Genesis Chapter 11
Mankind After the Flood: The Tower of Babel
(Genesis 11:1–4)
“Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. Then 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. And 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.’”
After the Flood, the entire human race shared a single language and common speech, a testimony to their common origin in Adam and later in Noah’s family. This unity in language and purpose initially had the potential for good but quickly became a platform for rebellion. The descendants of Noah journeyed from the east and settled in a region called Shinar, known elsewhere in Scripture as Babylon. This plain became the site of humanity’s first organized act of defiance against God’s command to “be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth” as stated in Genesis 9:1.
The people said, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly,” showing an early example of technological advancement. They used kiln-fired bricks and asphalt for mortar, materials known to be strong and waterproof. This same asphalt (bitumen) was used by Noah to waterproof the ark (Genesis 6:14) and by Moses’ mother to waterproof his basket (Exodus 2:3). Archaeological findings confirm that such building methods were typical in ancient Babylon.
Their stated goal was to “build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens.” This phrase reveals the prideful heart of mankind after the Flood. Rather than trusting in God’s promise never again to destroy the earth by water, they sought to construct a waterproof monument to their own strength and unity. This act symbolized mankind’s defiance and self-sufficiency apart from God. Their statement, “Let us make a name for ourselves,” expresses the human desire for glory and independence, the very essence of sin since Eden. The motive was clear: they feared being “scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth,” which was precisely what God had commanded them to do.
The phrase “a tower whose top is in the heavens” should not be understood as an attempt to physically reach Heaven but rather as a spiritual and astrological endeavor. The tower likely served as a ziggurat, a temple or observatory designed for star worship and divination. This marks the origin of Babylon’s long association with idolatry, astrology, and the occult. Nearly all pagan systems and false religions can trace their roots back to Babel. It is significant that Babylon later became a symbol in Scripture for rebellion against God and worldly pride, culminating in the final Babylon of Revelation 17–18.
It is also worth noting that if their true goal were to build a tower to reach Heaven physically, they would have chosen a mountain rather than the flat plain of Shinar, which lies near sea level. Thus, the tower represented spiritual arrogance, not architectural ambition. Historical records from the Greek historian Herodotus mention that the ruins of this tower still existed in his day, suggesting that the event recorded in Genesis reflects an actual historical structure.
(Genesis 11:5–9)
“But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And 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. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.’ So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. Therefore 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.”
The statement “the LORD came down to see the city and the tower” demonstrates God’s intimate involvement in human affairs. Though God is omniscient and omnipresent, the phrasing emphasizes His personal attention to human rebellion. Many scholars see in this an early Christophany, a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ, who is the visible manifestation of the invisible God. The divine statement, “Come, let Us go down,” contains a plural pronoun, once again reflecting the triune nature of God, just as seen in Genesis 1:26, where God said, “Let Us make man in Our image.”
God’s concern was that “nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.” This was not a statement of admiration but of warning. When fallen mankind is united in rebellion against God, their capacity for evil is virtually limitless. History affirms this truth, as seen in the organized atrocities of the twentieth century under totalitarian regimes. The Tower of Babel represents the first recorded attempt at a one-world system, united politically, economically, and religiously in defiance of God—an image later mirrored in the coming global empire of the Antichrist.
In mercy and wisdom, God confounded their language. By introducing linguistic division, He halted humanity’s unified rebellion and forced them to scatter across the earth. This confusion was both judgment and grace, for by dispersing mankind, God prevented the rapid advancement of collective evil. The scattering fulfilled God’s original command to populate the earth, though through divine intervention rather than human obedience.
The text explains that “the LORD confused the language of all the earth.” The study of linguistics supports the biblical account, for language is not an invention of man but an innate and divinely designed faculty. Languages exist as fully functional systems, not as gradual constructions. The complexity of syntax, grammar, and semantics shows evidence of design, not evolution. Modern linguists acknowledge that all languages seem to stem from a single original tongue, a fact that harmonizes perfectly with Genesis.
When the families were scattered, each group developed its own culture, customs, and physical traits influenced by geography and environment. These isolated groups became the various nations and ethnicities of the world. The small population sizes in each group caused certain genetic traits to become dominant, producing distinctive features that stabilized as the populations grew. Thus, the diversity of mankind reflects both God’s judgment at Babel and His creative design in adaptation and variation within the human race.
The rebellion at Babel also reveals that human nature did not improve after the Flood. Though judgment had cleansed the earth, sin remained in the human heart. As Jeremiah 17:9 declares, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” Despite the Flood, man’s nature was unchanged. The Tower of Babel shows that technological progress, organization, and civilization cannot redeem mankind. Only divine intervention can.
With Babel’s judgment complete, the next phase of God’s redemptive plan begins. Rather than working through all humanity collectively, God would now call one man, Abram, through whom all nations would ultimately be blessed. God would start, as He always does, with a man willing to obey His will, even if imperfectly.
The Line of Adam Through Shem to Abram
(Genesis 11:10–25)
“This is the genealogy of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old, and begot Arphaxad two years after the flood. After he begot Arphaxad, Shem lived five hundred years, and begot sons and daughters. Arphaxad lived thirty-five years, and begot Salah. After he begot Salah, Arphaxad lived four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters. Salah lived thirty years, and begot Eber. After he begot Eber, Salah lived four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters. Eber lived thirty-four years, and begot Peleg. After he begot Peleg, Eber lived four hundred and thirty years, and begot sons and daughters. Peleg lived thirty years, and begot Reu. After he begot Reu, Peleg lived two hundred and nine years, and begot sons and daughters. Reu lived thirty-two years, and begot Serug. After he begot Serug, Reu lived two hundred and seven years, and begot sons and daughters. Serug lived thirty years, and begot Nahor. After he begot Nahor, Serug lived two hundred years, and begot sons and daughters. Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and begot Terah. After he begot Terah, Nahor lived one hundred and nineteen years, and begot sons and daughters.”
This genealogy marks the continuation of the line of promise, tracing God’s redemptive plan through Shem, Noah’s blessed son, down to Terah, the father of Abram. The genealogical records of Genesis 11 bridge the post-Flood world with the Abrahamic covenant, showing that God’s purposes continued unbroken through chosen generations.
The phrase, “This is the genealogy of Shem,” indicates a deliberate narrowing of focus in the biblical narrative. The descendants of Shem are not merely listed for historical interest but to establish the Messianic lineage. This same genealogical line is mirrored in Luke 3:34–36, where it is traced forward through Abraham to Jesus Christ, emphasizing that the Messiah would come through Shem’s descendants.
Each generation listed here testifies to the longevity and continuity of life in the early post-Flood era. Though human lifespan had shortened from the pre-Flood centuries, these patriarchs still lived several hundred years, long enough to overlap with many generations, ensuring the preservation of knowledge, history, and tradition. For example, Shem lived five hundred years after the Flood, meaning he was alive for much of Abram’s life. It is likely that Shem, a direct eyewitness of the Flood and God’s covenantal promise, was still living when Abram was born. This means Abram could have personally known Shem and heard firsthand about the Flood and God’s covenant with Noah.
Nahor and Terah mark the immediate forebears of Abram. Terah would father Abram, Nahor, and Haran, continuing the line that would become the nation of Israel. The promise of a coming Deliverer, first declared in Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel,” continues through this line, which will ultimately culminate in Christ.
This genealogy not only links the Flood generation to the patriarchal era but also shows the decline in human lifespan and vitality as sin’s effects further took root in humanity. Nonetheless, God’s covenant purpose remained intact. Each name listed represents another link in the unbroken chain through which the Redeemer would come.
(Genesis 11:26–28)
“Now Terah lived seventy years, and begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. This is the genealogy of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran begot Lot. And Haran died before his father Terah in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans.”
With the introduction of Terah’s family, the narrative begins its transition from the Table of Nations to the story of redemption through one man, Abram. Genesis 11:26 marks the first mention of Abram, whose name means “exalted father,” later changed by God to Abraham, meaning “father of a multitude.” Abram is one of the most significant figures in all of Scripture, mentioned 312 times across 272 verses. Nearly one-third of the entire Book of Genesis focuses on his life, faith, and covenant relationship with God.
Abram was born into a world once again darkened by idolatry and rebellion. His homeland, Ur of the Chaldeans, located near the Euphrates River in southern Mesopotamia, was a center of advanced civilization and pagan worship. Archaeological findings reveal that Ur was a thriving city known for commerce, architecture, and the worship of the moon god, Nanna. God’s call to Abram, which comes in the next chapter, would require him to leave behind this world of false gods to follow the one true God.
Abram stands unique in all of Scripture as the man called “the friend of God.” James 2:23 says, “And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ And he was called the friend of God.” Likewise, 2 Chronicles 20:7 refers to him as “Abraham Your friend forever,” and Isaiah 41:8 calls him “Abraham My friend.” This divine friendship was based not on perfection, but on faith and obedience. Abram trusted God’s promises even when he did not fully understand them.
Many of the great figures of Scripture are known for specific roles—Moses as the lawgiver, Joshua as the general, David as the king, and Elijah as the prophet—but Abram is known for his faith. He is the prototype of justification by faith, as Romans 4:3 explains, “For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’” His relationship with God was personal and grounded in trust, not ritual or law.
For believers today, Abram’s life serves as a model of faith in action. While few may become lawgivers, generals, or kings, all believers can follow Abram’s example of faith and obedience. Faith is not merely belief in the existence of God, but a willingness to act upon His Word. Even if one feels their faith is small, God is able to cultivate and strengthen it, just as He did with Abram.
Faith is part of everyday life. People show faith when they purchase a ticket to a game, trusting it will be honored; when they board an airplane, trusting the pilot and mechanics; or when they plan a weekend based on a weather forecast, trusting in the predictions of men who are often wrong. If such confidence can be placed in imperfect human systems, how much more should faith be placed in the perfect, sovereign God who never fails? The God who built faith in Abram can build that same faith in the believer today.
The Family of Abram and His Brother Nahor
(Genesis 11:29–30)
“Then 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. But Sarai was barren; she had no child.”
This passage introduces Abram’s immediate family and sets the stage for the unfolding of God’s covenant plan. Abram and his brother Nahor both took wives. Abram’s wife, Sarai, whose name means “contentious” or “princess,” would later play a central role in the covenantal promise of God. Nahor married Milcah, who was both the daughter of Haran and his niece, indicating that interfamily marriages were still common and culturally accepted at this early stage in human history, when the gene pool was not yet as affected by the degeneration caused by sin.
The statement, “But Sarai was barren; she had no child,” is not merely a biological note but a deliberate theological one. In the ancient world, barrenness carried deep emotional and social weight. A woman’s inability to bear children was often viewed as a disgrace or sign of divine disfavor. For Abram, whose name means “father,” the situation must have been personally painful and publicly humiliating. His very name proclaimed fatherhood, yet he had no child to carry his line. Still, this divine setup would later serve as the backdrop for one of the greatest demonstrations of faith and God’s power in human history.
The barrenness of Sarai becomes a recurring theme throughout the biblical narrative, as God repeatedly brings life out of impossibility. What appears to be an obstacle is, in truth, the perfect stage for God to display His sovereignty. As Romans 4:19–21 later explains, “And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.” The problem of barrenness was not the end of Abram’s story; it was the beginning of a miraculous testimony of faith.
Thus, in God’s providence, Sarai’s inability to conceive became the canvas on which His faithfulness would later be painted. The covenant seed would not come through human ability, but through divine intervention. Abram’s eventual fatherhood would testify that the nation of Israel, and ultimately the Messiah Himself, were the result of God’s promise, not man’s power.
The Family of Terah and Their Journey from Ur to Haran
(Genesis 11:31–32)
“And 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. So the days of Terah were two hundred and five years, and Terah died in Haran.”
The journey of Terah’s family marks a transition in redemptive history. God’s redemptive focus begins to narrow from the nations scattered at Babel to one family line through which all nations will ultimately be blessed. Terah, Abram, Lot, and Sarai departed from Ur of the Chaldeans, a prominent city in ancient Mesopotamia, located near the Euphrates River. Ur was one of the most advanced cities of its time, boasting great wealth, culture, and idol worship, particularly the worship of the moon god, Nanna (also called Sin).
Joshua 24:2 provides crucial insight: “And Joshua said to all the people, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel: “Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River in old times; and they served other gods.”’” Abram came from an idolatrous family and likely participated in idol worship before God’s call reached him. This underscores the grace of God, who chose Abram not because of his righteousness, but because of His sovereign purpose. Even among idolaters, God called out a man through whom the knowledge of the true God would be restored to the world.
The family’s destination was Canaan, the land that would later become Israel’s inheritance. However, they stopped in Haran and “dwelt there.” Acts 7:2–4 clarifies this moment: “And he said, ‘Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, and said to him, “Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.” Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell.’” This indicates that God’s call first came to Abram while still in Ur, not in Haran. His obedience, however, was only partial at first.
Abram’s partial obedience is revealed in two ways. First, he was told to leave his family and his father’s house, yet he brought both Terah and Lot with him. Second, though God directed him toward Canaan, he stopped short and settled in Haran. The decision to stop halfway delayed God’s full blessing and communication. Charles Spurgeon insightfully remarked, “They start together for Canaan. So far so good; at least, it looks so. The travelling is wearisome, and many are the murmurings. The huge caravan has not gone very far before the proposal is made that they should be satisfied with the move which they had made, and remain at Haran. True, it was not Canaan, but it might do as well.”
Spurgeon further warns, “Half-way obedience increases our responsibility, because it is a plain confession that we know the Lord’s will, though we do it not. Abram had received the call, and knew that he had done so, else why had he come to Haran? He admitted, by going as far as Haran, that he ought to go the whole way to Canaan; and so, by his own action he left himself without excuse.”
The name Terah means “delay,” and the name Haran means “parched” or “barren.” Both names symbolically describe Abram’s situation during this period of incomplete obedience. When he delayed full obedience, his spiritual progress became parched and barren. In Haran, there is no record of God speaking to Abram, no vision, no dream, and no divine revelation. As Spurgeon said, “The result of this to Abram was the absence of privilege. God spoke not to His servant in Haran: neither dream, nor vision, nor voice came to him in the place of hesitancy. The Lord loved him, but hid His face from him, and denied him the visits of His grace.”
Only when Terah died and Abram continued onward did God renew His revelation and promise, as recorded in Genesis 12. The lesson is clear: partial obedience delays divine blessing, and compromise produces spiritual barrenness. God’s will cannot be fulfilled on half measures. Yet in His mercy, God patiently waited for Abram to obey fully. The faith journey that would make Abram “the friend of God” began not with perfection, but with progress—one step of obedience at a time.
Babylon’s Atrophy and Decay
Following its glory as the capital of the first great empire in human history, Babylon began a long, slow decline. Though the city eventually fell into ruin, it did not vanish overnight. Archaeological and historical records show that Babylon remained inhabited for centuries after its political power faded. Clay documents from priestly schools within the city have been found dating as late as A.D. 100, revealing that a remnant population continued to live and work there long after its zenith. Early in the first century, a colony of merchants from Palmyra brought a brief revival of prosperity, but they abandoned the site around A.D. 75. The Roman emperor Trajan visited Babylon in A.D. 115, and by the time of Septimus Severus, roughly eighty-four years later, the city was reported to be completely deserted.
Even so, Babylon’s ghost lingered through the centuries. As recently as the early 1800s, the village of Hillah—home to over ten thousand inhabitants—stood upon the ruins of ancient Babylon. In the late nineteenth century, the German archaeologist Robert Koldewey conducted extensive excavations and studies at Babylon and the surrounding Arab villages. His discoveries confirmed that the site had been intermittently inhabited long before his arrival. The ancient city, though no longer the center of power, still bore silent witness to millennia of human ambition, pride, and divine judgment.
Yet, Scripture indicates that Babylon’s story is not finished. The prophecies concerning its ultimate destruction, as recorded in Isaiah 13–14 and Jeremiah 50–51, have never been fully fulfilled. In Isaiah 13:19–20, the prophet declared, “And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It will never be inhabited, nor will it be settled from generation to generation; nor will the Arabian pitch tents there, nor will the shepherds make their sheepfolds there.” This description has yet to come to complete realization. Babylon’s historical decay was gradual, but the total destruction Isaiah foresaw points to a future event associated with the coming “Day of the Lord.”
The “Day of the Lord” is that prophetic period of divine judgment when God will pour out His wrath upon the nations and bring an end to all worldly rebellion. It is a time mentioned throughout Scripture: Joel 2:10 says, “The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble; the sun and moon grow dark, and the stars diminish their brightness.” Malachi 4:5 adds, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.” Daniel 12:1 foretells, “And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time,” while Matthew 24:21–22 echoes this prophecy: “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.”
When God destroys Babylon, He will simultaneously destroy the evil systems of the world. Six major chapters of Scripture describe this final destruction: Isaiah 13–14, Jeremiah 50–51, and Revelation 17–18. These passages, taken together, outline both the spiritual and political dimensions of Babylon’s end.
It is significant that Revelation divides Babylon into two aspects: Mystery Babylon (Revelation 17) and Babylon the Great (Revelation 18). Mystery Babylon represents the religious system—the “great harlot”—that rides upon the beast with seven heads and ten horns. Revelation 17:5–6 describes her vividly: “And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.” The imagery shows a religious system intertwined with political power—“the woman rides the beast”—but the beast eventually turns on her and devours her. Throughout history, Babylon has symbolized the source of all false religion and idolatry. Every pagan tradition can be traced back to the ancient worship systems of Babel.
Babylon the Great of Revelation 18 represents the literal, commercial city that will become a world center of trade and power in the last days. Revelation 18:9–11 records, “The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’ And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore.” Three groups are devastated by her fall—the kings of the earth, the merchants of the earth, and those who trade by sea—indicating Babylon’s central role in global commerce.
Though the original city is not a seaport, history records that Alexander the Great intended to make Babylon a major harbor capable of accommodating a thousand ships. If a modern revival of Babylon emerges as a world trade hub, it could mark the fulfillment of these prophecies. Therefore, students of prophecy are right to “watch Babylon,” for Scripture suggests that this ancient city will once again stand at the center of world politics, economics, and religion before its final destruction.
The prophet Zechariah may also have pointed to this future restoration of Babylon in Zechariah 5:5–11, which says, “Then the angel who talked with me came out and said to me, ‘Lift up now your eyes, and see what this is that goes forth.’ So I asked, ‘What is it?’ And he said, ‘It is an ephah that goes forth.’ He also said, ‘This is their resemblance throughout the earth.’ Here is a lead disc lifted up, and this is a woman sitting inside the ephah’; then he said, ‘This is Wickedness!’ And he thrust her down into the ephah, and threw the lead cover over its mouth. Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were two women, coming with the wind in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah between earth and heaven. So I said to the angel who talked with me, ‘Where are they carrying the ephah?’ And he said to me, ‘To build a house for it in the land of Shinar; when it is ready, the ephah will be set there on its own base.’”
In this vision, the “woman” represents wickedness sealed in a container (an ephah) and transported to “the land of Shinar,” which is ancient Babylon. The ephah was the standard measure of commerce in Zechariah’s day, and the lead cover (“a talent of lead”) symbolized something both weighed down and restrained. The woman personifies institutionalized wickedness—possibly the same harlot of Revelation 17—sealed away until a future time when she will be established again in Babylon. The two women with wings like a stork (an unclean bird) may symbolize demonic agencies assisting in this relocation, and the “wind in their wings” implies spiritual power or influence.
This prophetic picture suggests that the center of wickedness, once dispersed throughout the world, will one day return to its origin—Babylon on the Euphrates. Historically, pagan religion began at Babel, migrated through the empires of Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome, and later mingled with elements of both paganism and nominal Christianity. As the church began to merge with political power, pagan traditions entered its worship, replacing regeneration and faith with ceremony and hierarchy. Thus, the “leaven” Jesus described in Matthew 13:33—“The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened”—represents false doctrine permeating the whole. The letter to the church in Thyatira in Revelation 2:20 parallels this, describing a church that “tolerates that woman Jezebel,” a symbol of corruption and spiritual compromise.
From its beginnings at Babel to its reemergence in prophecy, Babylon stands as the fountainhead of all false worship. Pagan Rome adopted and renamed Babylon’s religious system, giving it Latin titles and Christian appearances. Over the centuries, this corrupted system spread throughout Christendom, blending political power with religion and transforming faith into formality. Ultimately, Scripture indicates that this system will migrate back to its birthplace in Shinar, where Babylon will once again rise as both a political and religious power before being destroyed forever.
Babylon, the city on the Euphrates, will become a central seat of global religion and commerce in the end times, only to face its final, irreversible destruction in fulfillment of God’s Word.
