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, “They are one people with one language. This is only the beginning of what they will do! Now nothing they plan to do will be too difficult for them. 7Let us go down there and mix up their language so that they won’t understand each other.” So the Lord scattered them all over the face of the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9This is why it was named Babel, because there the Lord turned the language of the whole earth into babble. From that place the Lord scattered them all over the face of the earth. 10This is the account of Shem and his descendants. Two years after the flood when Shem was 100 years old, he became the father of Arpachshad.

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 11:4Then they said, “Let’s build a city for ourselves and a tower with its top in the sky. Let’s make a name for ourselves so that we won’t become scattered all over the face of the earth.”
• Genesis 49:7May their anger be cursed because it’s so fierce. May their fury be cursed because it’s so cruel. I will divide them among ⌞the sons of⌟ Jacob and scatter them among ⌞the tribes of⌟ Israel.
• Deuteronomy 32:8When the Most High gave nations their land, when he divided the descendants of Adam, he set up borders for the tribes corresponding to the number of the sons of Israel.
• Luke 1:51“He displayed his mighty power. He scattered those who think too highly of themselves.
• Genesis 10:25Two sons were born to Eber. The name of the one was Peleg [Division], because in his day the earth was divided. His brother’s name was 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