QTS 10/21/2025 - Analysis of Bereshit's Themes

Feeling Babylon's Presence

An often less-discussed angle of analysis is the influence of Babylon on the overarching Biblical narrative; it being the single greatest catastrophe imagined by the canonical literature. We can see evidence of Babylon's legacy pockmarking Genesis in various ways, starting with the genealogy of Adam, where we see Nimrod ascribed as king over "the land of Shinar", likely a name for Lower Mesopotamia, which itself encompasses Babylon. Notice the use of Bavel to refer directly to Babylon.

בראשית י׳:ח׳-י׳

(ח) וְכ֖וּשׁ יָלַ֣ד אֶת־נִמְרֹ֑ד ה֣וּא הֵחֵ֔ל לִֽהְי֥וֹת גִּבֹּ֖ר בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ (ט) הֽוּא־הָיָ֥ה גִבֹּֽר־צַ֖יִד לִפְנֵ֣י יהוה עַל־כֵּן֙ יֵֽאָמַ֔ר כְּנִמְרֹ֛ד גִּבּ֥וֹר צַ֖יִד לִפְנֵ֥י יהוה׃ (י) וַתְּהִ֨י רֵאשִׁ֤ית מַמְלַכְתּוֹ֙ בָּבֶ֔ל וְאֶ֖רֶךְ וְאַכַּ֣ד וְכַלְנֵ֑ה בְּאֶ֖רֶץ שִׁנְעָֽר׃

Genesis 10:8-10

(8) Cush also begot Nimrod, who was the first mighty figure on earth. (9) He was a mighty hunter by the grace of יהוה; hence the saying, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter by the grace of יהוה.” (10) The mainstays of his kingdom were Babylon, Erech, Accad, and Calneh in the land of Shinar.

We see a callback to Shinar at the start of the Tower of Babel parable.

בראשית י״א:ב׳

(ב) וַיְהִ֖י בְּנׇסְעָ֣ם מִקֶּ֑דֶם וַֽיִּמְצְא֥וּ בִקְעָ֛ה בְּאֶ֥רֶץ שִׁנְעָ֖ר וַיֵּ֥שְׁבוּ שָֽׁם׃

Genesis 11:2

(2) And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there.

In this story we see Bavel being used in identical construction to refer, not to the location, but the tower within Shinar's borders.

בראשית י״א:ט׳

(ט) עַל־כֵּ֞ן קָרָ֤א שְׁמָהּ֙ בָּבֶ֔ל כִּי־שָׁ֛ם בָּלַ֥ל יהוה שְׂפַ֣ת כׇּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וּמִשָּׁם֙ הֱפִיצָ֣ם יהוה עַל־פְּנֵ֖י כׇּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ {פ}

Genesis 11:9

(9) That is why it was called Babel, because there יהוה confounded the speech of the whole earth; and from there יהוה scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

In a passing final reference to Shinar as a territory, we see reference to King Amraphel (identity unknown), in the lead up to the tale of Sodom and Gomorrah.

בראשית י״ד:א׳

(א) וַיְהִ֗י בִּימֵי֙ אַמְרָפֶ֣ל מֶֽלֶךְ־שִׁנְעָ֔ר אַרְי֖וֹךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ אֶלָּסָ֑ר כְּדׇרְלָעֹ֙מֶר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ עֵילָ֔ם וְתִדְעָ֖ל מֶ֥לֶךְ גּוֹיִֽם׃

Genesis 14:1

(1) Now, when King Amraphel of Shinar, King Arioch of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim

The Chaldeans

To someone unfamiliar with the later two major sections of the Tanakh--the Neviim and the Ketuvim--the term "Chaldean" likely seems either awkward or irrelevant. There is little repetition in the Torah of its usage and what little does exist is relegated to the following examples and several other adjacent ones, all referring to the same place: Abraham's birthplace, Ur of the Chaldeans (sometimes translated Ur of the Chaldees).

בראשית י״א:כ״ח

וַיָּ֣מׇת הָרָ֔ן עַל־פְּנֵ֖י תֶּ֣רַח אָבִ֑יו בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מוֹלַדְתּ֖וֹ בְּא֥וּר כַּשְׂדִּֽים׃

Genesis 11:28

Haran died in the lifetime of his father Terah, in his native land, Ur of the Chaldeans (sometimes Chaldees).

בראשית ט״ו:ז׳

(ז) וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלָ֑יו אֲנִ֣י יהוה אֲשֶׁ֤ר הוֹצֵאתִ֙יךָ֙ מֵא֣וּר כַּשְׂדִּ֔ים לָ֧תֶת לְךָ֛ אֶת־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַזֹּ֖את לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃

Genesis 15:7

(7) Then [God] said to him, “I am יהוה who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to assign this land to you as a possession.”

We know Cashdim, here translated as "Chaldean" or somethings "Chaldees" refers to Babylon. We could cite several sources in the Prophetic literature, but the following examples should suffice.

ירמיהו נ׳:א׳

(א) הַדָּבָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֧ר יהוה אֶל־בָּבֶ֖ל אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ כַּשְׂדִּ֑ים בְּיַ֖ד יִרְמְיָ֥הוּ הַנָּבִֽיא׃

Jeremiah 50:1

(1) The word that GOD spoke concerning Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, through the prophet Jeremiah:

ישעיהו מ״ח:כ׳

(כ) צְא֣וּ מִבָּבֶל֮ בִּרְח֣וּ מִכַּשְׂדִּים֒ בְּק֣וֹל רִנָּ֗ה הַגִּ֤ידוּ הַשְׁמִ֙יעוּ֙ זֹ֔את הוֹצִיא֖וּהָ עַד־קְצֵ֣ה הָאָ֑רֶץ אִמְר֕וּ גָּאַ֥ל יהוה עַבְדּ֥וֹ יַעֲקֹֽב׃

Isaiah 48:20

(20)Go forth from Babylon,Flee from Chaldea!Declare this with loud shouting,Announce this,Bring out the word to the ends of the earth!Say: “ GOD has redeemed Jacob—God’s servant!”

What's In A Name

Abraham's name change from Abram is significant in how it relates to leaving Babylon and casting off his entire past in order to follow God's orders. We can learn a lot through the etymology of his two names. Let's start with Abram; itself a portmanteau of Father (Av) and Exalted or Lofty (Ram).

בראשית י״א:כ״ו

(כו) וַֽיְחִי־תֶ֖רַח שִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֙וֹלֶד֙ אֶת־אַבְרָ֔ם אֶת־נָח֖וֹר וְאֶת־הָרָֽן׃

Genesis 11:26

(26) When Terah had lived 70 years, he begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

However, RWM as a word is used many other places in the Bible in ways that imply Abram's name hides a specific pun. Here we see RWM being used derogatorily in Isaiah's prophecies.

ישעיהו ב׳:י״א-י״ד

(יא) עֵינֵ֞י גַּבְה֤וּת אָדָם֙ שָׁפֵ֔ל וְשַׁ֖ח ר֣וּם אֲנָשִׁ֑ים וְנִשְׂגַּ֧ב יהוה לְבַדּ֖וֹ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃ {פ}(יב) כִּ֣י י֞וֹם לַיהוה צְבָא֛וֹת עַ֥ל כׇּל־גֵּאֶ֖ה וָרָ֑ם וְעַ֖ל כׇּל־נִשָּׂ֥א וְשָׁפֵֽל׃ (יג) וְעַל֙ כׇּל־אַרְזֵ֣י הַלְּבָנ֔וֹן הָרָמִ֖ים וְהַנִּשָּׂאִ֑ים וְעַ֖ל כׇּל־אַלּוֹנֵ֥י הַבָּשָֽׁן׃ (יד) וְעַ֖ל כׇּל־הֶהָרִ֣ים הָרָמִ֑ים וְעַ֖ל כׇּל־הַגְּבָע֥וֹת הַנִּשָּׂאֽוֹת׃

Isaiah 2:11-14

(11)The haughty look of humans shall be brought low,And the pride of mortals shall be humbled.None but GOD shall be Exalted in that day.(12)For GOD of Hosts has ready a day Against all that is proud and arrogant,Against all that is lofty—so that it is brought low:(13)Against all the cedars of Lebanon,Tall and stately,And all the oaks of Bashan;(14)Against all the high mountainsAnd all the lofty hills;

Abraham, as a word, is somewhat meaningless, as RHM is not a word. However, we see a common approach of seeing HM interpreted as the word hamon meaning "multitudes."

בראשית י״ז:ד׳

(ד) אֲנִ֕י הִנֵּ֥ה בְרִיתִ֖י אִתָּ֑ךְ וְהָיִ֕יתָ לְאַ֖ב הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִֽם׃

Genesis 17:4

(4) “As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You shall be the father of a multitude of nations.

We see prophecy in Isaiah about the name change for Abraham and Sara

ישעיהו נ״א:ב׳

(ב) הַבִּ֙יטוּ֙ אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֣ם אֲבִיכֶ֔ם וְאֶל־שָׂרָ֖ה תְּחוֹלֶלְכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־אֶחָ֣ד קְרָאתִ֔יו וַאֲבָרְכֵ֖הוּ וְאַרְבֵּֽהוּ׃

Isaiah 51:2

(2)Look back to Abraham your fatherAnd to Sarah who brought you forth.For he was only one when I called him,But I blessed him and made him many.

ישעיהו ס״ב:ב׳

(ב) וְרָא֤וּ גוֹיִם֙ צִדְקֵ֔ךְ וְכׇל־מְלָכִ֖ים כְּבוֹדֵ֑ךְ וְקֹ֤רָא לָךְ֙ שֵׁ֣ם חָדָ֔שׁ אֲשֶׁ֛ר פִּ֥י יהוה יִקֳּבֶֽנּוּ׃

Isaiah 62:2

(2)Nations shall see your victory,And every king your majesty;And you shall be called by a new nameThat GOD shall bestow.

Name changes were common in exile. Joseph was famously granted an Egyptian name by the Pharaoh.

בראשית מ״א:מ״ה

(מה) וַיִּקְרָ֨א פַרְעֹ֣ה שֵׁם־יוֹסֵף֮ צָֽפְנַ֣ת פַּעְנֵ֒חַ֒ וַיִּתֶּן־ל֣וֹ אֶת־אָֽסְנַ֗ת בַּת־פּ֥וֹטִי פֶ֛רַע כֹּהֵ֥ן אֹ֖ן לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַיֵּצֵ֥א יוֹסֵ֖ף עַל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

Genesis 41:45

(45) Pharaoh then gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him for a wife Asenath daughter of Poti-phera, priest of On. Thus Joseph emerged in charge of the land of Egypt.—

In the book of Daniel, we see the main characters each receiving Babylonian names.

דניאל א׳:ז׳

(ז) וַיָּ֧שֶׂם לָהֶ֛ם שַׂ֥ר הַסָּרִיסִ֖ים שֵׁמ֑וֹת וַיָּ֨שֶׂם לְדָֽנִיֵּ֜אל בֵּ֣לְטְשַׁאצַּ֗ר וְלַֽחֲנַנְיָה֙ שַׁדְרַ֔ךְ וּלְמִֽישָׁאֵ֣ל מֵישַׁ֔ךְ וְלַעֲזַרְיָ֖ה עֲבֵ֥ד נְגֽוֹ׃

Daniel 1:7

(7) The chief officer gave them new names; he named Daniel Belteshazzar, Hananiah Shadrach, Mishael Meshach, and Azariah Abed-nego.

Even Esther is shown to have a Persian name.

אסתר ב׳:ז׳

(ז) וַיְהִ֨י אֹמֵ֜ן אֶת־הֲדַסָּ֗ה הִ֤יא אֶסְתֵּר֙ בַּת־דֹּד֔וֹ כִּ֛י אֵ֥ין לָ֖הּ אָ֣ב וָאֵ֑ם וְהַנַּעֲרָ֤ה יְפַת־תֹּ֙אַר֙ וְטוֹבַ֣ת מַרְאֶ֔ה וּבְמ֤וֹת אָבִ֙יהָ֙ וְאִמָּ֔הּ לְקָחָ֧הּ מׇרְדֳּכַ֛י ל֖וֹ לְבַֽת׃

Esther 2:7

(7) He was foster father to Hadassah—that is, Esther—his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The maiden was shapely and beautiful; and when her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her as his own daughter.

Esther also has a Babylonian name, "Ishtar," though this is never stated explicitly in the text.

Egypt

Despite being mentioned nearly 3x more than Babylon across the entirety of the Biblical corpus, Egypt's portrayal in Genesis is more nuanced than readers of Exodus and other books in the Tanakh might assume. At first it is a place of obvious refuge from famine. In lieu of returning home, as most grad student drop outs do, Abram takes his family further south, assuming there is a place for him.

בראשית י״ב:י׳

(י) וַיְהִ֥י רָעָ֖ב בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיֵּ֨רֶד אַבְרָ֤ם מִצְרַ֙יְמָה֙ לָג֣וּר שָׁ֔ם כִּֽי־כָבֵ֥ד הָרָעָ֖ב בָּאָֽרֶץ׃

Genesis 12:10

(10) There was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.

In fact, we see it echoed with Jacob that Egypt is Where You Go When There's Famine In The Land™

בראשית מ״ו:ו׳

(ו) וַיִּקְח֣וּ אֶת־מִקְנֵיהֶ֗ם וְאֶת־רְכוּשָׁם֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר רָֽכְשׁוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ מִצְרָ֑יְמָה יַעֲקֹ֖ב וְכׇל־זַרְע֥וֹ אִתּֽוֹ׃

Genesis 46:6

(6) and they took along their livestock and the wealth that they had amassed in the land of Canaan. Thus Jacob and all his offspring with him came to Egypt:

Whereas references to Babylon, however circuitous and indirect, are distinctly negative and treated with a specific revulsion and existential need to relegate it to the now dead past, Egypt is positioned as a more complex neighbor, and a force to be feared, respected, and admired all at once.

בראשית י״ג:י׳

(י) וַיִּשָּׂא־ל֣וֹט אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־כׇּל־כִּכַּ֣ר הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן כִּ֥י כֻלָּ֖הּ מַשְׁקֶ֑ה לִפְנֵ֣י ׀ שַׁחֵ֣ת יהוה אֶת־סְדֹם֙ וְאֶת־עֲמֹרָ֔ה כְּגַן־יהוה כְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בֹּאֲכָ֖ה צֹֽעַר׃

Genesis 13:10

(10) Lot looked about him and saw how well watered was the whole plain of the Jordan, all of it—this was before יהוה had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah—all the way to Zoar, like the garden of יהוה, like the land of Egypt.

The Body of God

We often think of God as disembodied, infinite, and formless. However, the Bible never once affirms this depiction, and the idea of a God without form is a considerably later idea tacked on to Jewish praxis.

Here we see God using hands to form clay, and lungs and a mouth to blow air.

בראשית ב׳:ז׳

(ז) וַיִּ֩יצֶר֩ יהוה אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֗ם עָפָר֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה וַיִּפַּ֥ח בְּאַפָּ֖יו נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים וַיְהִ֥י הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה׃

Genesis 2:7

(7) God יהוה formed the Human from the soil’s humus, blowing into his nostrils the breath of life: the Human became a living being.

Tilling a garden typically requires hands, wouldn't you say?

בראשית ב׳:ח׳

(ח) וַיִּטַּ֞ע יהוה אֱלֹהִ֛ים גַּן־בְּעֵ֖דֶן מִקֶּ֑דֶם וַיָּ֣שֶׂם שָׁ֔ם אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָצָֽר׃

Genesis 2:8

(8) God יהוה planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and placed there the Human who had been fashioned.

God's movement in Eden creates sound. This suggests he has feet with which to walk about on.

בראשית ג׳:ח׳

(ח) וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֞וּ אֶת־ק֨וֹל יהוה אֱלֹהִ֛ים מִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ בַּגָּ֖ן לְר֣וּחַ הַיּ֑וֹם וַיִּתְחַבֵּ֨א הָֽאָדָ֜ם וְאִשְׁתּ֗וֹ מִפְּנֵי֙ יהוה אֱלֹהִ֔ים בְּת֖וֹךְ עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן׃

Genesis 3:8

(8) They heard the sound of God יהוה moving about in the garden at the breezy time of day; and the Human and his wife hid from God יהוה among the trees of the garden.

God's feet are of tantamount importance to the remainder of the Bible. Famously we have this snippet from Isaiah.

ישעיהו ס״ו:א׳

(א) כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יהוה הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם כִּסְאִ֔י וְהָאָ֖רֶץ הֲדֹ֣ם רַגְלָ֑י אֵי־זֶ֥ה בַ֙יִת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּבְנוּ־לִ֔י וְאֵי־זֶ֥ה מָק֖וֹם מְנוּחָתִֽי׃

Isaiah 66:1

(1)Thus said GOD: The heaven is My throneAnd the earth is My footstool:Where could you build a house for Me,What place could serve as My abode?

God's footstool is an extremely ancient concept, predating the Bible by a considerable amount of time. Numerous structures have been identified in ancient sites which are intended to represent a footstool for a particular god to rest their feet upon. Footstools were considered a special mechanism for allowing the divine presence to stand upon the Earth. That is to say, a shrine to God is incomplete without a footstool for him to rest upon.

In Genesis, we see Jacob erect a makeshift altar for God, to represent his presence.

בראשית כ״ח:י״ח

(יח) וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם יַעֲקֹ֜ב בַּבֹּ֗קֶר וַיִּקַּ֤ח אֶת־הָאֶ֙בֶן֙ אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֔יו וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֹתָ֖הּ מַצֵּבָ֑ה וַיִּצֹ֥ק שֶׁ֖מֶן עַל־רֹאשָֽׁהּ׃

Genesis 28:18

(18) Early in the morning, Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on the top of it.

This is vague in terms of the exact language used here, but from an historical and archaeological standpoint, we can recognize this stone pillar with oil anointing it as a footstool for God to stand upon as a marker of his presence in that place.

Avery Barron