The Tower of Babel

11 Now all the earth [a]used the same language and [b]the same words. And it came about, as they journeyed [c]east, that they found a plain in the land (A)of Shinar and [d]settled there. Then they said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks and [e]fire them thoroughly.” And they used brick for stone, and they used (B)tar for mortar. And they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top (C)will reach into heaven, and let’s make (D)a name for ourselves; otherwise we (E)will be scattered abroad over the face of all the earth.” Now (F)the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the [f]men had built. And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have [g](G)the same language. And this is what they have started to do, and now nothing which they plan to do will be [h]impossible for them. Come, [i](H)let Us go down and there (I)confuse their [j]language, so that they will not understand one another’s [k]speech.” So the Lord (J)scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth; and they stopped building the city. Therefore it was named [l](K)Babel, because there the Lord confused the [m]language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 11:1 Lit was one lip
  2. Genesis 11:1 Or few or one set of words
  3. Genesis 11:2 Or from the east
  4. Genesis 11:2 Lit dwelt
  5. Genesis 11:3 I.e., in a kiln to harden them
  6. Genesis 11:5 Lit sons of mankind
  7. Genesis 11:6 Lit one lip
  8. Genesis 11:6 Lit inaccessible to
  9. Genesis 11:7 I.e., indicating united action, not a request
  10. Genesis 11:7 Lit lip
  11. Genesis 11:7 Lit lip
  12. Genesis 11:9 Or Babylon; cf. Heb balal, confuse
  13. Genesis 11:9 Lit lip

Bible Gateway Recommends