1 A nd the whole earth was of one language and of one accent and mode of expression.

Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words.

2 A nd as they journeyed eastward, they found a plain (valley) in the land of Shinar, and they settled and dwelt there.

And as men traveled in the east, they found a valley in the land of Shinar and made their home there.

3 A nd they said one to another, Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly. So they had brick for stone, and slime (bitumen) for mortar.

They said to one another, “Come, let us make blocks and burn them until they are hard.” They used blocks for stone, and tar to hold them together.

4 A nd they said, Come, let us build us a city and a tower whose top reaches into the sky, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered over the whole earth.

Then they said, “Come, let us build a city for ourselves, with a tower that touches the heavens. Let us make a name for ourselves, or else we may be sent everywhere over the whole earth.”

5 A nd the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.

Then the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the sons of men had built.

6 A nd the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them.

And the Lord said, “See, they are one people, and they all have the same language. This is only the beginning of what they will do. Now all they plan to do will be possible for them.

7 C ome, let Us go down and there confound (mix up, confuse) their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.

Come, let Us go down and mix up their language so they will not understand what each other says.”

8 S o the Lord scattered them abroad from that place upon the face of the whole earth, and they gave up building the city.

So the Lord sent them everywhere over the whole earth. And they stopped building the city.

9 T herefore the name of it was called Babel—because there the Lord confounded the language of all the earth; and from that place the Lord scattered them abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

So the name of the city was Babel, because there the Lord mixed up the language of the whole earth. The Lord sent the people everywhere over the whole earth. The Families after Shem

10 T his is the history of the generations of Shem. Shem was 100 years old when he became the father of Arpachshad, two years after the flood.

These are the children of Shem. When Shem had lived 100 years, he became the father of Arpachshad, two years after the flood.

11 A nd Shem lived after Arpachshad was born 500 years and had other sons and daughters.

Shem lived 500 years after the birth of Arpachshad. He had other sons and daughters.

12 W hen Arpachshad had lived 35 years, he became the father of Shelah.

When Arpachshad had lived thirty-five years, he became the father of Shelah.

13 A rpachshad lived after Shelah was born 403 years and had other sons and daughters.

Arpachshad lived 403 years after the birth of Shelah. He had other sons and daughters.

14 W hen Shelah had lived 30 years, he became the father of Eber.

When Shelah had lived thirty years, he became the father of Eber.

15 S helah lived after Eber was born 403 years and had other sons and daughters.

Shelah lived 403 years after the birth of Eber. He had other sons and daughters.

16 W hen Eber had lived 34 years, he became the father of Peleg.

When Eber had lived thirty-four years, he became the father of Peleg.

17 A nd Eber lived after Peleg was born 430 years and had other sons and daughters.

Eber lived 430 years after the birth of Peleg. He had other sons and daughters.

18 W hen Peleg had lived 30 years, he became the father of Reu.

When Peleg had lived thirty years, he became the father of Reu.

19 A nd Peleg lived after Reu was born 209 years and had other sons and daughters.

Peleg lived 209 years after the birth of Reu. He had other sons and daughters.

20 W hen Reu had lived 32 years, he became the father of Serug.

When Reu had lived thirty-two years, he became the father of Serug.

21 A nd Reu lived after Serug was born 207 years and had other sons and daughters.

Reu lived 207 years after the birth of Serug. He had other sons and daughters.

22 W hen Serug had lived 30 years, he became the father of Nahor.

When Serug had lived thirty years, he became the father of Nahor.

23 A nd Serug lived after Nahor was born 200 years and had other sons and daughters.

Serug lived 200 years after the birth of Nahor. He had other sons and daughters.

24 W hen Nahor had lived 29 years, he became the father of Terah.

When Nahor had lived twenty-nine years, he became the father of Terah.

25 A nd Nahor lived after Terah was born 119 years and had other sons and daughters.

Nahor lived 119 years after the birth of Terah. He had other sons and daughters.

26 A fter Terah had lived 70 years, he became the father of, Abram and Nahor and Haran,.

When Terah had lived seventy years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran.

27 N ow this is the history of the descendants of Terah. Terah was the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran was the father of Lot.

Now these are the children of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot.

28 H aran died before his father Terah in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldees.

Haran died with his father Terah beside him in the land of his birth, Ur of the Chaldeans.

29 A nd Abram and Nahor took wives. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and Iscah.

Abram and Nahor both married. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai. The name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran. Haran was the father of Milcah and Iscah.

30 B ut Sarai was barren; she had no child.

But Sarai could not give birth. She had no child.

31 A nd Terah took Abram his son, Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife, and they went forth together to go from Ur of the Chaldees into the land of Canaan; but when they came to Haran, they settled there.

Terah took his son Abram, and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram and they went together from Ur of the Chaldeans to the land of Canaan. But when they went as far as Haran, they made their home there.

32 A nd Terah lived 205 years; and Terah died in Haran.

Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Haran.