Genesis 11:1

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Genesis 11:1-32

CHAPTER 11:1-9 The Tower of Babel and the Scattering of the Nations 1. The unity of the nations in Shinar (Genesis 11:1-2 ) 2. Their attempt: “Let us make” (Genesis 11:3-4 ) 3. The divine answer: “Let us go down” (Genesis 11:5-7 ) 4. The Result (Genesis 11:8-9 ) All the earth had one language. This is also proven by philological research. The whole human family journeyed together. They left the mountainous regions and went down to the plain. This expresses their descent morally; they... read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:1-32

BABEL: THE CITY AND THE TOWER Up to this time there was only one language. In the world today men wish they could have this advantage, but God is wiser than men. Men desire this for the very same reason that Caused God to impose various languages upon them. They are infected by pride that wants to unite independently of God, so as to have a great civilization. They journeyed "from the east," literally "from the sun rising." This is strikingly typical of man's turning his back upon the... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:1-32

THE TOWER OF BABEL The contents of this chapter seem to precede in time those of chapter 10. There we have the story of how the nations were divided, and here why they were divided. What was true of the race linguistically until this time (Genesis 11:1 )? To what locality had they been chiefly attracted (Genesis 11:2 )? What new mechanical science is now named (Genesis 11:3 )? What two-fold purpose was the outcome of this invention (Genesis 11:4 )? What was the object in view? Is there a... read more

Joseph Parker

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - Genesis 11:1-32

On the Building of Babel Genesis 11:0 Comparing this account with our own method of life and art, it is clear that from the beginning of time men have been doing pretty much the same thing all the world over. The world's story is but short; it is very much like a series of repetitions: the actors, indeed, have been innumerable, but the drama has always been contracted, and seldom profound. The actors have made noise enough, but when there has been a little break through the dust, we have... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Genesis 11:1

CONTENTS The sacred historian relates in this Chapter an awful proof of man's fallen nature, and thereby confirms the divine declaration concerning it, that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. For notwithstanding that the flood had swept away the whole human race, excepting that part preserved with Noah in the ark; and God's displeasure against sin had manifested itself in this dreadful judgment, yet the sin of man soon broke out afresh; and, in the daring... read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:1

Speech. Probably Hebrew; in which language we have the most ancient book in the world, the work of Moses. This language has been preserved ever since, though with some alterations. Most of the oriental languages are but like dialects from it, as French, Italian, &c. are from Latin. The arguments which are brought to prove that other languages are more ancient, because the names of men, &c. have a proper significance in them as well as in Hebrew, do not invalidate the right of the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:1-4

1-4 How soon men forget the most tremendous judgments, and go back to their former crimes! Though the desolations of the deluge were before their eyes, though they sprang from the stock of righteous Noah, yet even during his life-time, wickedness increases exceedingly. Nothing but the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit can remove the sinful lusts of the human will, and the depravity of the human heart. God's purpose was, that mankind should form many nations, and people all lands. In contempt... read more

Frank Binford Hole

F. B. Hole's Old and New Testament Commentary - Genesis 11:1-4

Gen_11:1 Gen_13:4 . The closing verse of Genesis 10.0 alluded to the distribution of the nations of the earth after the flood. The first nine verses of Genesis 11.0 tell us how that division came about. For some time after the flood nations did not exist. All men were descendants of Noah: a rapidly increasing family, but all speaking alike. As time went on population increased and the urge to push outward from the original centre became irresistible. The pioneers of this movement were... read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Genesis 11:1-4

The building of the Tower v. 1. And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech. Much of the explanatory matter in the preceding Chapter, as well as the mention of various languages, belongs to a later period of history, being indicated there merely for the sake of offering a complete picture. The story which is now told belongs to a period only about one hundred years after the Flood, if we may assume that it occurred at the time when Peleg was born. At that time all the people of... read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - Genesis 11:1-9

FOURTH SECTIONThe Tower of Babel, the Confusion of Languages, and the Dispersion of the Nations Genesis 11:1-91And the whole earth was of one language [lip], and of one speech.1 2And it came to pass, as they journeyed2 from the east3, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. 3And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly [literally, to a burning]. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar [cement]. 4And they said,... read more