Genesis 11

¹ The whole earth was of one language and of one speech.

² As they traveled east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they lived there.

³ They said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar.

⁴ They said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let’s make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth.”

⁵ The LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built.

⁶ The LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do. Now nothing will be withheld from them, which they intend to do.

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

⁸ So the LORD scattered them abroad from there on the surface of all the earth. They stopped building the city.

⁹ Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. From there, the LORD scattered them abroad on the surface of all the earth.

¹⁰ This is the history of the generations of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old when he became the father of Arpachshad two years after the flood.

¹¹ Shem lived five hundred years after he became the father of Arpachshad, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

¹² Arpachshad lived thirty-five years and became the father of Shelah.

¹³ Arpachshad lived four hundred three years after he became the father of Shelah, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

¹⁴ Shelah lived thirty years, and became the father of Eber.

¹⁵ Shelah lived four hundred three years after he became the father of Eber, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

¹⁶ Eber lived thirty-four years, and became the father of Peleg.

¹⁷ Eber lived four hundred thirty years after he became the father of Peleg, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

¹⁸ Peleg lived thirty years, and became the father of Reu.

¹⁹ Peleg lived two hundred nine years after he became the father of Reu, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

²⁰ Reu lived thirty-two years, and became the father of Serug.

²¹ Reu lived two hundred seven years after he became the father of Serug, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

²² Serug lived thirty years, and became the father of Nahor.

²³ Serug lived two hundred years after he became the father of Nahor, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

²⁴ Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and became the father of Terah.

²⁵ Nahor lived one hundred nineteen years after he became the father of Terah, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

²⁶ Terah lived seventy years, and became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

²⁷ Now this is the history of the generations of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran became the father of Lot.

²⁸ Haran died in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldees, while his father Terah was still alive.

²⁹ Abram and Nahor married wives. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran, who was also the father of Iscah.

³⁰ Sarai was barren. She had no child.

³¹ Terah took Abram his son, Lot the son of Haran, his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife. They went from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan. They came to Haran and lived there.

³² The days of Terah were two hundred five years. Terah died in Haran.

¹ AAnd the earth was of one tongue, and of the same speech.

² And when they removed from the east, they found a plain in the land of Sennaar, and dwelt in it.

³ And each one said to his neighbour: Come let us make brick, and bake them with fire. And they had brick instead of stones, and slime instead of mortar:

⁴ And they said: Come, let us make a city and a tower, the top whereof may reach to heaven; and let us make our name famous before we be scattered abroad into all lands.

⁵ And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of Adam were building.

⁶ And he said: Behold, it is one people, and all have one tongue: and they have begun to do this, neither will they leave off from their designs, till they accomplish them in deed.

⁷ Come ye, therefore, let us go down, and there confound their tongue, that they may not understand one another’s speech.

⁸ And so the Lord scattered them from that place into all lands, and they ceased to build the city.

⁹ And therefore the name thereof was called Babel, because there the language of the whole earth was confounded: and from thence the Lord scattered them abroad upon the face of all countries.

¹⁰ These are the generations of Sem: Sem was a hundred years old when he begot Arphaxad, two years after the flood.

¹¹ And Sem lived after he begot Arphaxad, five hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.

¹² And Arphaxad lived thirty-five years, and begot Sale.

¹³ And Arphaxad lived after he begot Sale, three hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters.

¹⁴ Sale also lived thirty years, and begot Heber.

¹⁵ And Sale lived after he begot Heber, four hundred and three years: and begot sons and daughters.

¹⁶ And Heber lived thirty-four years, and begot Phaleg.

¹⁷ And Heber lived after he begot Phaleg, four hundred and thirty years: and begot sons and daughters.

¹⁸ Phaleg also lived thirty years, and begot Reu.

¹⁹ And Phaleg lived after he begot Reu, two hundred and nine years, and begot sons and daughters.

²⁰ And Reu lived thirty-two years, and begot Sarug.

²¹ And Reu lived after he begot Sarug, two hundred and seven years, and begot sons and daughters.

²² And Sarug lived thirty years, and begot Nachor.

²³ And Sarug lived after he begot Nachor, two hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.

²⁴ And Nachor lived nine and twenty years, and begot Thare.

²⁵ And Nachor lived after he begot Thare, a hundred and nineteen years, and begot sons and daughters.

²⁶ And Thare lived seventy years, and begot Abram, and Nachor, and Aran.

²⁷ And these are the generations of Thare: Thare begot Abram, Nachor, and Aran. And Aran begot Lot.

²⁸ And Aran died before Thare his father, in the land of his nativity in Ur of the Chaldees.

²⁹ And Abram and Nachor married wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai: and the name of Nachor’s wife, Melcha, the daughter of Aran, father of Melcha and father of Jescha.

³⁰ And Sarai was barren, and had no children.

³¹ And Thare took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Aran, his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, the wife of Abram his son, and brought them out of Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Chanaan: and they came as far as Haran, and dwelt there.

³² And the days of Thare were two hundred and five years, and he died in Haran.