Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” New Living Translation Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.” English Standard Version Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” Berean Standard Bible “Come,” they said, “let us build for ourselves a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens, that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of all the earth.” King James Bible 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. New King James Version And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” New American Standard Bible And they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let’s make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of all the earth.” NASB 1995 They said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” NASB 1977 And they said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name; lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” Legacy Standard Bible And they said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, lest we be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” Amplified Bible They said, “Come, let us build a city for ourselves, and a tower whose top will reach into the heavens, and let us make a [famous] name for ourselves, so that we will not be scattered [into separate groups] and be dispersed over the surface of the entire earth [as the LORD instructed].” Christian Standard Bible And they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky. Let’s make a name for ourselves; otherwise, we will be scattered throughout the earth.” Holman Christian Standard Bible And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky. Let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise, we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” American Standard Version 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. English Revised Version 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. GOD'S WORD® Translation Then they said, "Let's build a city for ourselves and a tower with its top in the sky. Let's make a name for ourselves so that we won't become scattered all over the face of the earth." Good News Translation They said, "Now let's build a city with a tower that reaches the sky, so that we can make a name for ourselves and not be scattered all over the earth." International Standard Version Then they said, "Come on! Let's build ourselves a city and a tower, with its summit in the heavens, and let's make a name for ourselves so we won't be scattered over the surface of the whole earth." Majority Standard Bible ?Come,? they said, ?let us build for ourselves a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens, that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of all the earth.? NET Bible Then they said, "Come, let's build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves. Otherwise we will be scattered across the face of the entire earth." New Heart English Bible They said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let us make ourselves a name, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth." Webster's Bible Translation And they said, come, let us build us a city, and a tower, whose top may reach to heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we should be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. World English Bible They said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let’s make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth.” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd they say, “Give help, let us build for ourselves a city and tower with its head in the heavens, and make for ourselves a name, lest we be scattered over the face of all the earth.” Young's Literal Translation And they say, 'Give help, let us build for ourselves a city and tower, and its head in the heavens, and make for ourselves a name, lest we be scattered over the face of all the earth.' Smith's Literal Translation And they will say, Come, we will build to us a city, and a tower, its head to the heavens; and we will make to us a name, lest we shall be dispersed over the face of the earth. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd they said: Come, let us make a city and a tower, the top whereof may reach to heaven: and let us make our name famous before we be scattered abroad into all lands. Catholic Public Domain Version And they said: “Come, let us make a city and a tower, so that its height may reach to heaven. And let us make our name famous before we are divided into all the lands.” New American Bible Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky, and so make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered all over the earth.” New Revised Standard Version Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThen they said, Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top may reach to heaven; and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And they said, “Come, we will build up a city for ourselves and a tower whose top is in Heaven, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered on the face of all the Earth.” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And they said: 'Come, let us build us a city, and a tower, with its top in heaven, and let us make us a name; lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.' Brenton Septuagint Translation And they said, Come, let us build to ourselves a city and tower, whose top shall be to heaven, and let us make to ourselves a name, before we are scattered abroad upon the face of all the earth. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Tower of Babel…3And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” So they used brick instead of stone, and tar instead of mortar. 4“Come,” they said, “let us build for ourselves a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens, that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of all the earth.” 5Then the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the sons of men were building.… Cross References Isaiah 14:13-14 You said in your heart: “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north. / I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” Daniel 4:30 the king exclaimed, “Is this not Babylon the Great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?” Revelation 18:5-7 For her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. / Give back to her as she has done to others; pay her back double for what she has done; mix her a double portion in her own cup. / As much as she has glorified herself and lived in luxury, give her the same measure of torment and grief. In her heart she says, ‘I sit as queen; I am not a widow and will never see grief.’ Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. James 4:6 But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Acts 17:26 From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands. Zephaniah 2:15 This carefree city that dwells securely, that thinks to herself: “I am it, and there is none besides me,” what a ruin she has become, a resting place for beasts. Everyone who passes by her hisses and shakes his fist. Jeremiah 51:53 Even if Babylon ascends to the heavens and fortifies her lofty stronghold, the destroyers I send will come against her,” declares the LORD. Obadiah 1:3-4 The pride of your heart has deceived you, O dwellers in the clefts of the rocks whose habitation is the heights, who say in your heart, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’ / Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, even from there I will bring you down,” declares the LORD. Psalm 2:1-4 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? / The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One: / “Let us break Their chains and cast away Their cords.” ... Luke 1:51 He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Revelation 17:5 And on her forehead a mysterious name was written: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. Isaiah 2:11-12 The proud look of man will be humbled, and the loftiness of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. / For the Day of the LORD of Hosts will come against all the proud and lofty, against all that is exalted—it will be humbled— 1 Peter 5:5 Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Treasury of Scripture And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach to heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad on the face of the whole earth. whose. Deuteronomy 1:28 Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there. Deuteronomy 9:1 Hear, O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven, Daniel 4:11,22 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth: … and let. 2 Samuel 8:13 And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men. Psalm 49:11-13 Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names… Proverbs 10:7 The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot. lest. Genesis 11:8,9 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city… Psalm 92:9 For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered. Luke 1:51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. Jump to Previous Abroad Build City Earth Face Heaven Let's Otherwise Ourselves Reach Reaches Scattered Sky Surface Top Tower WholeJump to Next Abroad Build City Earth Face Heaven Let's Otherwise Ourselves Reach Reaches Scattered Sky Surface Top Tower WholeGenesis 11 1. One language in the world.2. The building of Babel. 5. It is interrupted by the confusion of tongues, and the builders dispersed. 10. The generations of Shem. 27. The generations of Terah, the father of Abram. 31. Terah, with Abram and Lot, move from Ur to Haran. “Come,” they said, This phrase indicates a collective decision and unity among the people. It reflects a common purpose and shared intent, highlighting the communal nature of humanity at this time. The use of "Come" suggests an invitation to collaborate, reminiscent of God's invitation to creation in Genesis 1. It also contrasts with divine commands, as this is a human initiative rather than a divine directive. “let us build for ourselves a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens,” “that we may make a name for ourselves” “and not be scattered over the face of all the earth.” Persons / Places / Events 1. The People of ShinarThe descendants of Noah who settled in the land of Shinar, united in language and purpose. 2. The City and the Tower The city and the tower represent human ambition and pride, as the people sought to build a structure reaching the heavens. 3. The Plain of Shinar A fertile region where the people gathered to build the city and tower, located in ancient Mesopotamia. 4. The Heavens Symbolic of divine realms, the people aimed to reach the heavens, indicating their desire to elevate themselves to God's level. 5. The Scattering The event that God intended to prevent by confusing their language, leading to the dispersion of people across the earth. Teaching Points The Danger of PridePride can lead us away from God's will, as seen in the people's desire to make a name for themselves rather than glorifying God. Unity in the Wrong Purpose While unity is powerful, it must be directed towards God's purposes, not human ambition. God's Sovereignty Despite human plans, God's will prevails. He intervenes to ensure His purposes are fulfilled. The Importance of Obedience The people of Babel disobeyed God's command to fill the earth, reminding us of the importance of following God's directives. The Role of Language Language can unite or divide. We should use it to build up and glorify God, not to pursue selfish ambitions.(4) A tower, whose top may reach unto heaven.--The Hebrew is far less hyperbolical: namely, whose head (or top) is in the heavens, or skies, like the walls of the Canaanite cities (Deuteronomy 1:28). The object of the builders was twofold: first, they wished to have some central beacon which might guide them in their return from their wanderings; and secondly, they had a distinctly ambitious object, for by remaining as one nation they would be able to reduce to obedience all the tribes now perpetually wandering away from them, and so would "make them a name." We may, indeed, dismiss the silly stories of Josephus about their defiance of God and Nimrod's impiety, and the purpose of escaping a second deluge, for all which there is not the least vestige of authority in the sacred record; but we undoubtedly find a political purpose of preventing that dispersion of mankind which God had commanded (Genesis 1:28), and of using the consequent aggregation of population for the attaining to empire. There was probably some one able and ambitious mind at the bottom of this purpose, and doubtless it had very many advantages: for it is what is now called centralisation, by which the individual sacrifices his rights to the nation, the provinces to the capital, and small nations are bound together in one empire, that the force of the whole body may be brought to bear more rapidly and effectually in carrying out the will of the nation or of the ruler, as the case may be. Nimrod's efforts at a later date were successful (Genesis 10:10-12); and when we remember the blood-stained course of some of his cities, we may well doubt whether, with all its present advantages, this centralisation really promotes human happiness.Verse 4. - And they said. Being impelled by their success in making bricks for their dwellings (Lange), though the resolution to be mentioned may have been the cause of their brick-making (Bush). Go to, let us build us a city. Cf. Genesis 4:17, which represents Cain as the first city builder. And a tower. Not as a distinct erection, but as forming a part, as it were the Acre-polls, of the city (Bochart). Whose top may reach unto heaven. Literally, and his head in the heavens, a hyperbolical expression for a tower of great height, as in Deuteronomy 1:28; Deuteronomy 9:1 (cf. Homer, 'Odys,' 5:239, ἐλάτη τ η΅ν οὐρανομήκης). This tower is commonly identified with the temple of Belus, which Herodotus describes (1. 181) as being quadrangular (two stadia each way), and having gates of brass, with a solid tower in the middle, consisting of eight sections, each a stadium in height, placed one above another, ascended by a spiral staircase, and having in the top section a spacious temple with a golden table and a well-furnished bed. Partially destroyed by Xerxes ( B.C. 490), it was attempted unsuccessfully to be rebuilt by Alexander the Great; but the remaining portion of the edifice was known to be in existence five centuries later, and was sufficiently imposing to be recognized as the temple of Belus (Pliny, 6:30). The site of this ancient tower is supposed by George Smith to be covered by the ruin "Babil," a square mound about 200 yards each way, in the north of the city; and that of the tower of Babel to be occupied by the ruin Birs-Nimrod (situated six miles south-west of Hillah, which is about forty miles west of Bagdad), a tower consisting of seven stages, said by inscriptions on cylinders extracted from the ruin to have been "the Temple of the Seven Planets, which had been partially built by a former king of Babylon, and, having fallen into decay, was restored and completed by Nebuchadnezzar" ('Assyrian Discoveries,' 12. p. 59; 'Chaldaean Genesis,' p. 163; cf. Layard's 'Nineveh and Babylon,' chap. 22. p. 496). It is, however, prima facie, unlikely that either Babil or Birs-Nimrod is the exact site of Babel. The original building was never finished, and may not have attained any great dimensions. Perhaps the most that can be said is that these existing mounds enable us to picture what sort of erection the tower of Babel was to be. And let us make a name, שֵׁם; neither an idol temple, ֵשם being = God, which it never is without the article, הַשֵׁם - cf. Leviticus 24:11 (Jewish writers); nor a monument, as in 2 Samuel 8:13 (Clericus); nor a metropolis, reading אֵם instead of שֵׁם, as in 2 Samuel 20:19 (Clericus); nor a tower that might serve as a sign to guide the wandering nomads and guard them against getting lost when spread abroad with their flocks, as in 2 Samuel 8:13; Isaiah 55:13 (Perizonius, Dathe, Ilgen); but a name, a reputation, as in 2 Samuel 8:13; Isaiah 63:12, 14; Jeremiah 32:20; Daniel 9:15 (Luther, Calvin, Rosenmüller, Keil, Lange, Murphy, Wordsworth, Kalisch). This was the first impelling motive to the erection of the city and tower. The offspring of ambition, it was designed to spread abroad their fame usque ad ultimos terrarum fines (Calvin). According to Philo, each man wrote his name upon a brick before he built it in. The second was to establish a rallying point that might serve to maintain their unity. Lest we be scattered abroad. Lest - antequam, πρὸ, before that, as if anticipating that the continuous increase of population would necessitate their dispersion (LXX., Vulgute), or as if determined to distinguish themselves before surrendering to the Divine command to spread themselves abroad (Luther); but the more exact rendering of פֵן is μή, ne, lest, introducing an apodosis expressive of something to be avoided by a preceding action (cf. Gesenius, ' Hebrews Gram.,' § 152, and Furst, 'Lex.,' sub voce. What the builders dreaded was not the recurrence of a flood (Josephus, Lyra), but the execution of the Divine purpose intimated in Genesis 9:1, and perhaps recalled to their remembrance by Noah (Usher), or by Sham (Wordsworth), or by Eber (Candlish); and what the builders aimed at was resistance to the Divine will. Upon the face of the whole earth. Over the entire surface of the globe, and not simply over the land of Shiner (Inglis), or over the immediate region in which they dwelt (Clericus,. Dathe, et alii, ut supra). Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew “Come,”הָ֣בָה ׀ (hā·ḇāh) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular Strong's 3051: To give, to put, imperatively, come they said, וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ (way·yō·mə·rū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 559: To utter, say “let us build נִבְנֶה־ (niḇ·neh-) Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural Strong's 1129: To build for ourselves לָּ֣נוּ (lā·nū) Preposition | first person common plural Strong's Hebrew a city עִ֗יר (‘îr) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 5892: Excitement with a tower וּמִגְדָּל֙ (ū·miḡ·dāl) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4026: A tower, a rostrum, a, bed of flowers that reaches וְרֹאשׁ֣וֹ (wə·rō·šōw) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 7218: The head to the heavens, בַשָּׁמַ֔יִם (ḇaš·šā·ma·yim) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky that we may make וְנַֽעֲשֶׂה־ (wə·na·‘ă·śeh-) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural Strong's 6213: To do, make a name for ourselves שֵׁ֑ם (šêm) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 8034: A name and not פֶּן־ (pen-) Conjunction Strong's 6435: Removal, lest be scattered נָפ֖וּץ (nā·p̄ūṣ) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural Strong's 6327: To be dispersed or scattered over עַל־ (‘al-) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against the face פְּנֵ֥י (pə·nê) Noun - common plural construct Strong's 6440: The face of the whole כָל־ (ḵāl) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every earth.” הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (hā·’ā·reṣ) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 776: Earth, land Links Genesis 11:4 NIVGenesis 11:4 NLT Genesis 11:4 ESV Genesis 11:4 NASB Genesis 11:4 KJV Genesis 11:4 BibleApps.com Genesis 11:4 Biblia Paralela Genesis 11:4 Chinese Bible Genesis 11:4 French Bible Genesis 11:4 Catholic Bible OT Law: Genesis 11:4 They said Come let's build ourselves (Gen. 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