The Darby Translation DBY
New International Version NIV
1 And the whole earth had one language, and the same words.
1
Now the whole world had one language and a common speech.
2 And it came to pass as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and dwelt there.
2
As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there.
3 And they said one to another, Come on, let us make bricks, and burn [them] thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar.
3
They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar.
4 And they said, Come on, let us build ourselves a city and a tower, the top of which [may reach] to the heavens; and let us make ourselves a name, lest we be scattered over the face of the whole earth.
4
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.”
5 And Jehovah came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men built.
5
But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower the people were building.
6 And Jehovah said, Behold, the people is one, and have all one language; and this have they begun to do. And now will they be hindered in nothing that they meditate doing.
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The LORD said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.
7 Come, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
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Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”
8 And Jehovah scattered them thence over the face of the whole earth. And they left off building the city.
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So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city.
9 Therefore was its name called Babel; because Jehovah there confounded the language of the whole earth. And Jehovah scattered them thence over the face of the whole earth.
9
That is why it was called Babel —because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
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Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.