Genesis 11:1-91And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. 2And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. 3And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. 4And they said, Go to, 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. 5And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 6And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. 7Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. 8So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. 9Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. (Genesis 11:1‑9)
TO CONSIDER the story of Abram a brief review of the events leading up to this time will be helpful. When Noah and his family emerged from the ark a new world was before them, with promises of great blessing if they would walk in God’s ways. A relatively short time had passed since the flood at the beginning of Chapter 11.
“And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.” vv. 1,2. The descendants of Noah became restless and dissatisfied with the vineyards and surroundings which he and his sons had established, and soon divided into separate groups. Eber, a great grandson of Noah (born only 67 years after the flood), seemed to sense this restlessness among the people and named his first son Peleg, which means “division.” It was from this family that Abram was later born. No doubt the naming of Peleg was ordered of God, for it again marked an important milestone in the history of the human race, as we shall see.
The eastward drifting of this people took them through the lands later known as Mesopotamia, Arabia and Persia, and, of course, eventually throughout the whole earth. In our present chapter we find them in the early stages of that movement, following the course of the Euphrates River, where they came to an attractive plain in Shinar. There for a while they were content to settle.
“And they said, Go to, 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.” v. 4.
Alas, these people, whose fore-parents a short time before had recited the marvelous story of the great flood, now seemed to forget God. We read no word of their looking to Him for counsel, or of thanking Him for their blessings. Instead, like Cain before them, they set about to build a city and make a name for themselves. How it must have grieved God to look down on their pride and self-will! Had they rather erected an altar, confessed their sins and need and brought suitable offerings to God, as Noah did in faith, He would have delighted in blessing and prospering them. But when in pride and willfulness they sought to reach His dwelling place through the display of their own abilities, He must bring it to failure.
“And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let Us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.” vv. 6-9.
ML-12/20/1964