Genesis 11:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Observe how they misappropriated the unity of their speech, and how their prideful ambitions led to their downfall. They proclaimed, "Come, let us create bricks and thoroughly bake them." Thus, bricks became their stones, and they used tar in place of mortar. Behold their misplaced confidence in constructing their tower, oblivious to the truth that "unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain that build it" (Psalm 126:1).

The city referred to as 'a mixture' in the Book of Genesis is indeed the Babylon that astonishes even those who study it from a secular perspective. The term Babylon literally translates to 'mixture.' This leads to the conclusion that the renowned giant Nimrod was its builder, as previously mentioned in Scripture, which states that Babylon was the starting point of his dominion. It served as the principal city among others, functioning as a center of authority, even though its size had not yet reached the ambitious aspirations of its founders.

Some scholars proposed that the material referred to as asphalt (Gen. 11:3) is actually asbestos. Those unfamiliar with the origins of asbestos in Assyria might have assumed that the Babylonian tower was constructed from this material. However, I learned from those who visited the area that Assyria boasts natural springs that release both asphalt and water. Builders utilize burnt plinths atop the asphalt as part of their construction methods. This is said to be how the pillar was erected. There are individuals known as Samovidtsy who have endeavored to extract a sample to confirm that asphalt is placed between each layer of burnt plinths. It is noted that Assyria lacks abundant stones, which is why plinths are employed instead. If there are no stones available, how could asbestos be sourced?

Then the entire earth spoke with a single voice, united in purpose. The man said to his companion, "Let us create bricks, and let us fire them, building for ourselves a city and a tower that reaches into the heavens. Let us establish a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered across the earth" (Genesis 11:1-4). They undertook their project, substituting bricks for stones and using asphalt in place of mortar. However, this endeavor did not find favor with God, as it was rooted in pride rather than aimed at glorifying His name; they were more concerned with their own renown than with honoring the Lord. The driving force behind this unrighteous venture was Nimrod, the son of Cush and grandson of Ham, a towering figure and a mighty hunter.

The construction of Babylon relied on bricks rather than stones and utilized earth tar instead of lime, attributable to the characteristics of the land in Sennar.

In the eastern regions, sun-dried clay bricks were typically utilized for construction. However, such a material would prove quite precarious for structures situated in flood-prone areas near the Euphrates. The architects of this undertaking wisely opted for fire-baked bricks and chose asphalt—an earthy tar abundant in the region—as a binding agent instead of lime or clay, which are prone to erosion. The remnants of Babylon that have endured to this day comprise fragments of these burnt bricks held together by resin. Stone was likely not employed in the building process, possibly due to the lack of developed techniques for working with hewn stone or its complete unavailability.