Genesis Chapter 11

The Tower of Babel

11:1

It is interesting that we are given the information that the entire world’s population spoke the same “speech” and were of one language. This would seem to indicate that all peoples could communicate easily with one another with the exact same language. Because we have been given such precise information regarding names, ages, genealogies, etc., it would seem quite obvious that everyone could read and write their language.

11:2

When we see the term “it came to pass” this would indicate some time period had elapsed. We are not told who the “they” are just yet, but we will see clues to reveal who these people are. The first is the mention of the land of Shinar, and the fact that they settled and dwelt in that land. In Genesis 10:10 we were told that the leader of the population at this time was Nimrod, the one who was noted as a ‘mighty hunter before the Lord’. The Jewish Bible indicates that Nimrod was a ‘mighty tyrant in the Face of the Lord’. This difference in the meaning would confirm that Nimrod was in rebellion against God, and was bent on leading, or forcing, others to do the same. We still use the term ‘in your face’ meaning in opposition or forcefully. Further, the decision to settle and dwell in one place; building cities, buildings, etc. was in direct violation of God’s command to disperse and populate the entire world.

11:3-4

The ‘they’ who said to one another, seems to indicate there was some sort of governing council that had made decisions that would be implemented upon all the population in that region. They, no doubt under the dictatorship of Nimrod, were intent upon building a great city and a Tower whose top would reach far into the ‘heavens’. This Tower was no doubt used for some sort of worship of the ‘heavens’ or ??. Since all worship of God involved an altar and sacrifices and thanksgiving to God, this Tower seems to be in direct contradiction of what God had ordained. This Tower also became the prototype of all the great ziggurats and pyramids of the world. Note that these monuments have never been used to worship the one True God of the universe.

11:5-6

This term ‘came down’ indicates that God was well aware of what Nimrod and his ‘council’ had been planning and plotting in opposition to God’s command to go and fill all the earth. This rebellion had gone too far, and now God had to intervene divinely in order to halt another fall of mankind into great sin and possibly destroy those who wanted to obey God and go out and populate the earth. (6.) The ‘imagination’ of mankind was not good. The people were all acting as ‘one’ following the rebellious lead of Nimrod. God could not allow these rebellious people to continue, and corrupt the world once again. There was a faithful remnant, among these were Noah and Shem, both of whom were still alive, yet they would be unable to overcome these ‘corrupt’ people as long as they were able to work together doing evil.

11:7

This term, ‘Come, let Us go down..’ clearly indicates God, in His Eternal existence of The Triune God, has decided upon a brilliant solution to the ‘problem’, actually sin, of disobedience. God has stated that He will confound, or confuse and mix up their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.

11:8-9

The result is immediate: Because the people could not communicate with one another, they were unable to cooperate in their evil endeavors; they were also no doubt confused and probably frightened and began to move away from those who spoke differently than they did. How many languages were created at this time we do not know, but certainly the majority of peoples spoke so many different languages, that the building projects all ceased and the cities were left to deteriorate. The original language may have been something like the Hebrew language, which has been reinstated as the National language of Israel; we do not really know. (9.) The name of ‘it’ was called Babel, which means confusion. The ‘it’ term is unclear. It may refer to the Tower, or to the city itself. Yet the important fact is given that from this incident, the peoples began to be ‘scattered’ all over the face of the whole earth. Keep in mind that this would mean our part of the world also.

11:10-11

Suddenly we are again given the history of the generation of Shem! What? We thought we were already given them in Chapter 10. Yet, now we are given additional information regarding one of Shem’s sons, Arpachshad, who was born two years after the Flood. So this then allows us to continue our genealogy and dates and ages of the line from which the Messiah would come. (11.) Shem also had other sons and daughters and also lived another 500 years after the birth of Arpachshad. Note that the term, ‘and he died’, has been omitted, yet we know that this means that Shem was 600 when he died.

11:12-15

We are now given some details about Arpachshad being only 35 when his son Shelah was born, and that Arpachshad had other sons and daughters and lived a total of 438 years.
(14. – 15.) The genealogy is the same as Chapter ten with the additional information that Shelah was 30 when his son Eber was born; and that Shelah also had other sons and daughters and lived to be 433 years. Notice that the number of years these men are living is beginning to drop quite a bit.

11:16-19

Eber also has a son when he is quite young; at age 34, when his son Peleg is born. Remember from Chapter 10 that Peleg meant divided. Eber also has other sons and daughters and lives to be 464. (18. – 19.) Peleg also has a son when he is young, age 30; naming him Reu. Peleg has other sons and daughters and lives to be 239 years. This is a sudden drop in the life span to less than half of the number of years his father lived. After this time, we will no longer see the very long life spans of people. We can only imagine that life on this earth became much less healthy after the Flood. Are there any other factors that you might think would shorten their lives?

11:20-25

Reu is 32 when Serug is born. Reu also lives to be 239 years, and has other sons and daughters. Serug has Nahor when he is 30 years old, then has other sons and daughters and lives a total of 230 years. (24. – 25.) Nahor has a son, Terah, when he is 29; then has other sons and daughters and lives to be 148. Again, we see a drastic drop in the life span of Nahor.

11:26-27

We are given the names of three of Terah’s sons, now focusing on Terah, born after he is 70 years old: Abram, Nahor and Haran. We are also told that these are the generations of Terah; and that Haran had a son named Lot. It is interesting that we are NOT given the names of the children of Nahor at this time. We will see in later Chapters how these names are crucial to Jewish history.

11:28

Terah dies in the land of his birth, which is Ur of the Chaldees. So we are given some very important information regarding the history of the Jewish people. Archaeologist C. Leonard Woolley led an expedition that did extensive archaeological excavations in 1922 through l934. It was discovered that an average middle class person had a home with from ten to twenty rooms and measured forty to fifty two feet; with a lower floor for the servants, and the upper floors for the family. In addition, there was a guest chamber and a lavatory reserved for visitors. (Think ‘casita’ in our current society) They also had a private chapel for each home. A school was found, and what was studied was shown by the clay tablets discovered there. In the days of Abram, the pupils learned reading, writing and arithmetic. They also learned the multiplication and division tables and worked at square and cube root math problems. History and the trades were also taught. A bill of lading of about 2040 BC showed that the commerce of that time was far reaching to other parts of the world. Even the name ABRAHAM was found on excavated clay tablets. Much more information is available to indicate that the society and infrastructure was quite advanced. The false idea that these people were ignorant nomads, or cave people, is certainly far from the truth.

11:29-30

It is interesting that we are given the names of the wives of Abram and Nahor. Abram’s wife was named Sarai. (In future chapters we will be given the information that she was Abram’s half-sister, born of a different mother than Abram) Nahor’s wife was Milcah, and she was the daughter of Haran; this would make her Nahor’s niece since Haran was his brother. Notice that we are now told that Haran was also the father of Milcah and Iscah. (30.) For a woman, to be barren was a terrible disgrace and a shame. Why?

11:31-32

We are told Terah made the decision to take Abram, his son, Lot, his grandson, and Sarai, his daughter-in-law (keep in mind she is also his daughter) and move the entire family from Ur into the land of Canaan. But (remember we pay attention when we see a but) they only went as far as Haran, and then settled there. So why did Terah decide to move from Ur to Canaan? The land in Ur was fertile and rich and the society was well developed. He obviously had family and friends around, so what prompted him to move? Could it have been that God had first told Terah to take his family and move to Canaan, or had Abram been told by God to move, and Abram wanted to honor his father by telling him what God had commanded? Why stop in Haran? Any ideas? (32.) Terah lived to be 205 years old and then dies in Haran.

This chapter covers a great deal of history, with important details regarding people, clans, language, and exactly how new languages were formed (by the divine intervention of God). We also see what happens when ‘world dictators’, Nimrod, in this chapter, try to thwart God’s eternal plans. This society was quite advanced; people were educated, were skilled in science, architecture, and technology. Even their cities were carefully planned and had advanced infrastructure. As archeologist excavate these areas they are continually shocked to learn how advanced these societies were. Yet all of these physical, earthly ‘advances’ do nothing to help us, or them, unless we align our spiritual souls and spirits with God.