New King James Version
Genesis 11:9
9Therefore 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.
Genesis 11:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
- New International Version (NIV)That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.
- New Living Translation (NLT)That is why the city was called Babel, because that is where the Lord confused the people with different languages. In this way he scattered them all over the world.
Context of Genesis 11:9
7Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8So 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. 10This is the genealogy of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old, and begot Arphaxad two years after the flood. 11After he begot Arphaxad, Shem lived five hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.
Read all of Genesis 11Genesis 11:9 word by word
עַל־כֵּ֞ן קָרָ֤א שְׁמָהּ֙ בָּבֶ֔ל כִּי־שָׁ֛ם בָּלַ֥ל יְהוָ֖ה שְׂפַ֣ת כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וּמִשָּׁם֙ הֱפִיצָ֣ם יְהוָ֔ה עַל־פְּנֵ֖י כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Therefore is the name of itשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call byH7121
- Babelבָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶלbâbel · BabylonH894
- because the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- did there confoundבָּלַלbâlal · to mixH1101
- the languageשָׂפָהώâphâh ώepheth · lip: languageH8193
- of all the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- and from thence didפּוּץpûts · to scatterH6327
- scatter them abroadפּוּץpûts · to scatterH6327
- upon the faceפָּנֶהpânîym · face: surfaceH6440
Cross-references for Genesis 11:9
- Genesis 10:5From these the coastland peoples of the Gentiles were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.
- Isaiah 13:1The burden against Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw.
- Jeremiah 50:1The word that the Lord spoke against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet.
- 1 Corinthians 14:23Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?
- Genesis 10:25To Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan.
- Acts 17:26And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,
Commentaries on Genesis 11:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Therefore is the name of it called Babel - בבל babel, from בל bal, to mingle, confound, destroy; hence Babel, from the mingling together and confounding of the projects and language of these descendants of Noah; and this confounding did not so much imply the producing new languages, as giving them a different method of pronouncing the same words, and leading them to affix different ideas to them. Besides Mr. Hutchinson's opinion, (see on Genesis 11:4…Read the comment
- 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. 9Babel: The Babylonians saw their city as the home or gateway of the gods. The double meaning at the end of this story shows Babylon's spiritual confusion. Babylon became important under Nimrod (10:10) and later in biblical history (see 2 Kings 25:1–30). Its role as a center of pride and idol worship makes it a symbol for the forces opposed to God in the end times (for example, Revelation 14:8; 16:19; 18:2). The tower builders gathered together in one…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 11:9
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries