Genesis 11

All men hitherto had but one language verse 1 the children of men undertake of mere presumption to build a city with an exceeding high tower 3 God hinders their progress by dividing their language and scattereth them by the means abroad throughout the world 6 Babel retains the name thereof 9 Sem’s posterity unto Abraham 10 who together with his father with Sarai and Lot departs from Ur of the Chaldeans to Haran 29.

1. And all the earth [all the inhabitants of the earth before and after the flood until his division of his languages happened] was of one language [Heb. Lip: and so in the sequel and this language is supposed to have been the Hebrew which hath its name since of Heber it having continued in its posterity among other reasons therefore that the proper names of the first man are of the Hebrew original and etymology as Adam, Heva, Heva, Cain,Abel &c.] and of sort of words.

2. But it came to pass as they [this is understood of Cham’s posterity and their chieftain Nimrod see above chapter 10 verse 10] journeyed towards the east [from the place whither they were first gone when by reason of great increase and multitude of people they were driven to enlarge their quarters from mount Ararat were the ark rested see chapter 8.4] that they found a plain in the land of Sinker [where Babel lay see chapter 10 on verse 10] and they dwelt there.

3. And they say everyone of his neighbor let us strike tiles [or make prepare brick] and thoroughly burn them [Heb. Burn with or unto burning that is make or bake hard by much burning] and the tile or brick was instead a stone unto them and the slime was to them instead of lime or mortar [that which is rendered slime here was a very tough bituminous matter cleaving and sticking faster on then any pitch of which there was great plenty in those parts see chapter 14 verse 10 historians tells us that the walls of Babel were mortared with this matter and grown as hard as iron in this time.]

4. And they said come on let us build us a city and a tower whose top or uppermost [Heb. Head] be in the heaven [an expression serving for exaggeration and magnifying a ting see Deuteronomy chapter 1 verse 28 and 9.1 Psalms 107:26 Matthew 11:23 this was a most wicked and presumptuous design as if in despite of God and all men they would raise such a fabric that should secure them against any power whatsoever] and let us work a name for us left we be scattered over all the earth [Heb. All the face of the earth and so below verse 8, 9.]

5. Then the Lord came down for to behold the city and the tower [spoken of God infinite and omniscious after the manner of man and implying God knew and saw all their presumptuous and wicked purpose and made it known that he was ready to punish the same accordingly] which the children of men did built [see chapter 6 on verse 2.]

6. And the Lord said behold they are one sort of people and have all one sort of language and this is that they begin to make by now [by this kind of speaking is held forth the wrath of God and his purpose to interrupt this work of theirs] should they not be cut off unto them whatsoever they had projected to make? [Others they will nothing be cut off to them or there will be let in nothing that is they are resolved to go through with their business.]

7. Come on let us descend [compare chapter 1.26 the first annotate there] and let us confound their language there that everyone may not here the language of thy neighbor [not hear that is not understand thus the word hearing is taken for understanding what is heard see chapter 42.25 Deuteronomy 28:49 1 Kings 3:9 Jeremiah 5:15 1Corinthians 14.2.]

8. Thus the Lord scattered them thence over all the earth [that which they thought to prevent came through Gods just judgment unavoidably upon them] and they ceased to built the city.

9. Therefore they called the name Babel [others he called viz. the LORD see chapter 10.10 the word Babe signifies confusing a confuse mingling mixing together r confusion is come r in it is confusion] from there the lord confounded the language of all the earth and from thence the Lord scattered them all over the earth.

10. These are the births of Sem and Sem was hundred years old [Heb.. a son of hundred years that is so old he was see chapter 7.6] and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood.

11. And Sem lived [that is had lived or was so old see chapter 5.3] after that he had begotten Arphaxad five hundred years and he begat sons and daughters.

12. Arphaxad lived thirty five years and he begat Selah [Heb. Schelach.]

13. And Arphaxad lived after that he had begotten Selah four hundred and three years and he begat sons and daughters.

14. And Selah lived thirty years and he begat Heber.

15. And Selah lived after that he had begotten Heber four hundred and three years and he begat sons and daughters.

16. And Heber lived thirty four years and he begat Peleg.

17. And Heber lived after that he had begotten Peleg four hundred and thirty years and he begat sons and daughters.

18. And Peleg lived thirty years and he begat Rebu.

19. And Peleg lived after that he had begotten Rebu two hundred and nine years and he begat sons and daughters.

20. And Rebu live two and thirty and he begat Serug.

21. And Rebu lived after that he had begotten Serug two hundred and seveb years he begat sons and daughters.

22. And Serug lived thirty years and begat Nahor[Heb. Nachor.]

23. And Serug lived after he had begotten Nahor two hundred years and he begat sons and daughters.

24. And Nahor lived twenty nine years and he begat Terah [Heb. Terach others Luke 3:34 Thera.]

25. And Nahor lived after he had gotten Terah one hundred and nineteen years and he begat sons and daughters.

26. And Terah lived seventy years and he begat [that is he began then begat see chapter 5.32.] Abraham, Nahor and Haran [Abram is put in the first place not as being the eldest but the worthiest the like we read before of Sem chapter 5.32 and chapter 10.1.]

27. And these are the birth of Terah, Terah begat Abram, Nahor and Haran.

28. And Haran died before the face of his father Terah [that is in his father’s life time and presence] in the land of his birth in Ur of the Chaldeans [a city in the country of the Chaldees see Nehemiah 9:7 Acts 7:4.]

29. And Abram and Nahor took them wives and the name of Abram his wife was Sarai and the name of Nahor his wife was Milca a daughter of Haran father of Milca and father of Jisca [Milca was married to her uncle Nahor which marriage were not expressly forbidden by laws of those times Jisca is taken by some for Sarai Abrams wife others hold that Sarai was not daughter of Haran but his own and both Abrams and Nahors sifter y one and the same father Terah but not by one mother compare chapter 20.12.]

30. And Sarai was barren she had no child.

31. And Terah took Abram his son [viz. after that he had understood by his son Abram that God had called him to go forth out of his country according to the relation made thereof in the 12 chapter]And Lot Harans son his sons son and Sarai his daughter in law and wife of his son Abram and they journeyed [viz. Terah and Abram] with them [viz. with and Sarai] out of Ur of Chaldeas for to go towards the land of Canaan and they came to Haran [Heb. Charan Acts 7:4 we read Charran which was a city of Mesopotamia well known in the histories see chapter 24.10 and 29.4.] and dwelt there.

32. And the days of Terah were two hundred years and Terah died at Haran.