Genesis Chapter 11 Notes

This commentary is only about Genesis chapter 11:1-9. I won't cover verses 10-32 in this commentary because it is pretty much a list of names of Shem descendants.

The whole earth spoke the same language and used the same (words) dialect, speech or vocabulary. In my imagination, all those individuals spoke Hebrew. The reason why I believe all those individuals spoke Hebrew is because the Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew. So it makes sense to me that they all spoke Hebrew. Together, on one accord they traveled to the eat and stayed in Babylonia and stayed there. I can imagine them having an meeting and discussing their plans for a project (a building to each the sky, making a great city for themselves). They wanted to famous for their work and they did not want to be separated from each other. What do you know? We have the first construction workers in the Bible. Who were these people? God already destroyed all world with a flood. It seems to me like there would only be Noah and his descendants left.  It's possible that some of Noah's descendants could have been the ones to build the city. Even though the Bible is not clear on who or how many individuals came together and decided they wanted to build an city. After the people had a thought they put those thoughts into action and started to build the tower of Babel and build a city. They were on one accord and communicated the same language. They had the same goal, no hidden agendas, and that got God's attention. God came down from Heaven and saw what the people did and he said in verse 6 And Behold, the people is one, and they all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. I like the way the New Living Translation says it, Look!" he said. "The people are united and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them!" Even though those people were doing things that was against God's will at the time they were all on one accord. If a group of disobedient people can do something that is not in the will of God and prosper, how much more can the believer who has God's stamp of approval can do? All things are possible with God! These people had a plan, discussed their plan and put their plans into actions. They didn't want to be scattered. However, God wanted them to be scattered. In the beginning God told man to be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth and subdue it. How are the people going to be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth when they will not even separate from each other? I can imagine that those people were comfortable with each other and were probably born together and wanted to die in the same place. I imagine that those people wanted to stick together and didn't want to be separate from each other around the earth because they knew deep down inside that they would have no way to communicate with each other. They didn't have the telephone, Facebook, Skype, Twitter, Yahoo Messenger, or any other way to communicate with each other through Internet like we do today. They were most likely fearful of separating from each other because of their close relationship and they didn't want to be lonely. I'm sure that they had a love for each other and a strong bond. When you have a strong bond with someone it makes it even more difficult to separate from that person. However, in spite of their anxiety to separate and their fear God still wanted them to be separated from each other to go and replenish the earth. So God gave them different languages and they could not understand each other. They scattered all over the earth and wasn't able to build the city. I personally believe that this event of God confusing the languages is the thing that not only created the different languages but also created different cultures as well.

One thing that I learned from this portion of the scriptures is that sometimes God will allow certain things to happen to get you to move out of your comfort zone. Sometimes God will destroy that project, relationship, etc. just so that He can take you to a place for you to prosper. Sometimes you have to move out of that city away from your family members. Sometimes you have to leave that job that you have worked at for years. Sometimes you have to leave that relationship. God always has something better for you.

Genesis 11:1-32

1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

2 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.

3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.

4 And they said, Go to, 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 the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 

6 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.

7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.

8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.

9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

10 These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood: 

11 And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.

12 And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah: 

13 And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. 

14 And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber: 

15 And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.

16 And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat Peleg:

17 And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters. 

18 And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu: 

19 And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons and daughters.

20 And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug:

21 And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters.

22 And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor:

23 And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.

24 And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah:

25 And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters.

26 And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

27 Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot. 

28 And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.

29 And Abram and Nahor took them 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.

30 But Sarai was barren; she had no child. 

31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. 

32 And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.