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

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

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

As they traveled east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they lived 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’s make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar.

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.

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

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

Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men 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.

Yahweh 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.

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

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 Yahweh scattered them abroad from there on the surface of all the earth. 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.

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

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.

This is the history of the generations of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old when 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 five hundred years after he became the father of Arpachshad, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Peleg lived two hundred nine years after he became the father of Reu, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

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

Reu lived thirty-two years, and became the father of Serug.

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

Reu lived two hundred seven years after he became the father of Serug, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

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

Serug lived thirty years, and became the father of Nahor.

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

Serug lived two hundred years after he became the father of Nahor, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

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

Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and became the father of Terah.

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

Nahor lived one hundred nineteen years after he became the father of Terah, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

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

Terah lived seventy years, and 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 this is the history of the generations of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. 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 before his father Terah in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldees.

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

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

Sarai was barren. 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 Abram his son, Lot the son of Haran, his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife. They went from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan. They came to Haran and lived there.

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

The days of Terah were two hundred five years. Terah died in Haran.