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Sir Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia epidemica: or, Enquiries into Very Many Received Tenents, and Commonly Preserved Truths (1646)
Chap. VI.
That the Tower of Babel was erected against a second deluge.
AN OPINION there is of some generality, that our fathers after the Flood attempted the tower of Babel, to secure themselves against a second Deluge. Which however affirmed by Josephus1 and others, hath seemed improbable unto many who have discoursed hereon. For, (beside that they could not be ignorant of the promise of God never to drowne the world againe, and had the Rainebow before their eyes to put them in minde thereof) it is improbable from the nature of the Deluge, which being not possibly causable from naturall showres above, or watery eruptions below, but requiring a supernaturall hand, and such as all acknowledge irresistible; must needs disparage their knowledge and judgement in so succeslesse attempts.
Againe, they must probably heare, and some might know, that the waters of the flood ascended fifteene cubits above the highest mountaines. Now, if as some define, the perpendicular altitude of the highest mountaines be foure miles, or as others, but fifteene furlongs, it is not easily conceived how such a structure could be effected. Although we allowed the description of Herodotus concerning the Tower of Belus, whose lowest story was in height and bredth one furlong, and seven more built upon it; abating that of the Annian Berosus, the traditionall relation of Jerome, and fabulous account of the Jews. Probable it is that what they attempted was fesible, otherwise they had been amply fool'd in the fruitlesse successe of their labours; nor needed God to have hindered them, saying, Nothing will be restrained from them, which they begin to doe.
It was improbable from the place, that is a plaine in the land of Shinar. And if the situation of Babylon were such at first as it was in the dayes of Herodotus, it was rather a seat of amenity and pleasure, then conducing unto this intention; it being in a very great plaine, and so improper a place to provide against a generall Deluge by towers and eminent structures, that they were faine to make provisions against particular and annuall inundations by ditches and trenches, after the manner of Ægypt. And therefore Sir Walter Ralegh2 accordingly objecteth; If the Nations which followed Nimrod, still doubted the surprise of a second flood, according to the opinions of the ancient Hebrewes, it soundeth ill to the eare of Reason, that they would have spent many yeares in that low and overflowne valley of Mesopotamia. And therefore in this situation, they chose a place more likely to have secured them from the worlds destruction by fire, then another Deluge of water, and as Pererius observeth, some have conceived that this was their intention.
Lastly, the reason is delivered in the Text. Let us build us a City and a Tower, whose top may reach unto heaven, and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the whole earth, as we have already began to wander over a part. These were the open ends proposed unto the people, but the secret designe of Nimrod, was to settle unto himselfe a place of dominion, and rule over his brethren, as it after succeeded, according to the delivery of the Text, The beginning of the kingdome was Babel.
1 [In Antiq. Jud. I.iv. 2; in the Whiston translation: "Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and contempt of God. He was the grandson of Ham, the son of Noah, a bold man, and of great strength of hand. He persuaded them not to ascribe it to God, as if it was through his means they were happy, but to believe that it was their own courage which procured that happiness. He also gradually changed the government into tyranny, seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God, but to bring them into a constant dependence on his power. He also said he would be revenged on God, if he should have a mind to drown the world again; for that he would build a tower too high for the waters to be able to reach! and that he would avenge himself on God for destroying their forefathers !"]
2 History of the World.