction of ⲉ̀-ⲟⲩ-ⲱ̀ⲛⲓ consisting of a circumstantial marker, indefinite article, and ⲱ̀ⲛⲓ “stone”.

ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲁ̀-ⲧⲟⲩⲧⲱⲃⲓ ϣⲱⲡⲓ ⲛⲱⲟⲩ ⲉⲩⲱ̀ⲛⲓ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲡⲟⲩⲕⲁϩⲓ ⲉ̀ⲟⲩⲃⲣⲉϩⲓ-ⲡⲉ. The word ⲕⲁϩⲓ as a material or substance has a wide range of senses including “soil, earth” apart from its meanings as “earth, land, country.” The sense intended here is likely mud or clay since it translates πηλός and fired mud brick was typically bound with mud or clay.

(5) ⲗⲁⲥ. This literally means “tongue” and is also used metaphorically for “language,” which is a familiar usage in English. See the notes under verse 1 above.

(6) ϩⲏⲡⲡⲉ ⲓⲥ-ⲟⲩⲅⲉⲛⲟⲥ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲛⲉⲙ-ⲟⲩⲥⲫⲟⲧⲟⲩ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ. This is a literal translation of the Septuagint text: ἰδοὺ γένος ἓν καὶ χεῖλος ἓν πάντων “Behold, one people and one lip of all” (Gen 11:6). The grammar of the Coptic is somewhat unusual but the sense is clear with [ⲟⲩⲥⲫⲟⲧⲟⲩ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ] taken together and the third person plural subject of ⲧⲏⲣ⸗ⲟⲩ referring back to [ⲟⲩⲅⲉⲛⲟⲥ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲱⲧ] but with its members referred to distributively rather than collectively.

ϩⲱⲃ ⲛⲓⲃⲉⲛ ⲉ̀ⲧⲁⲩϩⲓⲧⲟⲧⲟⲩ ⲉ̀ⲁⲓⲧⲟⲩ. The English translation is “Anything (all things, any deed etc.) which they have undertaken to do (it)”. English does not require an explicit object after “do” but if added would be singular rather than plural: “do (it)”. The Coptic, however, does require an object. In this case it is plural: ⲉ̀-ⲁⲓⲧ⸗ⲟⲩ “to do them”. The reason is that the suffix pronoun refers back to ϩⲱⲃ ⲛⲓⲃⲉⲛ distributively.

(7) ϩⲓⲛⲁ ⲛ̀ⲧⲟⲩϣⲧⲉⲙⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ ⲫⲟⲩⲁⲓ ⲫⲟⲩⲁⲓ ⲉ̀ⲧⲥⲙⲏ ⲙ̀ⲡⲉϥϣⲫⲏⲣ. Again, this is a literal translation of the Septuagint text: ἵνα μὴ ἀκούσωσιν ἕκαστος τὴν φωνὴν τοῦ πλησίον (Gen 11:7) leading to unusual word order in the Coptic translation, particularly the placement of ⲫⲟⲩⲁⲓ ⲫⲟⲩⲁⲓ though the sense is clear.

ⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ. In addition, ⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ translates the verb ἀκούω, which means “to hear, listen,” as does ⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ, but can also mean “to understand” which is the sense intended here though not a typical meaning of ⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ.

(8) ⲁⲩϩⲣⲟⲩⲣ. The majority of witnesses, including the oldest Vat. copto 1, have ⲁⲩⲗⲟϫⲟⲩ “they ceased” (reflexive) according to Peters (1985: 26).

(9) ‹ⲫⲱⲣϫ ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗ›. This name refers to the city and not the tower as is clear from ⲡⲉⲥⲣⲁⲛ with feminine reference (⸗ⲥ) agreeing with feminine ⲃⲁⲕⲓ rather than masculine ⲡⲩⲣⲅⲟⲥ. This could be translated ‘Division,’ ‘Separation’ or ‘Parting’. There is another homographic verb in Bohairic (though orthographically distinct in other dialects, namely, Sahidic ⲡⲱⲣϣ), which would suggest a translation ‘Spread,’ ‘Scattering’. This latter is less likely since within this section of text ϫⲱⲣ (ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗ) is repeatedly used to express this sense. Indeed, the choice of ‹ⲫⲱⲣϫ ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗ› may be deliberate in order to play on its double meaning. The Sahidic version, however, calls the city ‹ⲡϫⲱⲱⲣⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ› and the Septuagint has Σύγχυσις (‘Confusion’).

ⲉⲑⲃⲉ-ⲫⲁⲓ, ⲁⲩϯⲣⲉⲛ-ⲡⲉⲥⲣⲁⲛ ϫⲉ-‹ⲫⲱⲣϫ ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗ› ϫⲉ-ϧⲉⲛ ⲡⲓⲙⲁ ⲉ̀ⲧⲉⲙⲙⲁⲩ ⲁ̀-ⲡ⳪︦ ⲫⲱⲣϫ ⲛ̀ⲛⲉⲛⲥⲫⲟⲧⲟⲩ ⲙ̀ⲡⲕⲁϩⲓ ⲧⲏⲣϥ. According to Peters (1985: 26), three witnesses have a different reading for this verse (with only minor variations between each other). The oldest of these is BnF copte 1 f. 17r, dating to 1359-60 AD, which has the verse added in the right margin: · ⲉⲑⲃⲉⲫⲁⲓ \ϣ/ⲁⲩⲙⲟⲩϯ ⲉ̀ϯⲃⲁⲕⲓ ϫⲉⲃⲁⲃⲩⲗⲟⲛ · ϫⲉⲛ̀ϧⲣⲏⲓ ϧⲉⲛⲡⲓⲙⲁ ⲉ̀ⲧⲉⲙⲙⲁⲩ ⲁⲩϫⲱⲣ ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗ ⲛ̀ϫⲉⲫϯ ⲛ̀ⲛⲓⲁⲥⲡⲓ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉⲡⲕⲁϩⲓ · “Because of this, they called the town ‘Babylon’ for in that place God scattered all the languages of the world.”

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The Tower of Babel by Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1563) is perhaps the most famous imagining of the Tower of Babel.

It rather departs from the picture painted in the text of Genesis 11, which has a mud brick rather than stone construction. It is also shown as a round building, resembling the Colosseum in Rome, rather than a square-based building as the ziggurats of Mesopotamia tend to be.

References

• Bauer, Gertrud. (1972). Athanasius von Qūṣ: Qilādat at-taḥrīr fī ʿilm at-tafsīr. Eine koptische Grammatik in arabischer Sprache aus dem 13./14. Jahrhundert. Freiburg im Breisgau: Klaus Schwarz Verlag.
• Davila, James R. (1992). “Shinar.” Page 1220 in vol. 5 of Anchor Bible Dictionary. Edited by D. N. Freedman. 6 vols. New York. Doubleday.
• Peters, Melvin K. H. (1985). A Critical Edition of the Coptic (Bohairic) Pentateuch: Volume 1, Genesis. Atlanta, Georgia: Scholar Press.
• Spina, Frank A. (1992). “Babel.” Pages 561-563 in vol. 1 of Anchor Bible Dictionary. Edited by D. N. Freedman. 6 vols. New York. Doubleday.

Footnotes

1. There is some speculation that the story was inspired by the remains of a ziggurat, a giant mud brick construction built in Babylonia, specifically the one known as Etemenanki and built for the Mesopotamian god Marduk in Babylon (Spina, 1992). ↩︎
2. On the name, see Spina (1992). ↩︎
3. The Coptic text is taken from Peters (1985). Of note, Athanasius, bishop of Qus in Upper Egypt (14th century) makes reference to the Tower of Babel (البرج ببابل) and the origin of 72 languages of the world, including a full enumeration of scripts, in an introduction to a lost work بلغة الطالبين وبغية الراغبين “The Sufficiency of the Seekers and the Desire of the Desirers”. See Bauer (1972: 244f. [text], 304f. [translation]). ↩︎