1 N ow the whole earth had one language and one speech.

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

2 A nd it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there.

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

3 T hen they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt 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 ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of 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 B ut 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, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from 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 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 there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city.

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

9 T herefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth. Shem’s Descendants

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 genealogy of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old, and begot Arphaxad 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 fter he begot Arphaxad, Shem lived five hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.

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

12 A rphaxad lived thirty-five years, and begot Salah.

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

13 A fter he begot Salah, Arphaxad lived four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters.

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

14 S alah lived thirty years, and begot Eber.

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

15 A fter he begot Eber, Salah lived four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters.

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

16 E ber lived thirty-four years, and begot Peleg.

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

17 A fter he begot Peleg, Eber lived four hundred and thirty years, and begot sons and daughters.

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

18 P eleg lived thirty years, and begot Reu.

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

19 A fter he begot Reu, Peleg lived two hundred and nine years, and begot sons and daughters.

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

20 R eu lived thirty-two years, and begot Serug.

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

21 A fter he begot Serug, Reu lived two hundred and seven years, and begot sons and daughters.

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

22 S erug lived thirty years, and begot Nahor.

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

23 A fter he begot Nahor, Serug lived two hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.

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

24 N ahor lived twenty-nine years, and begot Terah.

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

25 A fter he begot Terah, Nahor lived one hundred and nineteen years, and begot sons and daughters.

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

26 N ow Terah lived seventy years, and begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Terah’s Descendants

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

27 T his is the genealogy of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran begot 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 A nd Haran died before his father Terah in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans.

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

29 T hen Abram and Nahor took wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and the father of 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 his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt 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 S o the days of Terah were two hundred and five years, and Terah died in Haran.

Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Haran.