The Tower of Babel

Yoktan fathered Almodad, Shelef, Hatzar-Mavet, Yerach,

Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah,

‘Oval, Avima’el, Sheva,

Ofir, Havilah and Yovav — all these were the sons of Yoktan.

Their territory stretched from Mesha, as you go toward S’far, to the mountain in the east.

These were the descendants of Shem, according to their families and languages, in their lands and in their nations.

These were the families of the sons of Noach, according to their generations, in their nations. From these the nations of the earth were divided up after the flood.

The whole earth used the same language, the same words.

It came about that as they traveled from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shin‘ar and lived there.

They said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them in the fire.” So they had bricks for building-stone and clay for mortar.

Then they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city with a tower that has its top reaching up into heaven, so that we can make a name for ourselves and not be scattered all over the earth.”

Adonai came down to see the city and the tower the people were building.

Adonai said, “Look, the people are united, they all have a single language, and see what they’re starting to do! At this rate, nothing they set out to accomplish will be impossible for them!

Come, let’s go down and confuse their language, so that they won’t understand each other’s speech.”

So from there Adonai scattered them all over the earth, and they stopped building the city.

For this reason it is called Bavel [confusion] — because there Adonai confused the language of the whole earth, and from there Adonai scattered them all over the earth.

Here is the genealogy of Shem. Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpakhshad two years after the flood.

After Arpakhshad was born, Shem lived another 500 years and had sons and daughters.

Arpakhshad lived thirty-five years and fathered Shelach.

After Shelach was born, Arpakhshad lived another 403 years and had sons and daughters.

Shelach lived thirty years and fathered ‘Ever.

After ‘Ever was born, Shelach lived another 403 years and had sons and daughters.

‘Ever lived thirty-four years and fathered Peleg.

After Peleg was born, ‘Ever lived another 430 years and had sons and daughters.

Peleg lived thirty years and fathered Re‘u.