Nimrod

Nimrod was one of the sons of Cush and the grandson of Noah’s son Ham. He is described in the Bible as a “mighty hunter” and a “mighty one on the earth.” Nimrod was a powerful hunter and trapper of animals, as well as a clever and conniving manipulator of people. He amassed many followers and became the king of Babylon, Uruk, Akkad and Calneh in the land of Shinar (Mesopotamia). Nimrod has traditionally been viewed as the leader of those who built the Tower of Babel in Shinar.

Nimrod feared that a member of the family of Shem, Noah’s other son, would come to challenge his authority. Despite the great lengths he took to prevent the birth of any Semitic progeny, ultimately, Abraham, a direct descendant of Shem, was born, survived Nimrod’s attempts to destroy him, and grew up to become an ethical leader of many peoples and the initiator of monotheism. Both Jewish and Islamic tradition describe a confrontation between Nimrod and Abraham.

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