Round 3: Tossup 20

Description acceptable. Martin Buber argued that Zephaniah 3 alludes to this passage by repeating “leading words” from it like safah and potz. A midrash on this story describes a statue wielding a sword in its hand. A word in this passage may play on an Akkadian name meaning “gate of the gods.” Because the Hebrew for name is shem, this passage’s (-5[1])invocation, “Let us make a name for ourselves” contrasts with Shem’s genealogy (15[1])directly following it. The (*) Etemenanki may have inspired this story which occurs at the end of the primeval (-5[1])history, after the Table of Nations. Because this story is set in the “land of Shinar,” its ruler Nimrod (10[1])is traditionally seen as having challenged God when “the whole earth had one language.” For 10 points, (10[1])identify this story where the LORD prevented the construction of a building “with its top in the heavens.” ■END■ (10[2])

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