Genesis 11

Now the whole earth ^[a]spoke one language and used the same words (vocabulary).

And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

And as people journeyed eastward, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and they settled there.

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.

They said one to another, “Come, let us make bricks and fire them thoroughly [in a kiln, to harden and strengthen them].” So they used brick for stone [as building material], and they used tar (bitumen, asphalt) for mortar.

And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.

They said, “Come, let us build a city for ourselves, and a tower whose top will reach into the heavens, and let us make a [famous] name for ourselves, so that we will not be scattered [into separate groups] and be dispersed over the surface of the entire earth [as the Lord instructed].”

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.

Now the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.

And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.

And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one [unified] people, and they all have the same language. This is only the beginning of what they will do [in rebellion against Me], and now no evil thing they imagine they can do will be impossible for them.

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.

Come, let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) go down and there confuse and mix up their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.”

Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.

So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the surface of the entire earth; and they stopped building the city.

So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.

Therefore the name of the city was ^[b]Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the entire earth; and from that place the Lord scattered and dispersed them over the surface of all the earth.

Descendants of Shem

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.

These are the records of the generations of Shem [from whom Abraham descended]. Shem was a hundred years old when he became the father of Arpachshad, two years after the flood.

These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood:

And Shem lived five hundred years after Arpachshad was born, and he had other sons and daughters.

And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.

When Arpachshad had lived thirty-five years, he became the father of Shelah.

And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah:

Arpachshad lived four hundred and three years after Shelah was born, and he had other sons and daughters.

And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.

When Shelah had lived thirty years, he became the father of Eber.

And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber:

Shelah lived four hundred and three years after Eber was born, and he had other sons and daughters.

And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.

When Eber had lived thirty-four years, he became the father of Peleg.

And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat Peleg:

And Eber lived four hundred and thirty years after Peleg was born, and he had other sons and daughters.

And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters.

When Peleg had lived thirty years, he became the father of Reu.

And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu:

And Peleg lived two hundred and nine years after Reu was born, and he had other sons and daughters.

And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons and daughters.

When Reu had lived thirty-two years, he became the father of Serug.

And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug:

And Reu lived two hundred and seven years after Serug was born, and he had other sons and daughters.

And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters.

When Serug had lived thirty years, he became the father of Nahor.

And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor:

And Serug lived two hundred years after Nahor was born, and he had other sons and daughters.

And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.

When Nahor had lived twenty-nine years, he became the father of Terah.

And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah:

And Nahor lived a hundred and nineteen years after Terah was born, and he had other sons and daughters.

And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters.

After Terah had lived seventy years, he became the father of ^[c]Abram and Nahor and Haran [his firstborn].

And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Now these are the records of the descendants of Terah. Terah was the father of Abram (Abraham), Nahor, and Haran; and Haran was the father of Lot.

Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.

Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his birth, in ^[d]Ur of the Chaldeans.

And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.

Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai (later called Sarah), and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and Iscah.

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.

But Sarai was barren; she did not have a child.

But Sarai was barren; she had no child.

Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went out together to go from Ur of the Chaldeans into the land of Canaan; but when they came to Haran [about five hundred and fifty miles northwest of Ur], they settled there.

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.

Terah lived two hundred and five years; and Terah died in Haran.

And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.