Why does the first commandment against other gods confront what happened at Babel?
The first commandment confronts Babel because Babel was the beginning of all false worships. When God gave the Law so man could understand right and wrong, He declared, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." That command directly opposed the idolatrous worship systems that began at Babel, and the Law exposed sin rather than removing it.
Les explains that after Abram came out and received the promises—the “I wills” of chapters 12, 15, and 17—God determined that man had to understand what is right and what is wrong. Because man did not seem to get it, He gave the Law. He laid it down punctually and said, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Les says this flew right in the face of everything that took place at Babel, because Babel was the beginning of all the false worships. God then came right back with that command and continued through the rest of the commandments. Les also connects this to Romans 3:19–20 and Galatians: the Law was added because of sin, did not take sin away from people, but merely showed them their sin. Paul writes that we know the Law speaks to those who are under the Law, which was Israel.