Translation
And YHVH (read Adonai) said, “Look,
Go to footnote numberthe people are one and they all have one lip, and they have begun to do this, now then, nothing of all they devise to do will be inaccessible
Go to footnote numberto them.
Paraphrase
And THE ETERNAL AND PERSONAL GOD said, “Check it out, these people are united in their purpose and they are aided by the advantage that they can all understand each other’s speech because they did not separate and develop different languages. Therefore, their leader will be able to succeed in his purpose of controlling access to the gods.
Footnotes
1: "Look":
This is the word “behold” and it can also form the beginning of an “if … then” statement. However, it appears that the “if … then” usage was a later development. An “if … then” rendering would make it more clear, but the expression that is more cumbersome is more likely to be the original intent in this instance.
2: "inaccessible":
This word carried two major emphases, one being “to cut off, as one cuts grapes off of the vine,” and the other being “to fortify, to make inaccessible with high walls”. Both are possible meanings in this verse, but the idea of “inaccessible due to fortifications” creates a satisfying play on words. They had fortified their city against any potential threats in the future, they had built a way to keep out bad people who left them, so now, so likewise nothing would keep out of their reach the possibility of achieving their goals.
WHAT DID GOD INSPECT?
When God came down to look at the tower, it was not the physical structure that He was focusing on, rather He was looking at how united they were, either due to fear or due to persuasion.
The physical structure was actually inferior to what others were capable of, but aesthetically it was more pleasing, and that was one of the ways Nimrod duped the people into a (mostly) united effort.
WHAT WAS GOD CONCERNED ABOUT?
The clause, “nothing of all they devise to do will be inaccessible to them,” meant something like this, “their leader (Nimrod) has been so successful at keeping them together and convincing them to work together for a common purpose, that he will be able to convince everyone that he alone controls access to the gods. Leaders after him will be able to do the same.”
In today’s world we also see attempts at controlling everyone’s thinking, such as, “Look what evolution has accomplished,” and other examples.
Was God feeling threatened? No, nothing can threaten God’s power. So what was His concern?
God’s concern was for the little people – the weak, the poor, the under-privileged, and the common people. These were the people who felt obliged or forced to repeat their leader’s mantra even though it was ridiculous. They could hardly stand hearing those words coming out of their mouths, but neither could they stand for the consequences or bucking their leader’s commands. This means their leader, Nimrod, had plenty of henchmen to enforce his demands. No one messed with Nimrod. But God finally said, “Enough!”