The Origin of Languages: Same Evidence, Two Views

“‘Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech.’ So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city.” (Genesis 11:7–8)

Since the people refused to scatter and fill the earth according to God’s command after the flood, God put an end to their rebellion and accomplished his purpose by confusing their language. No longer able to communicate with each other, the people abandoned their efforts to build a tower to reach into the heavens and departed from Babel.

Researchers estimate that our languages are derived from about 90 language families, a total that will likely decrease with further study.

Biblical Model

This data is entirely consistent with the Bible. Genesis 10–11 describes God’s confusing of man’s language at Babel, and the estimated number of language families is close to the same number of people groups that departed from Babel.

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Evolutionary Model

While evolutionists have developed explanations for the origin of language families, these explanations are inconsistent with the idea that humans all share a common ancestor. It seems that the language families would be traced back to a few groups instead of 90.

When you visit the Ark Encounter, you can learn more about the tower of Babel and the origin of languages inside our Babel exhibit located on Deck 3. Start planning your visit today!

New Tower of Babel Book for Kids

We are excited to announce that we have a new tower of Babel resource that your children will love! The Tower is a historical fiction chapter book that tells the account of the tower of Babel from the perspective of three kids living in the post-flood city. It shows why Noah’s descendants stayed together to build a tower, what it was like to live in that unique time period, and why God judged the people.

The Tower allows children to experience a unique period in biblical history that is often overlooked. The events at the tower of Babel give valuable lessons about God’s judgment and mercy and the origin of the nations and languages we have today. Order your copy today!