Interpreting Interpreter: An Anti-Babel

This post is a summary of the article “The Man with No Name: The Story of the Brother of Jared as an Anti-Babel Polemic” by Walker Wright in Volume 62 of Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship. All of the Interpreting Interpreter articles may be seen at https://interpreterfoundation.org/category/summaries/. An introduction to the Interpreting Interpreter series is available at https://interpreterfoundation.org/interpreting-interpreter-on-abstracting-thought/.

The Takeaway

Wright argues that the story of the Brother of Jared is meant to serve as a contrast against the people and ruler of Babel, pitting an unnamed righteous man who communed with the heavens against the mighty Nimrod and the people of Babel, who tried to make a name for themselves and build their way to the heavens.

The Summary

In this article, Walker Wright explores the story of the Brother of Jared, arguing that his narrative was meant as a polemic account, similar to how biblical authors worked to contrast themselves with and derogate nearby rival nations (e.g., contrasting Joseph of Egypt with Pharaoh, Yahweh with the Egyptian pantheon, Elijah and the priests of Ba’al, or, interestingly, Kolob with the Sun). Wright provides a thorough outline of the contrasts between the Brother and people of Jared on one hand, and both Babel and Nimrod, the mighty hunter, on the other. These include:

- Babel’s practice of gathering in one place rather than working to “multiply, and fill the earth”.

- The people of Babel’s desire to make a name for themselves, in connection with the Nephilim (who are cast as “mighty warriors” and “men of the name”), in contrast with the Brother of Jared remaining unnamed in the text.

- Nimrod being framed in opposition to the Lord, while the Brother of Jared sees himself as the Lord’s servant in humility and unworthiness.

- The final fate of Babel being one of scattering and confusion as a result of their rebellion, in comparison with the Lord preserving the leading the Jaredites to a new land.

- The tower of Babel representing a false temple, standing in contrast with the Brother of Jared’s worship at mount Shelem (signifying covenantal peace with God)—a symbolic mountain representing a natural temple.

As Wright concludes:

“The people of Babel, led by the mighty hunter Nimrod, refused God’s command to multiply and fill the earth. Instead, they gathered together, built a high tower—a false temple—to reach the heavens and sought to make a name or legacy for themselves. In response, the Lord confounded their language and scattered them abroad. Babylon (or Babel) in the Hebrew Bible is “emblematic of imperialistic hubris, injustice and oppression”, making it a pristine target for Moroni’s polemics [via a contrast with the Brother of Jared:] a mighty, unnamed man who communed with the heavens on top of a high mountain.”

The Reflection

I’ve had friends, critical of the Church, who have treated the Book of Ether as a particular object of derision. But I’m often struck by how often it notches important points in favor of the Restoration. From items as mundane as the order of listed kings to the meaningful thematic contrasts noted by Wright, these less-than-obvious details serve as an evidentiary garnish on the book’s poignant testimony of Christ. What I wonder about is the extent to which Moroni may have found meaning in this particular polemic. Did he see his own people as exhibiting the same prideful tendencies as Nimrod and Babel? Did he see their confounding and scattering as reminiscent of the Nephite’s ultimate fate? Regardless, it seems plain that the Brother of Jared’s humility and faith was meant as an example for us to emulate in the modern day—one that, as we commune with God in the covenantal temple-facilitated peace, can lead us to behold the finger of God.

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