Get the free app for more features and content.
Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play

The Tower of Babel

1Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” 5The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. 6And the Lord said, “Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” 8So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9Therefore it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

Descendants of Shem

10These are the descendants of Shem. When Shem was one hundred years old, he became the father of Arpachshad two years after the flood; 11and Shem lived after the birth of Arpachshad five hundred years, and had other sons and daughters.

12When Arpachshad had lived thirty-five years, he became the father of Shelah; 13and Arpachshad lived after the birth of Shelah four hundred three years, and had other sons and daughters.

14When Shelah had lived thirty years, he became the father of Eber; 15and Shelah lived after the birth of Eber four hundred three years, and had other sons and daughters.

16When Eber had lived thirty-four years, he became the father of Peleg; 17and Eber lived after the birth of Peleg four hundred thirty years, and had other sons and daughters.

18When Peleg had lived thirty years, he became the father of Reu; 19and Peleg lived after the birth of Reu two hundred nine years, and had other sons and daughters.

20When Reu had lived thirty-two years, he became the father of Serug; 21and Reu lived after the birth of Serug two hundred seven years, and had other sons and daughters.

22When Serug had lived thirty years, he became the father of Nahor; 23and Serug lived after the birth of Nahor two hundred years, and had other sons and daughters.

24When Nahor had lived twenty-nine years, he became the father of Terah; 25and Nahor lived after the birth of Terah one hundred nineteen years, and had other sons and daughters.

26When Terah had lived seventy years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Descendants of Terah

27Now these are the descendants of Terah. Terah was the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran was the father of Lot. 28Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans. 29Abram and Nahor took wives; the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah. She was the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and Iscah. 30Now Sarai was barren; she had no child.

31Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan; but when they came to Haran, they settled there. 32The days of Terah were two hundred five years; and Terah died in Haran.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Click here to learn more.

Featured Resources

3 Ways to Choose to Live in "Babylon" (and Which Jesus Chose)

3 Ways to Choose to Live in "Babylon" (and Whic...

If followers of Jesus are to give their total allegiance to God’s Kingdom, ho...

BibleProject

John Walton: The Meaning of the Tower of Babel

John Walton: The Meaning of the Tower of Babel

https://seedbed.com Seedbed's mission is to gather, connect, and resource ...

Seedbed

Work & the Bible - Explainer

Work & the Bible - Explainer

This video takes a deep look at God’s original intent for work, the ways the ...

The Village Church

Do Human Technologies Ever Threaten Divine Sovereignty?

Do Human Technologies Ever Threaten Divine Sove...

Episode 1354. Read or subscribe: https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/do-h...

Desiring God

Introduction to Genesis

Introduction to Genesis

Dr. Oscar García-Johnson introduces Genesis, which testifies to God as the gi...

Fuller Studio

TOWER OF BABEL | Bible Study | Jesus In All of Genesis 10-11

TOWER OF BABEL | Bible Study | Jesus In All of ...

This bible study devotional covers Genesis chapters 10-11. Here we see the st...

Spoken Gospel

The Satan and Demons Question and Response - BibleProject

The Satan and Demons Question and Response - Bi...

The topic of The Satan and Demons explores some of the strangest passages in ...

BibleProject

John Walton: What is the Ancient Near East?

John Walton: What is the Ancient Near East?

https://seedbed.com Seedbed's mission is to gather, connect, and resource ...

Seedbed

The Main Message of the Book of Genesis • Part 1 • Torah Series (Episode 1)

The Main Message of the Book of Genesis • Part ...

In Genesis, God makes a good world and installs humans as its rulers. Humanit...

BibleProject

Explore Genesis 11