The Quarterly Journal of St. Philaret’s Institute

The article reconsiders the date of the Tower of Babel narrative (Genesis 11:1–9), which closes the biblical Primeval History (Genesis 1–11). The question of its dating is part of the broader scholarly discussion about when the Primeval History and the non-priestly materials in the Pentateuch were composed. Unlike other stories in Genesis 1–11, the Babel account is clearly connected to a real geographical setting, which is in Mesopotamia, and the city of Babylon. This connection makes it possible to compare the biblical text with historical developments in Babylon and use these parallels to suggest a likely time of composition. The goal of the study is to identify the most plausible historical context, in which the narrative emerged. The article uses comparative analysis of architectural, ideological, and literary evidence, along with internal textual analysis. The main challenge is the absence of scholarly consensus regarding the date of the narrative. 
The study reviews three main proposals: an early (pre-Assyrian) date, a Neo-Assyrian date, and a later Neo-Babylonian or early Persian date. The article shows that the author was clearly familiar with Mesopotamian context, which makes an early date unlikely. The Neo-Assyrian hypothesis is critically examined and found to be weak. The most convincing conclusion is that the narrative was written during the Neo-Babylonian or early Persian period. In this context, the story reflects the building activities and imperial ideology of Babylonian rulers and may have been inspired by the Etemenanki ziggurat. The Tower of Babel narrative can therefore be understood as a theological reflection on the fall of Mesopotamian empires.