Keraia
Genesis 11

Genesis 11:6

The Tower of Babel · Genesis 11:1–9
Read Genesis 11

Translations

Modern
And the LORD said, “If they have begun to do this as one people speaking the same language, then nothing they devise will be beyond them.
Traditional
And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
Literal
And YHWH said, “Behold, the people are one, and one language is to them all, and this they have begun to do. And now nothing will be restrained from them of all that they devise to do.
Latin
…et dixit: Ecce, unus est populus, et unum labium omnibus: cœperuntque hoc facere, nec desistent a cogitationibus suis, donec eas opere compleant.

Original

Hebrew
English
And the LORD said, “If they have begun to do this as one people speaking the same language, then nothing they devise will be beyond them.

Notes

Genesis 11:6

If no one stopped them, the tower builders would become united and ambitious. This would allow human evil to grow in ways that cannot be imagined.

Genesis 11:1–9

The story of the unfinished tower continues themes from the Table of Nations (chapter 10). These themes include language and human unity. The builders wanted independence from God, which recalls the rebellion in the garden of Eden (chapter 3). This also helps show why Abram’s faithful response to God is needed (chapter 12) during a time of disorder among the nations.

The scattering of the nations also points forward to later warnings given to Israel. God warned that idolatry would lead to their being scattered, and that their cities would be ruined (see Leviticus 26:33; Numbers 10:35; Deuteronomy 4:27; 28:64; 30:3).

In the timeline of Genesis, this goes back to an earlier time. It explains how the nations spread out during the time of Peleg (see Genesis 10:25).

Genesis 10:1–11:9

The fifth account (10:1) in Genesis (see study note on 2:4) unites the Table of Nations (10:2–32) and the Babel story (11:1–9) around the theme of scattering the nations (10:5, 18; 11:4, 8–9). The Table of Nations appears before the Babel story, but the Babel event explains how the nations and languages in that list came to exist.

By placing these events in this order, Genesis connects the filling of the earth with the blessing God gave to Noah and his sons (see 9:1 and study note). It shows that the growth of the nations comes from God’s blessing.

This order also prepares for Abram’s call (12:1–3). Abram’s call shows God’s answer to the problem seen at Babel (11:1–9), where humans were separated from God. Through Abram, God begins to restore that relationship.

Events

Parallels

Deuteronomy 32:8 Acts 2:1–13

Glossary

Abraham Architecture Babel Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Biblical Concept of Law Chronology of the Bible (Old Testament) Ebla Tablets Genesis, Book of Land Man Mesopotamia Nations Nimrod Patriarchs, Period of the Peleg Tower Tower of Babel Ziggurat

Topics

Babel: A City in the Plain of Shinar--Tower Built, and Tongues Confused At Babylon: City of Tower of Confusion of Tongues Dispersion: After Building the Tower of Babel Language of all Mankind One at First Language: Confusion of Language: Confusion of a Punishment for Presumption Language: Unity of Languages Miracles: Catalogue of The Confusion of Languages Potential Technology Tongue: Confusion of