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Universal Language, Babel, Confusion

Now the whole earth 1spoke one language and used the same words (vocabulary) . And as people journeyed eastward, they found a plain in the land aof Shinar and they settled there. Gen 10:10 They said one to another, “Come, let us make bricks and fire them thoroughly in a kiln, to harden and strengthen them.” So they used brick for stone as building material, and they used atar (bitumen, asphalt) for mortar. They said, “Come, let us build a city for ourselves, and a tower whose top awill reach into the heavens, and let us make ba famous name for ourselves, so that we will not cbe scattered into separate groups and be dispersed over the surface of the entire earth as the LORD instructed.” Gen 9:1 aNow the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one unified people, and they all have athe same language. This is only the beginning of what they will do in rebellion against Me, and now no evil thing they imagine they can do will be impossible for them. Come, alet Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) go down and there bconfuse and mix up their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” So the LORD ascattered them abroad from there over the surface of the entire earth; and they stopped building the city. Therefore the name of the city was 1aBabel—because there the LORD confused the language of the entire earth; and from that place the LORD scattered and dispersed them over the surface of all the earth.

Descendants of Shem

10 aThese are the records of the generations of Shem from whom Abraham descended. Shem was a hundred years old when he became the father of Arpachshad, two years after the flood. 11 And Shem lived five hundred years after Arpachshad was born, and he had other sons and daughters.

12 When Arpachshad had lived thirty-five years, he became the father of Shelah. 13 Arpachshad lived four hundred and three years after Shelah was born, and he had other sons and daughters.

14 When Shelah had lived thirty years, he became the father of Eber. 15 Shelah lived four hundred and three years after Eber was born, and he had other sons and daughters.

16 When Eber had lived thirty-four years, he became the father of Peleg. 17 And Eber lived four hundred and thirty years after Peleg was born, and he had other sons and daughters.

18 When Peleg had lived thirty years, he became the father of Reu. 19 And Peleg lived two hundred and nine years after Reu was born, and he had other sons and daughters.

20 When Reu had lived thirty-two years, he became the father of Serug. 21 And Reu lived two hundred and seven years after Serug was born, and he had other sons and daughters.

22 When Serug had lived thirty years, he became the father of Nahor. 23 And Serug lived two hundred years after Nahor was born, and he had other sons and daughters.

24 When Nahor had lived twenty-nine years, he became the father of aTerah. 25 And Nahor lived a hundred and nineteen years after Terah was born, and he had other sons and daughters.

26 After Terah had lived seventy years, he became athe father of 1Abram and Nahor and Haran his firstborn.

27 Now these are the records of the descendants of Terah. Terah was the father of Abram (Abraham) , Nahor, and Haran; and aHaran was the father of bLot. 28 Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his birth, in 1aUr of the Chaldeans. 29 Abram and aNahor took wives for themselves. The name of Abram’s wife was bSarai (later called Sarah) , and the name of Nahor’s wife was cMilcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and Iscah. 30 But aSarai was barren; she did not have a child.

31 Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went out together to go from aUr of the Chaldeans into the land of Canaan; but when they came to Haran about five hundred and fifty miles northwest of Ur, they settled there. 32 Terah lived two hundred and five years; and Terah died in Haran.

The Tower of Babel

Now the whole earth 1had the same language and 2the same words. And it happened as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land aof Shinar and 1settled there. Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and they had atar for mortar. And they said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top awill reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves ba name, lest we cbe scattered over the face of the whole earth.” aThen Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And Yahweh said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have 1athe same language. And this is what they have begun to do. So now nothing which they purpose to do will be 2impossible for them. Come, alet Us go down and there bconfuse their 1language, so that they will not understand one another’s 2language.” So Yahweh ascattered them from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city. Therefore its name was called 1aBabel, because there Yahweh confused the 2language of the whole earth; and from there Yahweh scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

The Generations of Shem

10 aThese are the generations of Shem. Shem was 100 years old and 1became 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.

24 Nahor lived 29 years and became the father of aTerah; 25 and Nahor lived 119 years after he became the father of Terah, and he became the father of other sons and daughters.

26 And Terah lived 70 years and became athe father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

The Generations of Terah

27 Now these are the generations of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and aHaran became the father of bLot. 28 And Haran died 1in the presence of Terah his father in the land of his birth, in aUr of the Chaldeans. 29 Abram and aNahor took wives for themselves. The name of Abram’s wife was bSarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife was cMilcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah. 30 aAnd Sarai was barren; she had no child.

31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went out 1together from aUr of the Chaldeans in order to go to the land of Canaan; and they came as far as Haran and 2settled there. 32 And the days of Terah were 205 years; and Terah died in Haran.

The Tower of Babel

Now all the earth 1used the same language and 2the same words. And it came about, as they journeyed 1east, that they found a plain in the land aof Shinar and 2settled there. Then they said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks and 1fire them thoroughly.” And they used brick for stone, and they used atar for mortar. And they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top awill reach into heaven, and let’s make ba name for ourselves; otherwise we cwill be scattered abroad over the face of all the earth.” Now athe LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the 1men had built. And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have 1athe same language. And this is what they have started to do, and now nothing which they plan to do will be 2impossible for them. Come, 1alet Us go down and there bconfuse their 2language, so that they will not understand one another’s 3speech.” So the LORD ascattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth; and they stopped building the city. Therefore it was named 1aBabel, because there the LORD confused the 2language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

Descendants of Shem

10 aThese are the records of the generations of Shem. Shem was a hundred years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood; 11 and Shem lived five hundred years after he fathered Arpachshad, and he fathered other sons and daughters.

12 Arpachshad lived thirty-five years, and fathered Shelah; 13 and Arpachshad lived 403 years after he fathered Shelah, and he fathered other sons and daughters.

14 Shelah lived thirty years, and fathered Eber; 15 and Shelah lived 403 years after he fathered Eber, and he fathered other sons and daughters.

16 Eber lived thirty-four years, and fathered Peleg; 17 and Eber lived 430 years after he fathered Peleg, and he fathered other sons and daughters.

18 Peleg lived thirty years, and fathered Reu; 19 and Peleg lived 209 years after he fathered Reu, and he fathered other sons and daughters.

20 Reu lived thirty-two years, and fathered Serug; 21 and Reu lived 207 years after he fathered Serug, and he fathered other sons and daughters.

22 Serug lived thirty years, and fathered Nahor; 23 and Serug lived two hundred years after he fathered Nahor, and he fathered other sons and daughters.

24 Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and fathered aTerah; 25 and Nahor lived 119 years after he fathered Terah, and he fathered other sons and daughters.

26 Terah lived seventy years, and afathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

27 Now these are the records of the generations of Terah. Terah fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and aHaran fathered bLot. 28 Haran died 1during the lifetime of his father Terah in the land of his birth, in aUr of the Chaldeans. 29 Abram and aNahor took wives for themselves. The name of Abram’s wife was bSarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was cMilcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah 1and Iscah. 30 aSarai was unable to conceive; she did not have a child.

31 Now Terah took his son Abram, and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they departed 1together from aUr of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and they went as far as Haran and 2settled there. 32 The days of Terah were 205 years; and Terah died in Haran.

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