The Tower of Babel

Joktan became the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,

Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah,

Obal, Abimael, Sheba,

Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan.

Their dwelling extended from Mesha, as you go toward Sephar, the mountain of the east.

These are the sons of Shem, by their families, according to their languages, lands, and nations.

These are the families of the sons of Noah, by their generations, according to their nations. The nations divided from these in the earth after the flood.

The whole earth was of one language and of one speech.

As they traveled east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they lived there.

They said one to another, “Come, let’s make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar.

They said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let’s make ourselves a name, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth.”

The LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built.

The LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is what they begin to do. Now nothing will be withheld from them, which they intend to do.

Come, let’s go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.”

So the LORD scattered them abroad from there on the surface of all the earth. They stopped building the city.

Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. From there, the LORD scattered them abroad on the surface of all the earth.

This is the history of the generations of Shem. Shem was one hundred years old and became the father of Arpachshad two years after the flood.

Shem lived five hundred years after he became the father of Arpachshad, and became the father of sons and daughters.

Arpachshad lived thirty-five years and became the father of Shelah.

Arpachshad lived four hundred three years after he became the father of Shelah, and became the father of sons and daughters.

Shelah lived thirty years, and became the father of Eber:

and Shelah lived four hundred three years after he became the father of Eber, and became the father of sons and daughters.

Eber lived thirty-four years, and became the father of Peleg.

Eber lived four hundred thirty years after he became the father of Peleg, and became the father of sons and daughters.

Peleg lived thirty years, and became the father of Reu.