Genesis 11

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:2

The East: Armenia, which lies to the eastward of Babylonia, whither they directed their course in quest of provisions for themselves and cattle, being now grown pretty numerous. (Menochius) read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:3

Each one: not that every individual joined in this undertaking, considered, at least, as a rash and presumptuous attempt to save themselves from a second deluge. Some might innocently give in to it, meaning only to leave a monument to their common origin and friendship, before they separated into distant countries. Slime: literally bitumen. (Haydock) --- The Hebrew, chomer, means also slime, or mortar. Stone is very scarce in that country, but the earth is fat, and very proper to make brick;... read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:4

Famous before; Hebrew lest, &c.; as if they intended to prevent that event. (Haydock) --- Their motive appears to have been pride, which raised the indignation of God. Nemrod, the chief instigator, might have designed the tower for a retreat, whence he might sally out and maintain his tyranny. (Menochius) read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:6

In deed. This seems to be spoken ironically; though the effects of weak mortals, the sons of Adam, when pursued with vigour and unanimity, will produce great effects. These builders had conceived an idea of raising the tower as high as possible, hyperbolically, to touch heaven. (Haydock) read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:7

Come ye, &c. As men seemed bent on taking heaven by storm, like the ancient giants, God turns their expressions, as it were, against themselves, and shews them an example of humility, let us go down. He acts the part of a judge, and therefore will examine all with the utmost diligence, as he denotes by these expressions; being really incapable of moving from place to place, on account of his immensity. (Haydock) --- He seems nearer to men, by the effects or punishments which he inflicted.... read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:9

Babel, that is, confusion. This is one of the greatest miracles recorded in the Old Testament; men forgot, in a moment, the language which they had hitherto spoken, and found themselves enabled to speak another, known only to a few of the same family (Calmet); for we must not suppose that there were as many new languages as there were men at Babel. (Menochius) --- The precise number of languages which were then heard, cannot be determined. The learned commonly acknowledge the Hebrew, Greek,... read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:12

Sale, or Cainan. See Chap. x. 24; Chronicles i. 18, in the Septuagint. (Haydock) read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:20

Sarug: in whose days St. Epiphanius places the origin of idolatry; but Eusebius (Pr'e6p. i. v. & 9.) thinks it began in Egypt, among the posterity of Cham. (Calmet) read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:27

Abram, the youngest of the three, being born only in the 130th year of Thare, ver. 32, and chap. xii. 4. He is placed first, on account of his superior dignity in the church of God, in like manner as Sem, Moses, &c. In his youth, he is supposed to have followed the idolatrous worship of his fathers. (St. Augustine, City of God x. chap. ultra[last chap.]; Genebrard, A.M. 1949 [in the year of the world 1949].) (Calmet) --- But being soon enlightened by God, he becomes a glorious witness of... read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:29

Jescha, whom many confound with Sarai, as if both Nacher and Abram had married the daughters of their brother Aran. But why then does Moses mention Sarai before, and then call her Jescha in the same verse? It seems as if he intended to designate two different women. (Haydock) --- In effect, Abram himself says, Sarai was truly his sister, born of the same father, chap. xii. 13. See chap. xx. 12, where we shall give the reasons that seem to prove that she was the daughter of Thare, and not... read more

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:2

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:3

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:4

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:6

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:7

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:9

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:12

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:20

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:27

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:29

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