Genesis 11:1-9

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1 The whole earth was of one language and of one speech. 2 As they traveled east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they lived there. 3 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 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 YHWH came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built. 6 YHWH said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do. Now nothing will be withheld from them, which they intend to do. 7 Come, let’s go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So YHWH scattered them abroad from there on the surface of all the earth. They stopped building the city. 9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there YHWH confused the language of all the earth. From there, YHWH scattered them abroad on the surface of all the earth. Genesis 11:1-9WEB

1 And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. 3 And they said one to another, Come, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. 4 And they said, Come, let us build us a city, and a tower, whose top `may reach' unto heaven, and let us make us a name; lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. 5 And Jehovah came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 6 And Jehovah said, Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is what they begin to do: and now nothing will be withholden from them, which they purpose to do. 7 Come, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. 8 So Jehovah scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off building the city. 9 Therefore was the name of it called Babel; because Jehovah did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did Jehovah scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

Classification

The Principle

This passage contains a case wherein God intervenes and disrupts the behaviors of men who are acting in a way, or toward an end, or with motivation, which is displeasing to God. It teaches us about the character of God, which is the Spirit of the Law.

Categories

This passage is part of the Principles and Definitions. Man attempted to arrogate a name for themselves which God did not desire them to have, and so this passage describes an instance where Man superseded his position in the Created Order, having stepped outside the boundaries defined for him by God. It also affects our understanding of Anthropology.

Fulfillment

This passage describes an abiding characteristic of God and an abiding limitation on man.

Topics

This command/principle has direct relevance to an understanding of the following topics:

• Created Order
• Anthropology