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[Feeling Happy]

When did all the languages of the world become one? (refer to Genesis 11, v. 1)

[jimwalton]

Never. There were always more than one language, as far as anyone knows. It speaks of their unity as a people—and for the story to follow, the contrast to their separation as people. Walton, Matthews, and Chavalas, in "The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament," write: "The account of a time when all mankind spoke a single language is preserved in Sumerian in the epic entitled 'Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta.' It speaks of a time when there were no wild beasts and only harmony among people: 'The whole universe in unison spoke to Enlil in one tongue.' It then reports that speech was changed and 'contention' was brought into it. There is nothing else in this account that parallels the Tower of Babel, but confusion of language by deity can be seen as an ancient theme."

Karen Jobes, in "Relevance Theory and the Translation of Scripture," JETS 50/4 (December 2007) p. 778 , writes: "Their common language represented the collective power of humanity to band together in a monumental sin and to seek significance apart from God. God gave language to humankind to use in its commission to bring the world under dominion, but the people at Babel used it in an attempt to rival God."

Rabbi Pini Dunner says, " 'One speech' is a mistranslation. It should be 'they began to speak words against the one God.' Taking echad to refer to Dt. 6.4, the translation conforms to the thematic idea commonly accepted that the text is speaking of the united effort of 'humanity to make themselves the center of wisdom and order instead of God.' "