Genesis 11

In this view, how unnatural and absurd is that prejudice against foreigners, and that contempt of them, which generally prevail! And how can it consist with love to our neighbours, our brethren, ‘‘bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh,” to treat them with rigour or hold them in slavery?—But “whence then come wars and fightings amongst us?” From that first murderer, who so early stirred up in fallen man the vile lusts of ambition, covetousness, revenge, and cruelty, and armed brethren against each other in horrid war; and who hath in all ages filled the earth with slaughter and devastation, which, it might previously have been supposed, could gratify none but himself. But the very existence of war, and the necessity of always being ready for it, and of sometimes waging it, too plainly prove man’s depravity, as well as Satan’s influence.

Blessed be God the days are coming, when all the “nations shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks, and they shall learn war no more:” and then ambitious or rapacious conquerors will no longer be adjudged illustrious characters, as in man’s partial histories; but they will be branded with infamy, as in the impartial records of the Bible—‘T. Scott. Chap. XI. Ver. 1—9. The confusion of tongues.—It appears, that before the flood there was but one language, and that language was probably the Hebrew. It appears also probable, that the inhabitants had not very far overspread the earth, never having thought of travelling by water. Noah’s ark would, therefore, seem to the wise ones of that age a most ridiculous attempt; and it is not unlikely that, when he talked, he introduced words not used by his predecessors, especially when we come to the times of the captivity.

The Shemites, however, not being affected by the confusion at Babel, would preserve a comparatively pure language; while idolatry, foreign commerce, and other circumstances, would accelerate the varieties of language among other families as they dispersed. _ This extraordinary fact (of which there are strong corroborating circumstances in ancient history) has already led us so far in general remark, that we must conclude the section with one only practical observation; namely, that those who aspire to share the honours and prerogatives of the Divine Being, involve themselves thereby in certain ruin; and to such may be addressed the language of the prophet to Edom, “The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?

Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord.” (Obadiah, ver. 3, 4.) Ver. 10—26. Generations of Shem.—The sacred writer, having given a general account of the tribes and nations descended from the three sons of Noah, before he proceeded to trace the line of Shem to Abram, introduced the building of Babel, and the confusion of tongues, as in a parenthesis. The Septuagint read, “‘Arphaxad lived one hundred and thirty-five years, and begat Cainan…. And Cainan lived one hundred and thirty years, and begat Salah.” And St. Luke refers to the genealogy, with this additional link in it. (Luke 3. 36.)—According to the Hebrew text, followed by our version, we may by computation find, that the original revelation made to Adam might be transmitted to Abram, at above two thousand years’ distance, through only two intermediate persons.

Adam lived till Methusaleh was two hundred and forty-three years old; and Methusaleh died when Shem was about one hundred, who lived almost as long as Abraham. The Septuagint, indeed, add one hundred years to all, beginning at Arphaxad; and take them away from the subsequent life of some of them. It is remarkable in how gradual a manner the life of man was shortened after the deluge, till it was confined within its present limits.—(T. Scott.) Ver. 27—32. The pedigree of Abram and Sarai.—We introduce that part of the genealogy of Shem, which is necessary to the understanding the eventful history of Abraham, who descended from Shem, in the line of Eber, the father of the Hebrews. Now, one of Eber’s sons was named Peleg, that is, division; because in his days the earth was divided.

((Genesis 11:25).) This Peleg was the ancestor of Nahor, Terah, and Abram. Abram had two brothers, Nahor and Haran, the latter of whom died before his father (Terah,) in Ur of the Chaldees. Sarai was the half sister of Abram, as explained in (Genesis 20:12); and Nahor, his brother, married Milcah, his brother Haran’s daughter, and consequently his own niece; for the laws of consanguinity were less contracted before the Mosaic economy. “It is said of Terah, that he took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife, and that they went from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan. But here is something supposed, which the historian reserves till he comes to the story of Abram, who, next to God, was the first mover in the undertaking, and the principal character in the story. In (Genesis 12:1). we are told, that ‘the Lord had said unto Abram: Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee.’ Taking the whole together, it appears that God revealed himself unto Abram, and called him to depart from that idolatrous and wicked country, whether any of his relations would go with him or not; that Abram told it to his father Terah, and to all the family, and invited them to accompany him; that Terah consented, as did also his grandson Lot; that Nahor and his wife Milcah were unwilling to go, and did not go at present; that seeing they refused, the venerable Terah left them, and being the head of the family, he is said to have taken Abram, and Sarai, and Lot, though not the first mover in the affair, and journeyed towards Canaan; that stopping within the country of Mesopotamia, he called the place where he pitched his tent Haran, in memory of his son, who died in Ur of the Chaldees; finally, that during his residence in this place he died, being two hundred and five years old.

“But though Nahor, and Milcah, as it should seem, refused to accompany the family at the time, yet as we find them, in the course of the history, settled at Haran, and Abram and Isaac sending to them for wives, to the rejection of the idolaters among whom they lived, we may conclude that they afterwards repented and went. And thus the whole of Terah’s family, though they do not go to Canaan, yet are rescued from Chaldean idolatry; and, settling in Haran, maintained for a considerable time the worship of the true God.” —(Fuller on Gen.) Deen nearer Haran man and lived to the age of 602 at least. (Verses 10, 11.) But in now few generations, with that exception, is the life of man reduced from 900 to 200!

and, but a few years afterwards, it astonishes Abraham to think of a son being born to him at 100; whereas, by the above account, he must have been born when his father was 130. Many have attributed this abbreviation of life to the use of animal food; but it is more reasonable to refer it to the providence of God, the longevity afforded to the antediluvians being no longer necessary to his designs.

Notes on the verses

Ver. 5. Isles of the Gentiles.—That is, Europe. Calmet says, the term comprehends all those countries to which the Hebrews were obliged to go by sea, whether in Europe or in Asia Minor. Every one after his tongue.—This refers to the time posterior to the confusion of tongues. Ver. 6. Sons of Ham.—Ham signifies burnt or black; and this name was peculiarly significant of the regions allotted to his family. To the Cushites, or descendants of Cush, were allotted the hot southern regions of Asia, along the shores of the Persian Gulf, Susiana, or Chusistan, &c.; to the sons of Canaan, Palestine and Syria; to the sons of Mizraim, Egypt and Lybia, in Africa.—Bagster. Ver. 9. Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord.—His name signifies a rebel, and the LXX.

call him a surly giant, and the Arabic a terrible tyrant. The Targum of Jonathan says, ‘‘None was ever found like Nimrod, powerful in hunting, and in rebellions against the Lord.” So the other Targums. Bryant considers him as the great instrument of idolatry in the family of Cush: an arch rebel and apostate.—Dr. Clarke. Ver 11. Out of that land went forth Asshur.—The marginal reading, says Dr. Boothroyd, is to be preferred: He (Nimrod) went out into Assyria, and builded Nineveh, and the streets of the city. So also Scott and Fuller. Ver. 21. Unto Shem, the father of all the children of Eber.—[That is, of all the Hebrews. Shem signifies name or renown; and his, indeed, was great both in a temporal and spiritual sense.

The finest regions of Upper and Middle Asia were allotted to his family; as Armenia, Media, Persia, &c. But his chief renown consisted in his being destined to be the lineal ancestor of the promised Seed of the woman, to which Noah might allude in his pious ejaculation, ch. ix. 26.]—Bagster. Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder.—This makes Japheth older than Shem; but Dr. Boothroyd, on the other hand, reads, ‘‘To Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth,” making Shem the elder brother. The priority, however, is very difficult to settle, and of small er. 24. Salah:—(the Sept. add Cainan here, with 130 years to the Chronology; but the addition, both here and in St.

Luke, is probably spurious.) — Bagster. Ver. 32. In their nations.—[Without the aid of learning, any man who can barely read his Bible, and has but heard of such people as the Assyrians, Elamites, Lydians, Medes, Ionians, and Thracians, will readily acknowledge that they had Asshur, Elam, Lud, Madai, Javan, and Tiras, grandsons of Noah, for their respective founders.]—Bagster. Chap. XI. Ver. 1. The earth of one language.—And that language supposed to be Hebrew. On this subject, which has been much controverted among the learned, we can only offer a hint or two. The primitive names, both of men and animals, were drawn from that language; some from their cries, and others from their peculiar qualities.

Jehovah, the peculiar name of God himself, is Hebrew; and the moral law was written by the finger of God himself in that language. Supposing it revealed by God himself to Adam, through the longevity of the patriarch it might be handed down to Abraham through Seth and Shem.—There is some doubt also as to the present Hebrew characters, which are alleged to be Chaldee: they were probably received from Shem, and brought by Abraham out of Chaldea. They appear to have been originally a picture character, somewhat like the Mexican paintings. See Dr. Greg. Sharpe’s Dissert. on the Origin of Lan- Ver. 2. Ss From the east.—That is, from the mountains of Ararat to the city The margin reads “eastward,” which in Engof the Babylonian empire.

But Babylon is neither east nor west, but lish means just the contrary. southward of Armenia, where we have supposed the ark rested. But Calmet says, the Hebrews considered all who entered their country on the eastern side as coming from the east. So Abraham, Balaam, Cyrus, and the wise men who visited our Lord. But Taylor places Ararat where Major Wilford placed Eden, near Bactria, which lies west of Babylon. This, happily, is a question of much less importance than difficulty.— Taylor’s Calmet, 1 edem, and Expos. Index. ‘ Pigee 3. See Margin The LXX. render it asphalius, or bitumen; on which see Note on (Genesis 6)‘ 81 Ver. 4. Go to.—An obsolete phrase, used also by Shakspeare and Spenser, and signifying come.—Let us build a tower, whose top (may reach) unto heaven.

Taking this as relating to height, Taylor calculates it at 500 feet, which is 160 feet higher than St. Paul’s cross, (London;) but how much higher the original projectors meant to go, it is impossible to say; but Herodotus, who saw the remains, describes it as consisting of eight towers, the top one being a sort of chapel, and the whole a mile in height. Jerome, indeed, makes it four miles, but this as Taylor remarks, must be in ascending height, going round and round; which reconciles it nearly with the other account. 2. But probably its top was, as Hutchinson insists, dedicated to the heavens; which Parkhurst and many others support, and Dr. Clarke thinks highly probable. Archbishop Tenison considers the top as pyramidical, being a temple erected to the solar fire—to Baal or Bel.

See Stackhouse.—And let us make us a name. Dr. Greg. Sharpe, not seeing how a great name would prevent their being scattered, translates Shem as an adverb, signifying there; “(as in verses 7, 8, 9.) let us make, do, build, &c. for us there; meaning to build there a tower.—Orig. of Lan, _ Ver. 6. They have one language; and this they begin to do.—This evidently implies that this was a part only of a plan for universal empire, with, perhaps, an idolatrous establishment. That a universal language has a conducement to universal monarchy, is the general sentiment of statesmen, and it was supposed to be on this principle that the French in the last century were so anxious to extend their language to all countries: and that universal monarchy was the object of Nimrod and his adherents, is the general opinion of commentators, ancient as well as modern, See Bibliotheca Bib.

Ver 8. So the Lord scattered them…. and they left off to build the city.— By this it is evident that the visit of God not only confounded the Babel builders for the moment, but divided them, and struck such a terror into them, that many fled precipitately in all directions. That the visit of God was attended with such circumstances, is the opinion of many of the learned, particularly the elder Scaliger, Is. Causabon, &c. See Origines Sac. Dr. G. Sharpe also remarks, that, to babble (which he supposes to be derived hence) means, not to talk new languages, but confusedly and without meaning. And if there be any truth in the idea above suggested, of a paralytic affection being produced on the organs of speech by the terror of the scene, perhaps this might be the origin of the difficulty, if not impossibility, of some nations pronouncing sounds to others perfectly easy.

_ Ver. 9. Called it Babel.—(i. e. Confusion. The tower of Babel, Herodotus informs us, was a furlong, or 660 feet, in length and breadth; and, according to Strabo, it rose to the same altitude. It was of a pyramidical form, consisting of eight square towers, gradually decreasing in breadth, with a winding ascent on the outside, so very broad as to allow horses and carriages to pass each other, and even to turn. This magnificent structure, which seemed to menace the stars, is brought down to the ground, so that its very site is doubtful; and when supposed to be discovered, in all cases exhibiting a heap of rubbish.—(Isaiah 13)xiv, Jer. 1. li. (1 Corinthians 14:23).)—Bagster. The above account of the confusion at Babel, agrees with a variety of traditions of great antiquity.

Josephus mentions a tradition preserved in the Sybilline oracles, that ‘‘when all men were of one language, some of them built a high tower, as if they would thereby ascend to heaven; but the gods sent storms of wind, and overthrew the tower:” the tower, however, was not totally destroyed, for it was seen by Herodotus, as above mentioned, and probably with the repairs and improvements of Nebuchadnezzar. Eusebius also quotes from Abydenus a relation to the same effect. ‘The tower (says he) nearly reached the heavens, when the winds coming to the aid of the gods, overthrew the whole enormous mass upon the heads of the builders; and from those ruins Babylon arose.’ And from thence rose also the fable of the war between the gods and the giants, Ver.

12. Begat Salah.—(The Septuagint here bring in a second Cainan, with the addition of 130 years; but the Hebrew Text, both here and in Chron. i. is perfectly silent on this subject; and the best Chronologists have agreed in rejecting it as a spurious addition.)—Bagster. Ver. 27. Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.—It is not to be inferred hence that Abram was the eldest; he might be the youngest. The name most celebrated in sacred history is generally placed first, as “Shem, Ham, and Japheth,” though probably Japheth was the eldest; and so Jacob and Esau, &c. It is supposed, therefore, that Abram might be the youngest, and born many years after the others; for if Abram was born when Terah was only 70 years old, he must have been 135 when Terah died; whereas we find, by St.

Stephen, that he was only 75. (Acts 7:4). Kennicott, Geddes, De Dieu, Boothroyd and others, therefore read, with the Samaritan, only 145 in this verse. Kennicott farther argues this from (Genesis 17:17). which see. Ver. 29. Father of Iscah.—(Iscah is supposed by some to have been the daughter of Haran, and the same as Sarai. She is called the daughter-in-law of Terah (ver. 31.) as being Abram’s wife; yet Abram afterwards said, “she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother.” (ch. xx. 12.) Probably Haran was the eldest son of Terah, and Abram his youngest by another wife: and thus Sarai was the daughter or grand-daughter of Terah, Abram’s father, but not of his mother.)—Bagster.

Ver. 31. Ur of the Chaldees.—(Ur was probably the place called Ouri, in Mesopotamia, two day’s journey from Nisibis, in the way to the river Tigris. (Joshua 24:2). (Nehemiah 9:7). (Acts 7:2-4).)—Bagster.

Ver. 32. [Haran was probably the city Charre, in Mesopotamia, situated between the Euphrates and the river Chebar.]—Bagster.