Genesis 11:1-23 ▼

1 Now the whole earth had the same language and the same words.

2 And it happened as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.

3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and they had tar for mortar.

4 And they said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, lest we be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

5 Then Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.

6 And Yahweh said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they have begun to do. So now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them.

7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s language.”

8 So Yahweh scattered them from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city.

9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there Yahweh confused the language of the whole earth; and from there Yahweh scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

10 These are the generations of Shem. Shem was 100 years old and became the father of Arpachshad two years after the flood;

11 and Shem lived 500 years after he became the father of Arpachshad, and he became the father of other sons and daughters.

12 And Arpachshad lived 35 years and became the father of Shelah;

13 and Arpachshad lived 403 years after he became the father of Shelah, and he became the father of other sons and daughters.

14 And Shelah lived 30 years and became the father of Eber;

15 and Shelah lived 403 years after he became the father of Eber, and he became the father of other sons and daughters.

16 And Eber lived 34 years and became the father of Peleg;

17 and Eber lived 430 years after he became the father of Peleg, and he became the father of other sons and daughters.

18 And Peleg lived 30 years and became the father of Reu;

19 and Peleg lived 209 years after he became the father of Reu, and he became the father of other sons and daughters.

20 And Reu lived 32 years and became the father of Serug;

21 and Reu lived 207 years after he became the father of Serug, and he became the father of other sons and daughters.

22 And Serug lived 30 years and became the father of Nahor;

23 and Serug lived 200 years after he became the father of Nahor, and he became the father of other sons and daughters.