Original Word: בָּבֶל
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Babel
Pronunciation: BAH-vel
Phonetic Spelling: (baw-bel')
KJV: Babel, Babylon
NASB: Babylon, Babel
Word Origin: [from H1101 (בָּלַל - To mix)]

1. confusion
2. Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire

Babel, Babylon

From balal; confusion; Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire -- Babel, Babylon.

see HEBREW balal

Word Origin
perhaps from balal
Definition
an E. Mediterranean empire and its capital city
NASB Translation
Babel (2), Babylon (257), Babylonians* (3).

בָּבֶ֫ל₂₆₂ proper name, of a location Babel, Babylon (in Assyrian written Bab-ilu, gate of god Dl^{Pa 212}, compare on other hand Jen^{Kosmol. 498}) — with ָ  ה locative בָּבֶ֫לָה Ezekiel 12:13 +, בָּבֶ֑לָה 2 Kings 20:17 #NAME?מִבָּבֶ֫לָה Jeremiah 27:16; — the ancient capital of Babylonia, modern Hillah, situated on Euphrates, in long. approximately 440 30° east, and latitude approximately 320 50° north; Genesis 10:10; Genesis 11:9 (where name connected with בלל confuse, confound), both J, not elsewhere in Hexateuch; 2 Kings 17:24 31t. 2Kings; 18t. Chronicles; Esther 2:6; late Psalm 87:4; Psalm 137:1; Psalm 137:8; Isa²; Isa³, namely Isaiah 13:1,19; Isaiah 14:4,22; Isaiah 21:9; Isaiah 39:1,3,6,7; Isaiah 43:14; Isaiah 47:1; Isaiah 48:14,20; Micah 4:10 (but here probably not original, compare RS^{Proph. vii. n. 5 & references}) Zechariah 2:11; Zechariah 6:10; Daniel 1:1; Ezekiel 12:13 19t. Ezekiel; Jeremiah 20:4 (twice in verse); Jeremiah 20:5,6 165t. Jeremiah — note especially ׳אֶרֶץ בּ Jeremiah 50:28; also of land & people = realm, particular in ׳מֶלֶךְ בּ 2 Kings 20:12 of Merodach Baladan; 2 Kings 20:18; 2 Kings 24:1,7,11,12 (twice in verse) + often of Nebuchadrezzar; 2 Kings 25:27 = Jeremiah 52:31 compare Jeremiah 52:34 of Evil-Merodach; Nehemiah 13:6 of Artaxerxes; the city personified as בַּת בָּבֶל Isaiah 47:1; Jeremiah 50:42. (See Dl^{Pa 212} COT Genesis 11:9 KG⁹⁵.)

בָּבֶל proper name, of a location Babylon (Biblical Hebrew id.); — Daniel 2:12 15t. Daniel; 9t. Ezra.

Overview

בָּבֶל (Babel/Babylon) designates both the primeval city of Genesis and the later imperial capital on the Euphrates. Scripture treats it as a literal place, a geopolitical power, and a theological symbol that recurs from Genesis to Revelation.

Occurrences and Literary Distribution

Approximately 262 Hebrew occurrences appear in every major section of the Old Testament. Genesis introduces the name; the Historical Books narrate Babylon’s rise; the Major and Minor Prophets devote whole oracles to it; the Writings remember the exile and anticipate deliverance.

Earliest Biblical Mentions: Genesis 10–11

• Genesis 10:10 presents Babel as the nucleus of Nimrod’s kingdom in “the land of Shinar.”
• Genesis 11:1-9 records the tower episode: “That is why it was called Babel, for there the LORD confused the language of the whole earth” (Genesis 11:9). The narrative links human pride, corporate rebellion, divine intervention, and scattering—motifs that echo through later references.

Babylon as Imperial Power

• Assyrian annals testify to Babylon’s waxing and waning, but Scripture focuses on its Neo-Babylonian zenith under Nebuchadnezzar II.
• 2 Kings 24–25; 2 Chronicles 36; Jeremiah 39 describe three deportations (605, 597, 586 B.C.) culminating in the fall of Jerusalem and the Temple’s destruction.
• Daniel 1:1-2 notes that “the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand.” Babylon’s might is real, yet subordinate to divine sovereignty.

God’s Instrument of Discipline

The exile fulfilled Mosaic warnings (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28) and Jeremiah’s seventy-year prophecy: “When seventy years for Babylon are complete, I will attend to you and confirm My promise to restore you” (Jeremiah 29:10). Babylon becomes the rod of God’s anger (Isaiah 10:5) against Judah, yet remains morally accountable.

Prophetic Oracles of Doom and Future Restoration

Isaiah 13–14; 21; 47, Jeremiah 50–51, and Habakkuk 2:6-20 predict Babylon’s downfall:

• “Babylon, the glory of kingdoms… will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah” (Isaiah 13:19).
• Jeremiah 51:8: “Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been shattered.”
• Habakkuk 2:16 portrays the humiliating reversal of a nation drunk on conquest.

Restoration promises intertwine with Babylon’s collapse (Isaiah 48:20; Zechariah 2:6-7; Micah 4:10).

Babylon in Post-Exilic Memory

Psalm 137 captures exile grief: “By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.” Ezra, Nehemiah, and Zechariah record the return, the temple’s rebuilding, and calls to leave Babylon’s influence behind.

Typological and Eschatological Significance

Old Testament Babylon prefigures the eschatological “Babylon the Great” of Revelation 14, 16–18. The New Testament draws upon the historical paradigm to depict a global, idolatrous system opposed to God’s kingdom (1 Peter 5:13; Revelation 17:5). Thus, the fall of ancient Babylon foreshadows the ultimate triumph of Christ.

Key Passages

Genesis 10:10; 11:1-9

2 Kings 24–25; 2 Chronicles 36:15-21

Isaiah 13–14; 47

Jeremiah 25; 29:10; 50–51

Daniel 1–5

Psalm 137

Micah 4:10

Zechariah 5:5-11

Practical Ministry Implications

1. Pride versus humility: the tower narrative and Nebuchadnezzar’s career (Daniel 4:30-37) warn against self-exaltation.
2. Sovereign discipline: God may use ungodly powers for chastening yet remains faithful to covenant promises.
3. Call to separation: believers are urged to “flee from Babylon” (Jeremiah 51:6) in heart and practice, renouncing the world’s idolatry.
4. Hope of deliverance: the return from Babylon underlines divine mercy, encouraging perseverance amid adversity and pointing toward ultimate redemption in Christ.

Babylon’s account therefore spans creation to consummation, providing a sustained testimony to God’s justice, mercy, and unfailing purpose throughout Scripture.

בְּבָבֶ֔ל בְּבָבֶ֖ל בְּבָבֶ֗ל בְּבָבֶֽל׃ בָּ֠בֶל בָּבֶ֑ל בָּבֶ֑לָה בָּבֶ֔ל בָּבֶ֔לָה בָּבֶ֕ל בָּבֶ֖ל בָּבֶ֖לָה בָּבֶ֗ל בָּבֶ֗לָה בָּבֶ֛ל בָּבֶ֜ל בָּבֶ֡ל בָּבֶ֣ל ׀ בָּבֶ֤ל בָּבֶ֤ל ׀ בָּבֶ֥ל בָּבֶ֥לָה בָּבֶ֧ל בָּבֶֽלָה׃ בָּבֶֽל׃ בָּבֶל֒ בָּבֶל֙ בָּבֶל֩ בָּבֶל֮ בָבֶ֔ל בָבֶ֔לָה בָבֶ֖ל בָבֶ֗ל בָבֶ֗לָה בָבֶ֙לָה֙ בָבֶ֜ל בָבֶ֣ל בָבֶ֨ל ׀ בָבֶֽל׃ בָבֶל֙ בבבל בבבל׃ בבל בבל׃ בבלה בבלה׃ וּבָבֶ֗ל וּבָבֶ֞ל וּבָבֶ֣ל וּבָבֶ֥ל ובבל לְבָבֶ֑ל לְבָבֶ֖ל לְבָבֶ֛ל לְבָבֶ֜ל לְבָבֶ֤ל ׀ לְבָבֶ֥ל לבבל מִבָּבֶ֑ל מִבָּבֶ֔ל מִבָּבֶ֖ל מִבָּבֶ֖לָה מִבָּבֶ֡ל מִבָּבֶֽל׃ מִבָּבֶל֮ מבבל מבבל׃ מבבלה bā·ḇe·lāh ḇā·ḇe·lāh bā·ḇel ḇā·ḇel bāḇel ḇāḇel bāḇelāh ḇāḇelāh baVel baVelah bə·ḇā·ḇel bəḇāḇel bevaVel lə·ḇā·ḇel ləḇāḇel levaVel mib·bā·ḇe·lāh mib·bā·ḇel mibbāḇel mibbāḇelāh mibbaVel mibbaVelah ū·ḇā·ḇel ūḇāḇel uvaVel vaVel vaVelahInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts