Well, things get a little ugly, but the power of humanity remains a theme. Having just destroyed life on the Earth using a deluge, “diluvio,” God welcomes Noah and his sons, and their wives, back to dry land with this promise: The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth/Todos los animales de la tierra sentiran temor y respecto ante ustedes. Gen. 9:2. Ick. Then, after really concluding the pre-Abram narrative from Noah, we pop in the story of Babel, in which God causes people to have different languages because if we speak the same language “nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them/todo lo que se propogan lo podrian longrar.” Gen. 11:6.
These passages are icky primarily because they give rise to two serious problems in our world today. One, disregard for the environment because we have “dominion” over it. Two, fear of science because God doesn’t like it if we act like Gods.
Interest note: I just realized today that Semite means descendants of Shem, or as it is written in my Spanish translation, Sem.
2 replies on “Genesis 8-11”
Sorry I'm behind.
I find this Babel conclusion fascinating. What do the literalists think of the "for they could do anything" part? If they're truly literalists, then the inescapable conclusion is that if we unified human discourse to a single language, then we'd be omnipotent. It makes their fear of a one world government either incredibly wise or mystifying.
The passage makes it clear that at least God doesn't like the specter of omnipotent humans. I imagine a literalist would be inclined to agree with God on such things. I don't think it is a particularly radical thought.