Genesis 11
All of earth shared the very same language, with one set of words. And as men were migrating
From the east, they found a valley in Shinar’s lands, and they settled there, set for creating.
They said to one another, “Come, let us bake bricks, and then burn them in turn through and through.”
So for them the brick-stone served as building stone, and the bitumen as mortar and glue.
Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves, a tower whose top is so high
That it reaches the heavens. Let’s make names for ourselves so we and our work will not die,
Otherwise we’ll be scattered all over the world!” The Lord came down so that He could see
Both the city and tower man built, seeking power. And then the Lord said, “Here they be,
One people with one language they share among all, and this tower is just the beginning–
In time, there will be nothing to stop them from anything they want to do, even sinning!
Come now, let us go down there and baffle their speech, no two neighbors will then speak the same.”
So God scattered them over the earth, and they had to stop building, hence Babel was named.
Yes, the city received the name Babel, (like babble), since there God had baffled all speech,
And it was from there that God had scattered all people across the earth’s entire reach.
This is Shem’s line: Shem lived for one hundred years, fathered Arpachshad, two years past the Flood,
After Arpachshad’s birth, Shem lived five hundred years, and sired sons and daughters of his blood.
When Arpachshad had lived thirty-five years, he fathered Shelah, and after Shelah’s birth,
Arpachshad lived four hundred and three years, and then fathered sons and daughters on the earth.
When Shelah had lived for thirty years, then he fathered Eber, and after Eber’s birth,
Shelah lived for four hundred and three years, and fathered both sons and daughters on the earth.
When Eber had lived thirty-five years, then he fathered Peleg, and after Peleg’s birth,
Eber lived for four hundred and thirty years, and fathered sons and daughters on the earth.
When Peleg had lived for thirty years, then he fathered Reu, and after Reu’s birth,
Peleg lived for two hundred and nine years, and then fathered sons and daughters on the earth.
When Reu had lived thirty-two years, then he fathered Serug, and after Serug’s birth,
Reu lived for two hundred and seven years, and fathered sons and daughters on the earth.
When Serug had lived for thirty years, then he fathered Nahor, and after Nahor’s birth,
Serug lived for two hundred more years, and then fathered both sons and daughters on the earth.
When Nahor had lived twenty-nine years, then he fathered Terah, and after Terah’s birth,
Nahor lived for one hundred and nineteen years, and fathered sons and daughters on the earth.
When Terah had lived seventy years, then he fathered Abram, and Nahor, and Haran.
Now what follows are the generations of Terah, the line that with Terah began.
Terah fathered Abram, and Nahor, and Haran; and Haran fathered Lot. Then Haran
Died in his father Terah’s lifetime, in Ur of the Chaldeans, in his native land.
Both Abram and Nahor took a wife for themselves, the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai,
Nahor’s wife was named Milcah, daughter of Haran, whom she and Iscah were sired by.
Now Sarai was barren, she had no child. Terah took Abram, his son, and Haran’s son
Lot, his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, the wife of Abram, who was his son;
And all four of them went forth together, Terah with Abram, Lot, and Sarai set out
From Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan, but it then came about
That when they reached the city of Harran, they settled there, feeling no need to move on.
The days of Terah came to two hundred and five years, and then Terah died in Harran.