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American Standard Version with Notes

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Genesis Chapter Eleven

 


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

Verse

Notes

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

 

2. And it came to pass, as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.

 

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

 

 

4. And they said, Come, 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.

"The world was populated in three different lines by the sons of Noah: Shem, from whom were derived the Jews and other Semitic races; Ham, the ancestor of the colored races; and Japheth, amongst whose descendants are the European nations. To these three, the diverging races and the languages of men converge, as rays of light to their sources."

The four centuries had undoubtedly accomplished much in the way of populating the immediate district which is called the "cradle of the race," in the vicinity of Babylonia. During these four centuries the downward tendency of our fallen race was farther manifested; for altho Noah was evidently a man of faith in God, and his sons and their wives, saved in the Ark with him, were doubtless firm believers in Jehovah God—their experiences attesting his greatness and his wisdom—nevertheless, in a comparatively short time their posterity, lacking faith in God and in his promises that there would never more be a flood, undertook the erection of the Tower of Babel as a protection, little realizing, apparently, the folly of such an attempt to outwit the Almighty.

It was here that the oneness of the race, exercised injuriously, was effectually broken up by the Lord, by confounding the language of the people. Just how he accomplished this division of language is not explained, nor is such an explanation necessary. The fact is that language is split up not only into great divisions, but into minor dialects, notwithstanding the fact that, as surely as the whole race was originally one, the language at first must likewise have been one. This divergency of language tended to the disintegration of the race and its scattering into various bands [R2846 : page 230] or tribes—ultimately into every corner of the world, as at present. And such changes of conditions, in temperature, habits of life, etc., have undoubtedly had much to do with the great variety of types amongst men which we see today—these racial changes coming in gradually during the past 4000 years. R2846

The Tower of Babel

Years after the Deluge, the world began to be populous. The narrative handed down by Noah and his sons was more or less forgotten, and the bow of promise lost much of its significance. Losing confidence in God, the people began the construction of the Tower of Babel, which was to save them in spite of God from any flood of waters of the future. Alas, how short-sighted, like others who possess much worldly wisdom! The Scriptures deprecate such lack of faith among Christians, and attempts to protect themselves and their earthly interests, leaving God and His Plan out of their calculations. Some today ignore God after this manner, saying, Trust not in the Lord for the things promised. If you wait for God to do for you, nothing will ever be done. In other words, we are living in a day when faith in the Divine will and in the Divine Plan and promises seems to be on the wane.

God settled the matter by confounding the language and scattering the people so that they could not co-operate in further foolish undertakings. The Bible refers to this, saying, "He hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him."

The diversity of languages is one of the most remarkable things in the world—an effectual barrier to prevent mankind from combining for the accomplishment of their own purposes, selfish or sinful. It has delayed the great Day of Wrath.

Now the language barriers are breaking down, and we find the tendency of humanity to re-unite. Unions and Trusts are being built by the Rich and the Poor—each for self-protection. The rule of kings and princes is threatened by the growth of common language and intelligence in the masses. Had these barriers been removed two thousand years ago, similar results would have come too soon, according to the divine purpose which is shaping Earth's affairs in preparation for Messiah's Kingdom, which will bless the entire human family. PD22

5. And Jehovah came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.  
6. And Jehovah said, Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is what they begin to do: and now nothing will be withholden from them, which they purpose to do.  

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


 

8. So Jehovah scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off building the city.

 

 


9. Therefore was the name of it called Babel; because Jehovah did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did Jehovah scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

(Speaking of Babylon) The name originated with the frustrating of the plan for the great tower, called Babel (confusion), because there God confounded human speech; but the native etymology made the name Babil, which, instead of being reproachful, and a reminder of the Lord's displeasure, signified to them—"the gate of God." D24

10. These are the generations of Shem. Shem was a hundred years old, and begat Arpachshad two years after the flood.

The Period from the Flood to the Covenant with
Abraham, at the Death of Terah, his Father

"Shem—begat Arphaxad 2 years after the flood."

Gen. 11:10.................................... 2 years
"Arphaxad lived 35 years and begat Salah."

Gen. 11:12.................................... 35 "
"Salah lived 30 years and begat Eber."

Gen. 11:14.................................... 30 "
"Eber lived 34 years and begat Peleg."

Gen. 11:16.................................... 34 "
"Peleg lived 30 years and begat Reu."

Gen. 11:18.................................... 30 "
"Reu lived 32 years and begat Serug."

Gen. 11:20.................................... 32 "
"Serug lived 30 years and begat Nahor."

Gen. 11:22.................................... 30 "
"Nahor lived 29 years and begat Terah."

Gen. 11:24.................................... 29 "
"The days of Terah were 205 years and he died."

Gen. 11:32....................................205 "
—-
Total...................................427 years B44

divider

A.M.
Flood dried up (Gen. 8:13)......................................1656
Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen. 11:10)........1658
Arphaxad begat Salah when 35 (Gen. 11:12).......................1693
Salah begat Eber when 30 (Gen. 11:14)...........................1723
Eber begat Peleg when 34 (Gen. 11:16)...........................1757
Peleg begat Ren when 30 (Gen. 11:18)............................1787
Ren begat Serug when 32 (Gen. 11:20)............................1819
Serug begat Nahor when 30 (Gen. 11:22)..........................1849
Nahor begat Terah when 29 (Gen. 11:24)..........................1878
Terah died aged 205 years (Gen. 11:32)..........................2083 R1980 

11. and Shem lived after he begat Arpachshad five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.


 

12. And Arpachshad lived five and thirty years, and begat Shelah.

 

13. and Arpachshad lived after he begat Shelah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.

 

14. And Shelah lived thirty years, and begat Eber:


 

15. and Shelah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.

 

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

18. And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu:

REU

From Strong's 7466, R'uw, unknown; Abraim Publications, from the noun רע (rea'), friend or associate.

A son of Peleg, ancestor of Jesus.

 

 

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

 

 

 

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

SERUG

From Strong's 8286, serug, from 8276, sarag, to be intertwined. Most translators translate this as branch.

A son of Reu and great grandfather of Abraham, father of Nahor (Genesis 11:20-23) (Abraham's grandfather); Jewish tradition says he was the first of his line that fell into idolatry. Joshua 24:2 Ancestor of Jesus. He is called Saruch in Luke 3:35.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 
22. And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor:

NAHOR

2 names for Bible

From Strong's 5152, nachor, from 5170 nachar, nostrils.

A son of Serug and father of Terah, Abraham's father.

2. A son of Terah, and elder brother of Abraham (Genesis 11:26, 27). He married Milcah, the daughter of his brother Haran. He lived on the east of the river Euphrates at Haran (Genesis 11:27-32). His grand-daughter Rebekah became Isaac's wife (24:67).

23. and Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.  
24. And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah:

TERAH

8646, Terach, unknown; Abraim Publications, from an otherwise unused verb תרח (tarah), to delay, turn, wander or from (1) the noun תר (tor), dove, and (2) the noun רוח (ruah), wind, breath or spirit.

Son of Nahor, who lived in the plains of Mesopotamia, in Ur of the Chaldees. He had three sons, Haran, Nahor, and Abraham, and one daughter, Sarah. His son Haran died, leaving behind him his son Lot. Nahor settled at Haran, a place on the way to Ur. Terah moved with Abraham and Lot, to Haran, where he spent the remainder of his life. He died at the age of two hundred and five years (Genesis 11:24-32; Joshua 24:2).

Gen. 11:32 says that at his death Terah's age was two hundred and five years; Acts 7:4 says that then Abraham removed into Canaan; and Gen. 12:4 states that Abraham was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. Hence Terah's age at Abraham's birth must have been one hundred and thirty years.

But is not this out of harmony with Gen. 11:26, which says: "And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor and Haran"? We answer, No. The point of confusion is in the fact that Haran, the eldest, is mentioned last, while Abram, the youngest, is mentioned first—possibly because of his greater prominence in the narrative, or, possibly, as a little stumbling-block to hinder us from seeing the facts except as guided by the Lord, in his due time.

That Haran was the eldest of the sons of Terah is quite evident from the recorded facts. His son Lot was old enough to be the companion of his uncle Abraham. Lot and Abraham were probably nearly of the same age, as each had his own flocks and herds and herdsmen. When Sodom was destroyed Lot had two daughters of marriageable age and others already married. This was before Isaac was born, Abraham being then ninety-nine years old.—Gen. 17:2418:1,1619:8,14.

Again, notice the likelihood of Haran's being much the eldest of Terah's sons, and Nahor the second, thus,—Nahor married one of his brother Haran's daughters (Milcah—See Gen. 24:15), whose grand-daughter, Rebecca, became the wife of Abraham's son, Isaac.—Gen. 24:67. R1595 

Terah's Journey Map

 

25. and Nahor lived after he begat Terah a hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters.  
26. And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.  
27. Now these are the generations of Terah. Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran. And Haran begat Lot.

ABRAM

From Strong's 87, Abram, from the same as Abiram, exalted father.

Son of Terah, born in Ur. He was the youngest of Terah's three sons.

Gen. 11:32, says that at his death Terah's age was two hundred and five years; Acts 7:4 says that then Abraham removed into Canaan; and Gen. 12:4 states that Abraham was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. Hence Terah's age at Abraham's birth must have been one hundred and thirty years.

But is not this out of harmony with Gen. 11:26, which says: "And Terah lived seventy years and begat Abram, Nahor and Haran?" We answer, No. The point of confusion is in the fact that Haran, the eldest, is mentioned last, while Abram, the youngest, is mentioned first—possibly because of his greater prominence in the narrative, or possibly, as a little stumbling-block to hinder us from seeing the facts except as guided by the Lord, in his due time.

That Haran was the eldest of the sons of Terah is quite evident from the recorded facts. His son Lot was old enough to be the companion of his uncle Abraham. Lot and Abraham were probably nearly of the same age, as each had his own flocks and herds and herdsmen. When Sodom was destroyed Lot had two daughters of marriageable age and others already married. This was before Isaac was born, Abraham being then ninety-nine years old.—Gen. 17:2418:1,1619:8,14.

Again, notice the likelihood of Haran's being much the oldest of Terah's sons, and Nahor the second, thus,—Nahor married one of his brother Haran's daughters (Milcah—See Gen. 24:15), whose grand-daughter, Rebekah, became the wife of Abraham's son, Isaac.—Gen. 24:67. R2855

The assumption is not unreasonable, therefore, that Abraham's father, Terah, and his two elder brothers, Haran and Nahor, were considerably influenced by this spirit of idolatry. The record is that God first communicated with Abram while he resided at Ur, indicating the propriety of a change of residence to Canaan. Apparently he had considerable influence with the family, so that they all removed from Ur, a distance of about six hundred miles northward to Haran, possibly a place of their own establishment and named after Terah's eldest son, who died about that time.

Whether it was God's revelation to Abraham or the death of his son Haran that influenced Terah and the family to remove from Ur we cannot know—possibly both incidents had their influence. However, it was not God's design to call Abraham's entire family but merely himself. Hence, apparently with the Lord's approval, Abraham remained in Haran for five years, until the death of Terah. Then, with his share of the property, with his wife Sarah, who was also his half sister, and with Lot, the son of his deceased brother Haran, Abraham carried out the divine arrangement by removing from Haran into the land of Canaan, a journey of about three hundred miles more. The clear intimation of the Scriptures is that in this matter Abraham acted in harmony with God's directions, along the lines of faith and obedience. We may infer that this obedience was rendered at the cost of earthly name and fame, and that Abraham must have been out of accord with the idolatry and licentiousness and immorality of his native place, as well as full of faith in God and fully in harmony with the divine principles of righteousness, and glad to be obedient to the Lord.


Although Abraham had no children he had a large number of persons under his care.  These were his servants, and how numerous they were may be judged from the fact that a little later Abraham was able to muster 318 fighting men amongst them—the company who went after those who had taken Lot's property. This number of fighting men would imply a considerably larger number in the aggregate. It would appear, therefore, that Abraham was a very powerful sheik or prince of that time, the number of whose flocks and herds, requiring so many servants must have been large indeed. No wonder his servant was able to tell Rebecca that Abraham was very rich.  Much of those riches, of course, was gained in Canaan, but a considerable portion of it evidently went with him into Canaan.

When Abraham and his company had come into the land of Canaan under the Lord's direction, he settled for awhile at Shechem, that portion subsequently known as Samaria. But he did not remain there long, for, as we read, the Canaanite was still in the land. It was doubtless to be free from the immoral influences of the Canaanites, and to have his people separated from these, that Abraham removed subsequently to the mountainous country near Bethel.  There he established his home, there he reared an altar to the Lord and prayed. Would that each head of a family were thus careful to look out for the interests of those under his charge, that these interests should be advantageous to their welfare everywhere! 

Would that more could realize how indispensable it is to have an altar to the Lord in their home, where the prayer incense would ascend to the Father through the merit of the Redeemer. The true altar not having been provided of the Lord, Abraham and others of his time reared altars of stone for use in the Lord's worship. But we have the Golden altar of the Holy, and are permitted to offer thereupon, as members of the body of the great High Priest, under him as our Head and glorious representative. R3935

First Abraham and his family traveled to Haran where they remained until Terah died. Then taking his nephew Lot, he journeyed to Canaan.

God changed Abram's name to Abraham

From Strong's 85, abraham, father of a great mulitude.

Abraham; Abraham's journey map

divider

LOT

From Strong's 3876, lot, from 3874, lut,  to wrap closely or tightly, enwrap, envelop.

The son of Haran, and nephew of Abraham. Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees. His sister Milcah married his uncle Nahor. He  journeyed to Haran in company with his grandfather Terah, Abraham and Sarah. After his grandfather's death Lot journeyed from Mesopotamia to Canaan with his uncle Abraham. When their herds grew too great, Lot chose to dwell in the Plan of Sodom and later the city, which was eventually destroyed by Jehovah. Lot and his daughters sought refuge first in Zoar, and then, fearing to remain there longer, retired to a cave in the neighbouring mountains where he father two sons by his daughters, Moab and Ammon.

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

 

UR

From Strong's 218, uwr, unknown; Abraim Publications, from the verb אור ('or), to be or give light; to shine.

The land of Haran's nativity, the place from which Terah and Abraham started their journey to Canaan. Tradition identifies it with the city of Orfah in the highlands of Mesopotamia. It set on a high-crested crag. It contained a spring of clear water and was rich and green in an area of desert. Another tradition identifies it with Warka, 120 miles southeast from Babylon and four east of the Euphrates. known to the Jews as the land of the Chaldaeans. Now it is identified as Mugheir and as being in the extreme south of Chaldaea, at the head of the Persian Gulf. Ur was consecrated to the worship of Sin, the Babylonian moon-god.

Ur
29. 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.

MILCAH

2 names in the Bible

4435, milkah, from 4428, melek, king, Abraim Publications, from מלכה (malka), queen, which in turn comes from the noun מלך (melek), king. Translated Queen.

Daughter of Haran and wife of her uncle Nahor, Abraham's brother, to whom she bore eight children, grandmother of Rebekah 

2. The fourth daughter of Zelophehad. (Numbers 26:3327:136:11Joshua 17:3)

divider

ISCAH

From Strong's 3252, Yiskah, unknown; Abraim Publications, from the root סכך (sakak), to weave a protection.

The daughter of Haran the brother of Abram, and sister of Milcah and of Lot. Jewish tradition identifies her with Sarai.

30. And Sarai was barren; She had no child.

SARAI

From Strong's 8297, saray, from 8269, sar, chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince; Abraim Publications, from the noun שרה (sara), ruling body, from the verb שרר (sharar), to retain liquidity. My princess (Sarai) changed to Princess (Sarah) by Jehovah.

The wife and half-sister, (Genesis 20:12) of Abraham, and mother of Isaac.

The change of her name from Sarai, my princessto Sarah, princess , was made at the same time that Abram's name was changed to Abraham, --on the establishment of the covenant of circumcision between him and God. She was barren; so gave to Abraham her maid Hagar as a secondary wife who bore Ishmael. She bore Isaac, the promised seed, in her old age, "the child of promise,"  Her devotion to Abraham and her faithfulness in 1 Peter 3:6 and Hebrews 11:11.

Sarah

She died at Hebron at the age of 127 years, 28 years before her husband and was buried by him in the cave of Machpelah.

 

 

 

31. 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.

Abraham's early life was spent at Ur of Chaldea, the ruins of which (now known by the name of Mugheir) are being excavated and explored.  They indicate that it was once a seat of business activity, and Professor Sayce says that the name Abram (Abu-Ramu) is found on early Babylonian contract tablets, and some tablets recently unearthed at Ur contain part of the story of the deluge.  Scholars are hoping to find in these ruins the Babylonian library, containing the original tablets form which the narratives of the creation and flood were copied for the library of Nineveh.

We are to remember that Abraham was born two years after the death of Noah, and that Noah's father, Lamech, was born fifty-six years before Adam's death—hence the chain of tradition had few links up to Abraham's time, even though the period was nearly 2,000 years long. It is not strange, therefore, that the story of the creation and of the flood are found in the land of the Chaldeans at a date prior to Moses' writings—the Pentateuch. It should always be borne in mind that the Scriptures make no claim that Moses was present at the time of creation or at the time of the flood, nor that the writer was a witness of the other incidents recorded in Genesis. Moses was merely the recorder who, under the same divine supervision and direction that enabled him to be the Law-giver and commander of typical Israel, was used as God's amanuensis in recording for our benefit such events in the lives of individuals, as well as their chronologies, as would help to perfect the chain of previous history. We should remember, also, that the records of God's doings would be appreciated by those who are loyal to him, amongst whom must be included Noah and his family, and that Abraham, as we have seen, was directly in this line—a scion of one of the best branches of Noah's immediate posterity. R3935 


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