[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.

Commentary on Genesis Chapter Eleven

The command of God unto those who went forth from the ark was the same as it had been unto Adam and Eve in the beginning of the human race. It is written.

“And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.”

(Genesis 9:1)

To do this would mandate that a migration in all directions, radiating out from the Ark of God upon Ararat, be undertaken from the outset. So, what do we find mankind doing in the opening of chapter eleven? We are told.

“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.”

(Genesis 11:1-2)

The Tigris Euphrates valley was a vast, fertile land where there was ample water and fodder for both man and beast to consume as they would. It apparently was so enticing that the whole of humanity which left the ark decided that this place was far enough for them to travel in spite of what God had said. Once again, we have mankind deciding that they would substitute what they thought ought to be good enough based upon their experiences and desires instead of fulfilling the mandate of God.

This is a demonstration of the same inward spiritual condition that crouched within the bosom of Cain when he brought unto God the fruit of the ground instead of the acceptable blood offering. Mark it down my friend, the sin nature of fallen humanity is very much alive and well in all who are born of woman upon this earth.

Far too often in our personal lives, and in the administration of the Church’s carrying out of the Great Commission, we are quick to substitute what we think ought to be done for what God has commanded. We make exceptions based upon emotional or traditional grounds rather than choosing to be in obedience to the clear dictates of God. Note the basis which was the underlying reasons for the actions we are about to see. It is written.

” 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.”

(Genesis 11:3-4)

Their declared intent found in verse four is in direct defiance of God’s command. All the earth was not comprised of the plain of Shinar. Note that they deliberately planned out how they would divert God’s decree. The area in the Tigris Euphrates Valley is a land which is virtually void of stone suitable for building. Neither did they find ample supplies of suitable wood for such a project. In their creative rebellion they employed the very earth and bogs around them to construct what was intended to be the greatest building project undertaken by humanity to that time.

The sophistication of the human race at that time period becomes evident when one considers the task which they undertook. The Tower of Babel was in actuality what archeologists have come to call a Ziggurat type structure. The ruins of several of these massive structures are still visible throughout that land today. This was not in any fashion to be even contemplated to be a stair way by which one might climb up to the abode of God in the heavenlies. That idea has come down to us through the ideas of artists and tellers of tales as well as those who believe this to be a fairy tale for children.

The purposes of this structure were far more complex than any such nonsense as that. First among these was the location of a common monument to which all people would be drawn. Such a huge structure standing alone upon the vast plains of that area would be visible for miles in every direction. It would be a focal point for one to use as a reminder that to the cause which built that structure belonged their allegiances. Much as the flag of a nation causes a patriotic response to rise up in the heart of one from that country, this would evoke emotions of pride and union with all who belonged to that common cause.

The second purpose, which would be just as powerful and just as deadly concerning their direct rebellion against God, was that this structure was designed to be the focal point of a nationalistic religion which would bind the souls of all men together in opposition to God. The Ziggurat was built in the form of a step pyramid with a broad base that grew narrower as one ascended up the sides. There were rampways which allowed for people to do exactly that and there were sections at certain points where those making pilgrimage could pause and rest before going on. It is interesting to note that every brick which was used in building such an edifice was stamped with the impression of the ruler’s name as a sign of approval before being used in a building project.

At the top of these structures was a temple which allegedly housed the gods which were responsible for the creation and maintenance of “The Heavens”. Inside these temples were tables where offerings, and often, sacrifices were presented unto the gods. On the floor of the temple area, in a circle, would be depicted the signs of the zodiac which was meant to honor the gods depicted by those signs. This was a crucial part of the religion of ancient Babylon which God despises. This was the meaning of the phrase, “whose top may reach unto heaven; “

Humanity was constructing a common symbol of “patriotism”. They were constructing a common place and manner of “worship.” They spoke the same “common language.” They also were all in agreement to do these things in order that they might be united as one people. History has repeatedly demonstrated that these things are the glue which hold any particular society together. These are the identifying marks of a people who comprise a unified society. Unfortunately, these are often the same marks of a people who are in rebellion against God under the guise of holding fast to their culture.

Take note that it was apparently the one called Nimrod who was responsible for the leadership of this rebellion. It is written.

“And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
[9] He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.
[10] And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.”

(Genesis 10:8-10)

This “Nimrod” as he is designated was the first human in history to launch a campaign to conquer the entire world and subdue it under his whims and tyrannical rule. By no means will he be the last. The actual word, “Nimrod“, is a title which is derived from Hebrew wording that confers the idea of “The rebellious one.” Once more the seeds of self-aggrandizement have shown that they will bring forth fruit in every human heart left unchecked by the dictates of God, The creator. What was the reaction of God to all of this? It is written.

“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.”

(Genesis 11:5-9)

There are several things to note in the actions of God here which carry tremendous importance. First, God could have simply wiped-out humanity as He had just recently done yet He did not! Also, He could have destroyed their entire habitation which they had bult but again He did not do so. What He did do was take counsel with Himself, as in the entirety of the Trinity in decreeing what the response would be.

Note the phrase in verse seven, “Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech”. Without the ability to communicate freely and clearly, the undertaking which had been begun ceased. This would also have been the beginning of every ethnicity to inhabit the earth, for people would have naturally gravitated toward those who they could understand and thereby naturally, gradually, alliances were formed upon the basis of common language. It would have been at this point that the great and diverse migrations of all ethnicities would have occurred thereby fulfilling the original mandate unto them to fill all the earth.

It is also at this point in the Biblical narrative that God begins to single out one family, and then one individual within that family through which He is going to continue the revelation of Himself through the coming Messiah. It is written.

“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.”

(Genesis 11:10-27)

To the casual reader of Scripture this is merely one more list of the infamous “begats” which seem so boring and without much value as one reads through the Scriptures. Nothing could be further from the truth my friend, for this listing will be the establishment of an unbroken lineage of the one called The Messiah when He appears in Human history. This lineage is the one which connects Him to God Himself through Shem, Noah, and ultimately Adam who we are told is a son of God in the writings of the gospel accounts. Take note that we are ultimately introduced to three sons of Terah out of which one will be chosen of God to continue the Revelation of Himself through Jesus the coming Messiah. God did not choose Nahor. God did not choose Haran. He did in fact choose Abram. It is of note that Abram was married to Sarai, whose name at this point translates roughly as “Contentious”. It is also of note that she was known to be barren. The reasons for noting this will unfold before us as we walk through the Scriptures, but it is of note now because the meaning of her husband’s name, Abram, is translated as “Exalted Father”

One might easily surmise that the barrenness of Sarah which was apparently known to all about them was an open wound to their souls, for in that day children were seen as a source of favor from on high. As we conclude this chapter, we are given the needful facts concerning an overview of the actions of this man Abram as he began to travel from the land of his birth. God, as He often does, gives here an overview but shortly He will show us the necessary detailed interaction between this man and Himself that continues the revelation which He intends to grant us concerning His grace, His love, and His intention to provide a way of redemption unto humanity which we cannot provide under any circumstances for ourselves.