1
And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
2
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.
3
And they said one to another, "Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly." And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar.
4
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."
5
And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men built.
6
And the LORD said, "Behold, the people are one and they have all one language, and this they begin to do; and now nothing will be withheld from them which they have imagined to do.
7
Come, let Us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech."
8
So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth; and they left off building the city.
9
Therefore is the name of it called Babel [that is, Confusion], 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.
10
These are the generations of Shem: Shem was a hundred years old and begot Arphaxad two years after the flood;
11
and Shem lived after he begot Arphaxad five hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.
12
And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years and begot Salah;
13
and Arphaxad lived after he begot Salah four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters.
14
And Salah lived thirty years and begot Eber;
15
and Salah lived after he begot Eber four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters.
16
And Eber lived four and thirty years and begot Peleg;
17
and Eber lived after he begot Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begot sons and daughters.
18
And Peleg lived thirty years and begot Reu;
19
and Peleg lived after he begot Reu two hundred and nine years, and begot sons and daughters.