<P> Isaac Asimov's speculation in Asimov's Guide to the Bible was that the authors of the account in Genesis 11: 1--9, were inspired by the existence of an apparently incomplete ziggurat at Babylon and by the (mistaken) etymological association whereby "the writers of Genesis derived' Babel' from the Hebrew word balal, meaning' mixed',' confused', or' confounded ."' </P> <P> The Book of Jubilees contains one of the most detailed accounts found anywhere of the Tower . </P> <P> And they began to build, and in the fourth week they made brick with fire, and the bricks served them for stone, and the clay with which they cemented them together was asphalt which comes out of the sea, and out of the fountains of water in the land of Shinar . And they built it: forty and three years were they building it; its breadth was 203 bricks, and the height (of a brick) was the third of one; its height amounted to 5433 cubits and 2 palms, and (the extent of one wall was) thirteen stades (and of the other thirty stades). (Jubilees 10: 20--21, Charles' 1913 translation) </P> <P> In Pseudo-Philo, the direction for the building is ascribed not only to Nimrod, who is made prince of the Hamites, but also to Joktan, as prince of the Semites, and to Phenech son of Dodanim, as prince of the Japhetites . Twelve men are arrested for refusing to bring bricks, including Abraham, Lot, Nahor, and several sons of Joktan . However, Joktan finally saves the twelve from the wrath of the other two princes . </P>

The babylonian parallel to the tower in the story of the tower of babel