Genesis 11

The Tower of Babel

1 Back in the day, the whole world spoke one language and used the same words.

2 As people moved east, they found a plain in Shinar and decided to settle there.

3 They said to each other, ‘Listen, let us make bricks and bake them real good.’ So, they used bricks instead of stones and tar instead of mortar.

4 Then they said, ‘Let us build a city with a tower that reaches the heavens. That way, we will make a name for ourselves and will not get scattered all over the earth.’

5 But God came down to check out the city and the tower they were building.

6 God said, ‘Look at these people. They are united, speaking one language, and already doing this. Nothing they plan will be impossible for them.

7 ‘Let us go down and confuse their language so they cannot understand each other.’

8 So, God scattered them all over the earth, and they stopped building the city.

9 That is why it is called Babel, because God mixed up their language and spread them all over the world.

The Family Line of Shem

10 This is Shem’s family line: Two years after the flood, when Shem was 100 years old, he had a son named Arphaxad.

11 After Arphaxad was born, Shem lived 500 more years and had other kids.

12 When Arphaxad was 35 years old, he had a son named Shelah.

13 After Shelah was born, Arphaxad lived 403 more years and had other kids.

14 When Shelah was 30 years old, he had a son named Eber.

15 After Eber was born, Shelah lived 403 more years and had other kids.

16 When Eber was 34 years old, he had a son named Peleg.

17 After Peleg was born, Eber lived 430 more years and had other kids.

18 When Peleg was 30 years old, he had a son named Reu.

19 After Reu was born, Peleg lived 209 more years and had other kids.

20 When Reu was 32 years old, he had a son named Serug.

21 After Serug was born, Reu lived 207 more years and had other kids.

22 When Serug was 30 years old, he had a son named Nahor.

23 After Nahor was born, Serug lived 200 more years and had other kids.

24 When Nahor was 29 years old, he had a son named Terah.

25 After Terah was born, Nahor lived 119 more years and had other kids.

26 When Terah was 70 years old, he had three sons: Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

The Family of Terah

27 This is the family line of Terah: Terah had three sons, Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran had a son named Lot.

28 Haran died while his father Terah was still alive, back in his hometown of Ur in the land of the Chaldeans.

29 Abram and Nahor both got married. Abram’s wife was named Sarai, and Nahor’s wife was named Milkah, the daughter of Haran, who was also the father of Iskah.

30 Sarai could not have kids; she was barren.

31 Terah took Abram, Sarai, and Lot (Haran’s son) and left Ur to go to Canaan. But when they got to Harran, they settled there.

32 Terah lived 205 years, and then he died in Harran.