Josephus.27 Antiquities of the Jews Tower of Babel

tower of babel, lucas van valckenborch, 1594, louvre museum

the jewish-roman historian flavius josephus, in antiquities of jews (c. 94 ce), recounted history found in hebrew bible , mentioned tower of babel. wrote nimrod had tower built , nimrod tyrant tried turn people away god. in account, god confused people rather destroying them because annihilation flood hadn t taught them godly.

now nimrod excited them such affront , contempt of god. grandson of ham, son of noah, bold man, , of great strength of hand. persuaded them not ascribe god if through means happy, believe own courage procured happiness. gradually changed government tyranny, seeing no other way of turning men fear of god, bring them constant dependence on power... multitude ready follow determination of nimrod , esteem piece of cowardice submit god; , built tower, neither sparing pains, nor being in degree negligent work: and, reason of multitude of hands employed in it, grew high, sooner 1 expect; thickness of great, , built, thereby great height seemed, upon view, less was. built of burnt brick, cemented mortar, made of bitumen, might not liable admit water. when god saw acted madly, did not resolve destroy them utterly, since not grown wiser destruction of former sinners [in flood]; caused tumult among them, producing in them diverse languages, , causing that, through multitude of languages, should not able understand 1 another. place wherein built tower called babylon, because of confusion of language readily understood before; hebrews mean word babel, confusion. sibyl makes mention of tower, , of confusion of language, when says thus:-- when men of 1 language, of them built high tower, if thereby ascend heaven; gods sent storms of wind , overthrew tower, , gave peculiar language; , reason city called babylon.