When the King James translation was produced in 1611, nothing was known of geology or cosmology. Anthropology was an unknown science, and the history of the ancient Near East has come to light only since the late 1800s. As a result the translators of the “Authorized Version” labored in a vacuum of mitigating evidence that would have helped them immensely. The result is that Genesis 1-11 in the KJV virtually is stuck in the 17th century. A Revised King James Version takes into account the historical background essential to understand the proper context within which the biblical characters lived and the events occurred. Only within the last 200 years has the scholarly world been in possession of the history of the ancient Near East written on cuneiform tablets inscribed in Akkadian and Sumerian languages. This new-found evidence could revolutionize how we understand Genesis as the legitimate history of the Semitic race from Adam to Abraham.
Creation Genesis and Origins – Putting It All Together
Approximately 3,000 years of biblical history lies between the time of Adam’s introduction near Eridu in southern Mesopotamia about 7,000 years ago until Sumer is destroyed around 4,000 years ago and Abraham departs for Canaan. The historicity of Genesis 2-11 is corroborated to a degree never before seen by the history of the ancient Near East only recovered within the last 200 years. Bible commentators for the most part have not departed from traditional beliefs established many centuries ago, thus the historical background unfortunately has been ignored and the historical integrity of Genesis largely has been abandoned. This is what we seek to correct in this summary of previous episodes.
Creation Genesis and Origins – Searching for the Tower
Early explorers ventured into the land of “Arabian Nights” seeking adventure, fame, prestige, honor, glory, knowledge, trinkets, and a certain elusive tower. The 20th century brought forth a new breed of explorer, as much bent on returning souvenirs to their homeland as ascertaining the intricacies of a distant, ancient civilization. Expecting to find an ancient structure, they looked for signs of sheer antiquity. Such was not to be seen, however, Assyrian king Sennacherib sacked Babylon during the seventh century BC, destroying the city and the famous tower, dumping the bricks in a canal.
Creation Genesis and Origins – Making Sense of Babel
The Tower of Babel was constructed during the timeframe that towers were being built all over Mesopotamia and Persia. Mud brick platforms constructed initially to survive spring floods grew over time to become temples to honor and worship whatever pagan god protected their city. The Tower of Babel was one among a number of ziggurats constructed in cities throughout the region. Only the later generations of Shem, named in the eleventh chapter of Genesis, found themselves living in Babylon ruled by a Hamitic king. It is these generations who became conflicted, confused, and confounded when the massive effort to build a monumental tower came to naught.
Creation Genesis and Origins – Tower of Babel Less Confusing
After the flood, platforms constructed in the Mesopotamian cities began to grow and take on religious connotations. Mud brick mounds that had originally been constructed to survive floods became ziggurats adorned with temples of worship, the dwelling places of the gods, and temples were constructed dedicated to whatever god was protecting each individual city. The Atlas of Mesopotamia located over thirty ziggurats and temple mounds in Mesopotamia, including some in Persia. These were massive, demanding civic works projects that drug on for countless decades covering possibly 900 years from the flood until Sumer was destroyed in 2000 BC.