Genesis 11
Genesis 11 marks the continuation of the early history of mankind after the Flood. This chapter primarily recounts two key events: the construction of the Tower of Babel and the division of languages. It serves as a turning point in human history as God intervenes to scatter humanity, preventing them from uniting in prideful rebellion. The chapter concludes with a genealogy that traces the descendants of Shem, leading to Abram (later known as Abraham), setting the stage for the covenantal history of Israel.
Genesis 11:1 (NKJV)
"Now the whole earth had one language and one speech."
After the flood, all humanity spoke a single language, creating a sense of unity and common purpose. This unity made it easier for people to collaborate and share ideas. However, their shared language would soon become the foundation for rebellion against God’s will. Instead of spreading across the earth as God commanded, they began to use their unity to resist God's plan. This unity, while potentially good, would soon be misused for self-glorification.
Genesis 11:2-3 (NKJV)
"And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. Then 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."
The people journeyed from the east and settled in Shinar, a fertile area. Instead of dispersing throughout the earth as God instructed, they decided to settle in one location. Their use of advanced technology—baking bricks and using asphalt as mortar—reveals their ambition and desire to build something monumental. Their intention to construct something permanent signified their collective desire for stability and a rejection of God's command to spread out and populate the earth.
Genesis 11:4 (NKJV)
"And they said, 'Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.'"
Their goal was not just to build a city but also a tower that reached into the heavens. This was not a project of humble worship, but rather a declaration of human pride and self-reliance. By "making a name for themselves," they sought to establish a legacy and identity independent of God. They feared scattering, which suggests their intent was to maintain control and unity through human strength, directly opposing God's command to fill the earth.
Genesis 11:5-6 (NKJV)
"But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the Lord said, 'Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.'"
God observed the city and the tower that the people were building. While the people sought to reach the heavens, God's "coming down" symbolizes how far they still were from Him, despite their ambitious goals. God's statement about their unity highlights the potential danger of unchecked human ambition when combined with pride and rebellion. Their united effort toward self-glorification, if left unaddressed, could lead to even greater opposition to God's will.
Genesis 11:7-8 (NKJV)
"'Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.' So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city."
God’s response to their rebellion was to confuse their language, causing them to no longer understand each other. This intervention effectively disrupted their project, forcing them to abandon the city and tower. As a result, they were scattered across the earth, fulfilling God's original command. The confusion of languages serves as both a judgment on their pride and a merciful act to prevent further unified rebellion against God's authority. The phrase "Let us go down" can be understood as referring to the pre-incarnate Christ and His angels. Christ, who bore the name Jehovah (YHWH) in the Old Testament, often led divine interventions. His role as YHWH is why the verse refers to the LORD (YHWH) descending. Accompanied by His angels, He confused the language at Babel, preventing further rebellion and scattering the people across the earth, fulfilling God’s command to fill the earth (Genesis 9:1). This aligns with other instances where Christ, as YHWH, worked with angels to carry out God's will.
Genesis 11:9 (NKJV)
"Therefore its name is called Babel, because 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."
The city was named Babel, meaning "confusion," because it was there that God confused their language. This moment represents a profound shift in human history, where the unity of mankind was broken due to prideful rebellion. The scattering of the people across the earth also explains the origin of diverse languages and nations. This event marks the beginning of human division, but it was also a protective measure from God to limit human pride and rebellion.
Genesis 11:10-26 (NKJV)
"This is the genealogy of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old, and begot Arphaxad two years after the flood. After he begot Arphaxad, Shem lived five hundred years, and begot sons and daughters. Arphaxad lived thirty-five years, and begot Salah. After he begot Salah, Arphaxad lived four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters. Salah lived thirty years, and begot Eber. After he begot Eber, Salah lived four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters. Eber lived thirty-four years, and begot Peleg. After he begot Peleg, Eber lived four hundred and thirty years, and begot sons and daughters. Peleg lived thirty years, and begot Reu. After he begot Reu, Peleg lived two hundred and nine years, and begot sons and daughters. Reu lived thirty-two years, and begot Serug. After he begot Serug, Reu lived two hundred and seven years, and begot sons and daughters. Serug lived thirty years, and begot Nahor. After he begot Nahor, Serug lived two hundred years, and begot sons and daughters. Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and begot Terah. After he begot Terah, Nahor lived one hundred and nineteen years, and begot sons and daughters. Now Terah lived seventy years, and begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran."
These verses provide the genealogy of Shem, tracing the generations from the flood up to Abram (later Abraham). It emphasizes the preservation of a godly line through which God’s covenant blessings would flow. Each generation is recorded with their sons and daughters, signaling the continuity of life and God's ongoing purpose for mankind despite the disruptions of sin and judgment. The genealogical account culminates in the birth of Abram, signaling the start of a new chapter in God’s plan of salvation.
Genesis 11:27-30 (NKJV)
"This is the genealogy of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran begot Lot. And Haran died before his father Terah in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans. Then Abram and Nahor took wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah. But Sarai was barren; she had no child."
These verses provide more detail about Terah’s family, particularly focusing on Abram and his relatives. Haran's early death leaves Lot, his son, as an orphan who would later play a significant role in Abram's life. Abram and Nahor both marry, but it is noted that Sarai, Abram’s wife, is barren, an important detail that sets the stage for the coming promises of God concerning Abram's descendants. Despite Sarai's barrenness, God's plan will prevail.
Genesis 11:31-32 (NKJV)
"And Terah took 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 Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there. So the days of Terah were two hundred and five years, and Terah died in Haran."
Terah, Abram's father, decides to leave Ur and head toward the land of Canaan, taking Abram, Lot, and Sarai with him. However, they do not complete the journey and settle in Haran instead. Terah’s death marks the end of his life but also a significant transition point in the narrative, as it sets the stage for Abram’s eventual calling from God to continue the journey to Canaan. Abram’s obedience to this calling will become a central theme in the unfolding story of God's covenant with him.