Genesis 11:1-32 NIV

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:5

And the Lord came down - A lesson, says an ancient Jewish commentator, to magistrates to examine every evidence before they decree judgment and execute justice. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:6

The people is one, etc. - From this, as before observed, we may infer, that as the people had the same language, so they had a unity of design and sentiment. It is very likely that the original language was composed of monosyllables, that each had a distinct ideal meaning, and only one meaning; as different acceptations of the same word would undoubtedly arise, either from compounding terms, or, when there were but few words in a language, using them by a different mode of pronunciation to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:7

Go to - A form of speech which, whatever it might have signified formerly, now means nothing. The Hebrew העה habah signifies come, make preparation, as it were for a journey, the execution of a purpose, etc. Almost all the versions understand the word in this way; the Septuagint have δευτε , the Vulgate venite , both signifying come, or come ye. This makes a very good sense, Come, let its go down, etc. For the meaning of these latter words see Genesis 1:26 , and Genesis 18:21 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:9

Therefore is the name of it called Babel - בבל babel , from בל bal , to mingle, confound, destroy; hence Babel, from the mingling together and confounding of the projects and language of these descendants of Noah; and this confounding did not so much imply the producing new languages, as giving them a different method of pronouncing the same words, and leading them to affix different ideas to them. Besides Mr. Hutchinson's opinion, (see on Genesis 11:4 ; (note)), there have been... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:10

These are the generations of Shem - This may he called the holy family, as from it sprang Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the twelve patriarchs, David, Solomon, and all the great progenitors of the Messiah. We have already seen that the Scripture chronology, as it exists in the Hebrew text, the Samaritan, the Septuagint, Josephus, and some of the fathers, is greatly embarrassed; and it is yet much more so in the various systems of learned and unlearned chronologists. For a full and rational view of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:12

And Arphaxad lived - The Septuagint bring in here a second Cainan, with an addition of one hundred and thirty years. St. Luke follows the Septuagint, and brings in the same person in the same way. But the Hebrew text, both here and in 1 Chronicles 1:1-28, is perfectly silent on this subject, and the best chronologists have agreed in rejecting this as a spurious generation. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:26

And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran - Haran was certainly the eldest son of Terah, and he appears to have been born when Terah was about seventy years of age, and his birth was followed in successive periods with those of Nahor his second, and Abram his youngest son. Many have been greatly puzzled with the account here, supposing because Abram is mentioned first, that therefore he was the eldest son of Terah: but he is only put first by way of dignity. An in... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:29

Milcah, the daughter of Haran - Many suppose Sarai and Iscah are the same person under two different names; but this is improbable, as Iscah is expressly said to be the daughter of Haran, and Sarai was the daughter of Terah, and half sister of Abram. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:31

They went forth - front Ur of the Chaldees - Chaldea is sometimes understood as comprising the whole of Babylonia; at other times, that province towards Arabia Deserta, called in Scripture The land of the Chaldeans. The capital of this place was Babylon, called in Scripture The beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, Isaiah 13:19 . Ur appears to have been a city of some considerable consequence at that time in Chaldea; but where situated is not well known. It probably had its name Ur אור ,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:1

Verse 1 1.And the whole earth was of one language. Whereas mention had before been made of Babylon in a single word, Moses now more largely explains whence it derived its name. For this is a truly memorable history, in which we may perceive the greatness of men’s obstinacy against God, and the little profit they receive from his judgments. And although at first sight the atrocity of the evil does not appear; yet the punishment which follows it, testifies how highly God was displeased with that... read more

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:5

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:6

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:7

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:9

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:10

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:12

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:26

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:29

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:31

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 11:1

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