Land Of Shinar
“And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.
And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.” (Genesis 11:1-3)
Language Confusion
“They” in the verses above is referring to the children of Noah (See Genesis 10). These verses must be talking about all or most of Noah's children since this is how these bibles explain the origin of different languages. In other words, this story is saying the main purpose of languages is to create confusion so people can't work together to do whatever they imagine. Supposedly God is not the “author of confusion.” (1 Corinthians 14:33). Also, based on this bible story, the metaphor of the ecosystem working in harmony for optimal living for all is not the example meant for humans to emulate. Rather than force this to make sense, what is more sensible is to use experience and what we already know and what we can acquire elsewhere to help us understand. This process helps us recover memories. In this particular case this process helps us rediscover what we once knew. Language variation is a natural developmental process of species. This is why even those in the same immediate families today, who speak the same language, still quickly develop variations based on age, gender, relationships, interests, experiences and more.Many groups of people today are speaking dialects, not languages. Dialect is to language as version is to the original and as religion is to spiritual and as matter is to spirit. Another thing the Tower of Babel story is saying is that God wants us in heaven but doesn't want us just walking up on them unexpectedly, especially a whole gang of folks just dropping by day and night.Where Is Shinar?
A good possibility is in the Valley of Siddim which contains plenty of materials to make the bricks to build a tower to heaven.(KJV) “And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits...” (Genesis 14:10)
(CJB) “Now the Siddim Valley was full of clay pits...” (Genesis 14:10)
(KJV) “In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarthan.” (1 Kings 7:46)
Where Is Siddim Valley, Valley Of Siddim?
(KJV) “All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.” (Genesis 14:3)(CJB) “All the latter kings joined forces in the Siddim Valley, where the Dead Sea is.” (Genesis 14:3 CJB)
Understandings Up To This Point
By combining information from the sections above, we now know Shinar is on the east side of the Jordan River and west side of the Euphrates River. It is in the valley/plain beside the Salt Sea/Dead Sea. Shinar is not the birthplace of languages. Shinar is the location for the Tower of Babel story. Shinar likely extended to the south end of the Dead Sea and down and around the Dead Sea to the West side. This reasoning is based on the tendency of people to follow the coastline of bodies of water. Therefore, the Siddim Valley was likely on at least the East side of Jordan and the Dead Sea and South side of Dead Sea. Therefore, the Tower Of Babel could also be more towards the south of the Dead Sea rather than purely East. Elsewhere in these bibles we learn Shinar contains the following cities: Babel, Erech, Accad and Calneh.In Shinar, the King Of Babylon established a royal city, a capital, so to speak.
“In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.
And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.” (Daniel 1)A historical understanding of some of the accomplishments of the first people, Africans, tells us that the people worked together and did great things, yet they still scattered and multiplied. In the places they scattered to, the people continued to do great things. The number of pyramids in places other than Africa proves this point. Therefore, the basis of the reasoning for “confounding” language, is not supported by historical human nature, only by biblical human nature.
