Genesis 11:8

Genesis 11:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
• New International Version (NIV)So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city.

Context of Genesis 11:8

6The Lord said, “If they have begun to do this as one people all having the same language, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7Come, let’s go down there and confuse their language so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” So from there the Lord scattered them throughout the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9Therefore it is called Babylon, for there the Lord confused the language of the whole earth, and from there the Lord scattered them throughout the earth. 10These are the family records of Shem. Shem lived 100 years and fathered Arpachshad two years after the flood.

Genesis 11:8 word by word

וַיָּ֨פֶץ יְהוָ֥ה אֹתָ֛ם מִשָּׁ֖ם עַל־פְּנֵ֣י כָל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַֽיַּחְדְּל֖וּ לִבְנֹ֥ת הָעִֽיר׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• So the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• scattered them abroadפּוּץpûts · to scatterH6327
• from thenceשָׁםshâm · thereH8033
• upon the faceפָּנֶהpânîym · face: surfaceH6440
• of all the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• and they left offחָדַלchâdal · to ceaseH2308
• to buildבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892

Cross-references for Genesis 11:8

• Genesis 11:4And they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky. Let’s make a name for ourselves; otherwise, we will be scattered throughout the earth.”
• Genesis 49:7Their anger is cursed, for it is strong, and their fury, for it is cruel! I will disperse them throughout Jacob and scatter them throughout Israel.
• Deuteronomy 32:8When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance and divided the human race, he set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the people of Israel.
• Luke 1:51He has done a mighty deed with his arm; he has scattered the proud because of the thoughts of their hearts;
• Genesis 10:25Eber had two sons. One was named Peleg, for during his days the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan.

Commentaries on Genesis 11:8

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-9Verses 1-9 - The Confusion of Tongues 1. נסע nāsa‛ “pluck out, break up, journey.” מקדם mı̂qedem “eastward, or on the east side” as in Genesis 2:14; Genesis 13:11; Isaiah 9:11 (12). 6. החלם hachı̂lām “their beginning”, for החלם hăchı̂lām the regular form of this infinitive with a suffix. יזמוּ yāzmû as if from יזם yāzam = זמם zāmam נבלה nābelâh usually said to be for נבלה nābolâh from בלל bālal but evidently designed by the punctuator to be…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-9Verses 5-9 Here is an expression after the manner of men; The Lord came down to see the city. God is just and fair in all he does against sin and sinners, and condemns none unheard. Pious Eber is not found among this ungodly crew; for he and his are called the children of God; their souls joined not themselves to the assembly of these children of men. God suffered them to go on some way, that the works of their hands, from which they promised themselves…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8the LORD scattered them: In a similar way, God punished Adam and Eve for trying to become independent of his rule. God punished Cain for murder. Their punishments involved exile and scattering (3:23; 4:12, 14; 9:19; 10:5, 25, 32).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-321. the whole earth was of one language. The descendants of Noah, united by the strong bond of a common language, had not separated, and notwithstanding the divine command to replenish the earth, were unwilling to separate. The more pious and well-disposed would of course obey the divine will; but a numerous body, seemingly the aggressive horde mentioned (Ge 10:10), determined to please themselves by occupying the fairest region they came to.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 11:8

• Babel
• Babylon
• Confusion
• Dispersion
• Language
• Miracles
• Tongue
• Tower

In the dictionaries

• Babel, tower of
• Begin
• Confound
• Earth
• Mesopotamia
• Noah
• Scatter
• Slime
• Tongues, Confusion of
• Abraham

Commentaries on Genesis 11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings