As the years passed, Noah’s descendants stayed in Babylon, growing more self-reliant and self-indulgent. There they established a strong city and banded together to make a name for themselves. Impressed by their own ingenuity and power, they began building a tower to the heavens as a monument to themselves.

    God was displeased with their self-centered attempts at greatness, but he chose not to destroy the tower or to harm the people. Without warning he simply confused their speech; no longer could they understand each other’s words. Not only did work on the tower stop, but the people no longer could live together in community. God scattered them over all the earth. The descendants of Ham migrated toward Africa, the descendants of Japheth headed westward toward Europe, and the clan of Shem stayed around the city of Ur in Babylon.

Reflection: When God introduced new languages at the tower of Babel, he made mankind forever vulnerable to communication difficulties and deficiencies. And without communication, misunderstanding is probable and community is impossible. Yet, our human failures to communicate point out the great blessing of our relationship with the Father of words. When we don’t know the words to use, he understands anyway. We’re limited by our words; he is not.

All the earth should worship
  the LORD;
the whole world should fear
  him.
He spoke, and it happened.
  He commanded, and it appeared.
The LORD upsets the plans of nations;
  he ruins all their plans.
But the LORD’S plans will stand
  forever;
his ideas will last from now on ....

The LORD looks down from heaven
  and sees every person.
From his throne he watches
  all who live on earth.
He made their hearts
  and understands everything
  they do.

PSALM 33:8-15