The shocking thing about the Tower of Babel story is not that people were dumb enough to think they could build a tower to heaven.

History is full of infamously ridiculous ideas that mankind has come up with. In a world where people made medicine with mercury in it, made Coca-Cola with cocaine in it, and made two more seasons of The Office without Steve Carell in it, clearly we are prone to some bad ideas; it’s no surprise that humanity would also try to make a tower that could reach God’s heavenly domain.

The shocking thing is not that they were dumb enough to build a tower to heaven. The shocking thing is that they were smart enough to do it.

Yeah, that’s what I just said. They were smart enough to actually do it. After all, why else would God say this in

Genesis 11:6

“Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.”

Seriously? God believed if they could build Babel, they would be able to do anything? What exactly were these people capable of?

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why God said this in the Bible.

Turn with me to Genesis 11, and let’s get weird.

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Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction

2:25 - Jacob’s Ziggurat

5:30 - Gate of the Gods

11:25 - Nimrod’s Plan

23:30 - God’s Response

25:45 - Why Babel Broke the World

Visit the Weird Stuff store!

https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com

You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

Interview today with Will Blesch, author of the 2026 book In the Shadow of Goliath. Will digs deep into history and archaeology, unlocking ancient mysteries by approaching these topics from a biblical framework. He joins me on a video call from where he lives in Israel in this episode. Learn more about his book and his library of work at his website:

https://www.williamblesch.com/in-the-shadow-of-goliath/

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Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:
https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv....

Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Visit the Weird Stuff store!
https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-sp...
You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com
Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

I know the podcast is called Weird Stuff in the Bible, but today, I want to start with something that’s weird in our world: ziggurats.

A ziggurat is a pyramid-like structure. It starts with a massive base, and every level going up gets a little bit smaller. They often have steps up the sides so you can climb to the top. You’ve probably seen pictures before of ziggurats in ancient Babylon, Mesopotamia, from the Aztecs, from the Mayans—there’s even one in Collinsville, Illinois.

And here’s what’s so weird about it: this structure is replicated in all kinds of societies all around the world.

Different nations, different languages, different cultures—and yet we keep seeing ziggurats repeated across the planet.

My question is: why?

Well, where do all ancient nations, languages and cultures come from? According to the Bible, they all got started at this event called the Tower of Babel.

Imagine my surprise when I found out that the Tower of Babel was a ziggurat.

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.

Turn to Genesis 11, and let’s get weird.

——

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction

2:20 - Can You Take Me Higher?

4:20 - Mountaintop Experiences

9:45 - Ziggurats

18:00 - The Ziggurat at Babel

27:45 - O Destroying Mountain

Visit the Weird Stuff store!

https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com

You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!