1Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2And as they migrated from the east,#11.2 Or migrated eastward they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” 5The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. 6And the Lord said, “Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another's speech.” 8So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9Therefore it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused#11.9 Heb balal, meaning to confuse the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

Descendants of Shem

10These are the descendants of Shem. When Shem was one hundred years old, he became the father of Arpachshad two years after the flood; 11and Shem lived after the birth of Arpachshad five hundred years, and had other sons and daughters.

12When Arpachshad had lived thirty-five years, he became the father of Shelah; 13and Arpachshad lived after the birth of Shelah four hundred three years, and had other sons and daughters.

14When Shelah had lived thirty years, he became the father of Eber; 15and Shelah lived after the birth of Eber four hundred three years, and had other sons and daughters.

16When Eber had lived thirty-four years, he became the father of Peleg; 17and Eber lived after the birth of Peleg four hundred thirty years, and had other sons and daughters.

18When Peleg had lived thirty years, he became the father of Reu; 19and Peleg lived after the birth of Reu two hundred nine years, and had other sons and daughters.

20When Reu had lived thirty-two years, he became the father of Serug; 21and Reu lived after the birth of Serug two hundred seven years, and had other sons and daughters.

22When Serug had lived thirty years, he became the father of Nahor; 23and Serug lived after the birth of Nahor two hundred years, and had other sons and daughters.

24When Nahor had lived twenty-nine years, he became the father of Terah; 25and Nahor lived after the birth of Terah one hundred nineteen years, and had other sons and daughters.

26When Terah had lived seventy years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Descendants of Terah

27Now these are the descendants of Terah. Terah was the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran was the father of Lot. 28Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans. 29Abram and Nahor took wives; the name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife was Milcah. She was the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and Iscah. 30Now Sarai was barren; she had no child.

31Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram's wife, and they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan; but when they came to Haran, they settled there. 32The days of Terah were two hundred five years; and Terah died in Haran.

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Genesis 11

The Tower of Babel

1Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. 2And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land #Gen. 10:10; 14:1; Dan. 1:2of Shinar, and they dwelt there. 3Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. 4And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower #Deut. 1:28; 9:1; Ps. 107:26whose top is in the heavens; let us make a #Gen. 6:4; 2 Sam. 8:13name for ourselves, lest we #Deut. 4:27be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

5#Gen. 18:21; Ex. 3:8; 19:11, 18, 20But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6And the Lord said, “Indeed #Gen. 9:19; Acts 17:26the people are one and they all have #Gen. 11:1one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they #Deut. 31:21; Ps. 2:1propose to do will be withheld from them. 7Come, #Gen. 1:26let Us go down and there #Gen. 42:23; Ex. 4:11; Deut. 28:49; Is. 33:19; Jer. 5:15confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8So #Gen. 11:4; Deut. 32:8; Ps. 92:9; (Luke 1:51)the Lord scattered them abroad from there #Gen. 10:25, 32over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. 9Therefore its name is called Babel, #1 Cor. 14:23because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

Shem’s Descendants

10#Gen. 10:22–25; 1 Chr. 1:17This is the genealogy of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old, and begot Arphaxad two years after the flood. 11After he begot Arphaxad, Shem lived five hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.

12Arphaxad lived thirty-five years, #Luke 3:35and begot Salah. 13After he begot Salah, Arphaxad lived four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters.

14Salah lived thirty years, and begot Eber. 15After he begot Eber, Salah lived four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters.

16#1 Chr. 1:19Eber lived thirty-four years, and begot #Luke 3:35Peleg. 17After he begot Peleg, Eber lived four hundred and thirty years, and begot sons and daughters.

18Peleg lived thirty years, and begot Reu. 19After he begot Reu, Peleg lived two hundred and nine years, and begot sons and daughters.

20Reu lived thirty-two years, and begot #Luke 3:35Serug. 21After he begot Serug, Reu lived two hundred and seven years, and begot sons and daughters.

22Serug lived thirty years, and begot Nahor. 23After he begot Nahor, Serug lived two hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.

24Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and begot #Gen. 11:31; Josh. 24:2; Luke 3:34Terah. 25After he begot Terah, Nahor lived one hundred and nineteen years, and begot sons and daughters.

26Now Terah lived seventy years, and #Josh. 24:2; 1 Chr. 1:26begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Terah’s Descendants

27This is the genealogy of Terah: Terah begot #Gen. 11:31; 17:5Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran begot Lot. 28And Haran died before his father Terah in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans. 29Then Abram and Nahor took wives: the name of Abram’s wife was #Gen. 17:15; 20:12Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife, #Gen. 22:20, 23; 24:15Milcah, the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah. 30But#Gen. 16:1, 2; Luke 1:36 Sarai was barren; she had no child.

31And Terah #Gen. 12:1took his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they went out with them from #Gen. 15:7; Neh. 9:7; Acts 7:4Ur of the Chaldeans to go to #Gen. 10:19the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there. 32So the days of Terah were two hundred and five years, and Terah died in Haran.

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Genesis 11

Genesis 11