Genesis 11:9

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 11:5-9

We have here the quashing of the project of the Babel-builders, and the turning of the counsel of those froward men headlong, that God's counsel might stand in spite of them. Here is, I. The cognizance God took of the design that was on foot: The Lord came down to see the city, Gen. 11:5. It is an expression after the manner of men; he knew it as clearly and fully as men know that which they come to the place to view. Observe, 1. Before he gave judgment upon their cause, he enquired into it;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:9

Therefore is the name of it called Babel ,.... The name of the city mentioned, and the tower also, which signifies "confusion", as the Septuagint version renders it; and so Josephus F23 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 1. c. 4. sect. 13.) says the Hebrews call confusion "Babel": perhaps this name was given it by the sons of Eber, or it might be a common name preserved in all languages, as some are; and though the first builders desisted from going on with building it, yet it seems that afterwards... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:9

Therefore is the name of it called Babel - בבל babel , from בל bal , to mingle, confound, destroy; hence Babel, from the mingling together and confounding of the projects and language of these descendants of Noah; and this confounding did not so much imply the producing new languages, as giving them a different method of pronouncing the same words, and leading them to affix different ideas to them. Besides Mr. Hutchinson's opinion, (see on Genesis 11:4 ; (note)), there have been... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:9

Verse 9 9.Therefore is the name of it called Babel. Behold what they gained by their foolish ambition to acquire a name! They hoped that an everlasting memorial of their origin would be engraven on the tower; God not only frustrates their vain expectation, but brands them with eternal disgrace, to render them execrable to all posterity, on account of the great mischief indicted on the human race, through their fault. They gain, indeed, a name, but not each as they would have chosen: thus does... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 11:1-9

Order brought forth. We are now to trace the rise of the kingdom of God among the nations. Already in the case of Nimrod, the mighty hunter before the Lord, that is, by permission of Divine providence, the antagonism between the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world has been symbolized. Now we find the concentration of the world's rebellion and ungodliness in the false city, type of the worldly power throughout the Scriptures. It is on the plain of Shinar to which the early... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 11:9

Therefore is the name of it called Babel . For Balbel, confusion ( συ ì γχυσις , LXX ; Josephus), from Balal, to confound; the derivation given by the sacred writer in the following clause (cf. for the elision of the letter l, totaphah for tophtaphah, Exodus 13:16 , and cochav for covcav, Genesis 37:9 ). Other derivations suggested are Bab-Bel, the gate or court of Bolus (Eichhorn, Lange), an explanation of the term which Furst thinks not impossible, and Kalisch... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Genesis 11:1-9

- The Confusion of Tongues1. נסע nāsa‛ “pluck out, break up, journey.” מקדם mı̂qedem “eastward, or on the east side” as in Genesis 2:14; Genesis 13:11; Isaiah 9:11 (12).6. החלם hachı̂lām “their beginning”, for החלם hăchı̂lām, the regular form of this infinitive with a suffix. יזמוּ yāzmû as if from יזם yāzam = זמם zāmam.7. נבלה nābelâh usually said to be for נבלה nābolâh from בלל bālal; but evidently designed by the punctuator to be the third singular feminine perfect of נבל nābal... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:1-9

Rebellion against God at Babel (11:1-9)Babel was one of the cities founded by Nimrod in the land of Shinar, ancient Babylonia (see 10:8-12). The people of this region, proud of the society they had established, displayed the same anti-God spirit as had brought about God’s judgment through the flood. They joined together to build for themselves a new city that would make them famous and give them complete security. They decided to crown their city with what they considered to be a skyscraper, as... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Genesis 11:9

Babel. Hebrew = confusion. Compare Job 5:12 , another application of the Hebrew word. scatter. Septuagint same word as in Acts 8:1 . Result of which was the conversion of the Ethiopian (Acts 8:26 ) of HAM. Saul (Acts 9:0 ) of SHEM. Cornelius (Acts 10:0 ) of JAPHETH. Tongues confounded in judgment (Genesis 11:9 ). Given in grace (Acts 2:4 ). United in glory (Revelation 7:9 ). read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 11:9

"Therefore was the name of it called Babel; because Jehovah did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did Jehovah scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth."This is the conclusion of this remarkably important episode. We shall notice, in passing, some of the insinuations against this account, not because of any value in them, but as a notation that evil men are STILL opposed to the will of God. Skinner called this account "a myth,"[14] and Neil spoke of it as "a... read more

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