Genesis 11:1-9
New American Standard Bible
The Tower of Babel
11 Now all the earth [a]used the same language and [b]the same words. 2 And it came about, as they journeyed [c]east, that they found a plain in the land (A)of Shinar and [d]settled there. 3 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. 4 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.” 5 Now (F)the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the [f]men had built. 6 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. 7 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.” 8 So the Lord (J)scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth; and they stopped building the city. 9 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.
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- Genesis 11:1 Lit was one lip
- Genesis 11:1 Or few or one set of words
- Genesis 11:2 Or from the east
- Genesis 11:2 Lit dwelt
- Genesis 11:3 I.e., in a kiln to harden them
- Genesis 11:5 Lit sons of mankind
- Genesis 11:6 Lit one lip
- Genesis 11:6 Lit inaccessible to
- Genesis 11:7 I.e., indicating united action, not a request
- Genesis 11:7 Lit lip
- Genesis 11:7 Lit lip
- Genesis 11:9 Or Babylon; cf. Heb balal, confuse
- Genesis 11:9 Lit lip
Genesis 11:1-9
American Standard Version
11 And the whole earth was of one [a]language and of one [b]speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed [c]east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. 3 And they said one to another, Come, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and [d]slime had they for mortar. 4 And they said, Come, let us build us a city, and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven, and let us make us a name; lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. 5 And Jehovah came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 6 And Jehovah said, Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is what they begin to do: and now nothing will be withholden from them, which they purpose to do. 7 Come, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. 8 So Jehovah scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off building the city. 9 Therefore was the name of it called Babel; because Jehovah did there [e]confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did Jehovah scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 11:1 Hebrew lip.
- Genesis 11:1 Hebrew words.
- Genesis 11:2 Or, in the east
- Genesis 11:3 That is, bitumen.
- Genesis 11:9 Hebrew balal, to confound.
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