Genesis 10-11 The Rise of Nimrod and Babel

In the midst of the genealogies in Genesis 10, we meet a man named Nimrod, whom the scripture describes as a mighty man, a mighty hunter before the Lord, who founded the kingdom of Babel. In Chapter 11, we learn how Babel grew, and the people decided to build a tower that drew the ire of God.

Nimrod was a mighty man. He was a mighty military leader, a mighty hunter (Genesis 10:9), and he founded a mighty kingdom. Nimrod's kingdom began at Babel (Genesis 10:10-12), and expanded to Erech, Accad, and Calneh. Then, they built Nineveh, which would become a prominent location in the book of Jonah.

Nimrod's kingdom of Babel took control of much of the fertile crescent, which produced most of the world's food supply at the time. Controlling the most valuable land in the world made the kingdom of Babel a world superpower.

As the people built the city of Babel, they decided to build a tower that would reach into Heaven, so that they could make a name for themselves, and so they wouldn't be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth (Genesis 11:4). The problem with this is that they were challenging God's domain, they were lifting themselves up against Him, and they were ignoring His command to replenish the earth by staying in one place. So, God confounded their language, thus forcing them to scatter.

The lessons we learn? God hates pride and rebellion, and He always deals with it.