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Adam Quote by Thomas Hobbes

“But all this language gotten, and augmented by Adam and his posterity, was again lost at the tower of Babel , when by the hand of God, every man was stricken for his rebellion, with an oblivion of his former language.” quote by Thomas Hobbes
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“But all this language gotten, and augmented by Adam and his posterity, was again lost at the tower of Babel , when by the hand of God, every man was stricken for his rebellion, with an oblivion of his former language.”

Thomas Hobbes

About This Quote

Source Book: Leviathan, 1651

Human language, once expanded, can be destroyed by divine judgment as a punishment for rebellion.

In simple terms: Language can be lost when punished by God.

Key Takeaway

Beware hubris that leads to divine retribution.

Themes

pride divine judgment language rebellion

Mood

solemn reflective

Type

philosophical theological

When to use this quote

  • political discourse
  • religious preaching
  • education
  • cultural preservation

Key Concepts

theology human nature communication

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does this say about the limits of human knowledge?
  • How do we protect language from loss?
A Different Perspective

It assumes a literal divine intervention, which may not be universally accepted.

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