11 Shem lived after he became the father of Arpachshad five hundred years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
God blessed them. God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he became the father of sons and daughters. All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years, then he died. Seth lived one hundred five years, and became the father of Enosh. Seth lived after he became the father of Enosh eight hundred seven years, and became the father of sons and daughters. All the days of Seth were nine hundred twelve years, then he died. Enosh lived ninety years, and became the father of Kenan. Enosh lived after he became the father of Kenan, eight hundred fifteen years, and became the father of sons and daughters. All the days of Enosh were nine hundred five years, then he died. Kenan lived seventy years, and became the father of Mahalalel. Kenan lived after he became the father of Mahalalel eight hundred forty years, and became the father of sons and daughters and all the days of Kenan were nine hundred ten years, then he died. Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Jared. Mahalalel lived after he became the father of Jared eight hundred thirty years, and became the father of sons and daughters. All the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety-five years, then he died. Jared lived one hundred sixty-two years, and became the father of Enoch. Jared lived after he became the father of Enoch eight hundred years, and became the father of sons and daughters. All the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty-two years, then he died. Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after he became the father of Methuselah three hundred years, and became the father of sons and daughters. all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty-five years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. Methuselah lived one hundred eighty-seven years, and became the father of Lamech. Methuselah lived after he became the father of Lamech seven hundred eighty-two years, and became the father of sons and daughters. All the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty-nine years, then he died. Lamech lived one hundred eighty-two years, and became the father of a son, and he named him Noah, saying, "This same will comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, because of the ground which Yahweh has cursed." Lamech lived after he became the father of Noah five hundred ninety-five years, and became the father of sons and daughters. All the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy-seven years, then he died. Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Behold, children are a heritage of Yahweh. The fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, So are the children of youth.
Your wife will be as a fruitful vine, In the innermost parts of your house; Your children like olive plants, Around your table. Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears Yahweh.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 11
Commentary on Genesis 11 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 11
Ge 11:1-32. Confusion of Tongues.
1. the whole earth was of one language. The descendants of Noah, united by the strong bond of a common language, had not separated, and notwithstanding the divine command to replenish the earth, were unwilling to separate. The more pious and well-disposed would of course obey the divine will; but a numerous body, seemingly the aggressive horde mentioned (Ge 10:10), determined to please themselves by occupying the fairest region they came to.
2. land of Shinar—The fertile valley watered by the Euphrates and Tigris was chosen as the center of their union and the seat of their power.
3. brick—There being no stone in that quarter, brick is, and was, the only material used for building, as appears in the mass of ruins which at the Birs Nimroud may have been the very town formed by those ancient rebels. Some of these are sun-dried—others burnt in the kiln and of different colors.
slime—bitumen, a mineral pitch, which, when hardened, forms a strong cement, commonly used in Assyria to this day, and forming the mortar found on the burnt brick remains of antiquity.
4. a tower whose top may reach unto heaven—a common figurative expression for great height (De 1:28; 9:1-6).
lest we be scattered—To build a city and a town was no crime; but to do this to defeat the counsels of heaven by attempting to prevent emigration was foolish, wicked, and justly offensive to God.
6. and now nothing will be restrained from them—an apparent admission that the design was practicable, and would have been executed but for the divine interposition.
7. confound their language—literally, "their lip"; it was a failure in utterance, occasioning a difference in dialect which was intelligible only to those of the same tribe. Thus easily by God their purpose was defeated, and they were compelled to the dispersion they had combined to prevent. It is only from the Scriptures we learn the true origin of the different nations and languages of the world. By one miracle of tongues men were dispersed and gradually fell from true religion. By another, national barriers were broken down—that all men might be brought back to the family of God.
28. Ur—now Orfa; that is, "light," or "fire." Its name probably derived from its being devoted to the rites of fire-worship. Terah and his family were equally infected with that idolatry as the rest of the inhabitants (Jos 24:15).
31. Sarai his daughter-in-law—the same as Iscah [Ge 11:29], granddaughter of Terah, probably by a second wife, and by early usages considered marriageable to her uncle, Abraham.
they came unto Haran—two days' journey south-southeast from Ur, on the direct road to the ford of the Euphrates at Rakka, the nearest and most convenient route to Palestine.