Revised Literal Translation

Genesis 11

1And the whole earthהָאָ֖רֶץha.'A.retzH776was of oneאֶחָ֑ת'e.ChatH259languageשָׂפָ֣הsa.FahH8193,and of oneאֲחָדִֽים׃'a.cha.DimH259speechוּדְבָרִ֖יםu.de.va.RimH1697.

2And it came to pass, as they journeyedבְּנָסְעָ֣םbe.na.se.'AmH5265from the eastמִקֶּ֑דֶםmi.Ke.demH6924,that they foundוַֽיִּמְצְא֥וּvai.yim.tze.'UH4672a plainבִקְעָ֛הvik.'AhH1237in the landבְּאֶ֥רֶץbe.'E.retzH776of Shinarשִׁנְעָ֖רshin.'ArH8152;and they dweltוַיֵּ֥שְׁבוּvai.Ye.she.vuH3427there.

3And they saidוַיֹּאמְר֞וּvai.yo.me.RuH559oneאִ֣ישׁ'ishH376to anotherרֵעֵ֗הוּre.'E.huH7453,Go toהָ֚בָהHa.vahH3051,let us makeנִלְבְּנָ֣הnil.be.NahH3835brickלְבֵנִ֔יםle.ve.NimH3843,and burnוְנִשְׂרְפָ֖הve.nis.re.FahH8313them throughlyלִשְׂרֵפָ֑הlis.re.FahH8316.And they had brickהַלְּבֵנָה֙ha.le.ve.NahH3843for stoneלְאָ֔בֶןle.'A.venH68,and pitchוְהַ֣חֵמָ֔רve.Ha.che.MarH2564hadH1961they for morterלַחֹֽמֶר׃la.Cho.merH2563.

4And they saidוַיֹּאמְר֞וּvai.yo.me.RuH559,Go toהָ֣בָה׀Ha.vahH3051,let us buildנִבְנֶה־niv.neh-H1129us a cityעִ֗יר'IrH5892and a towerוּמִגְדָּל֙u.mig.DalH4026,whose topוְרֹאשׁ֣וֹve.ro.ShoH7218may reachunto heavenבַשָּׁמַ֔יִםva.sha.Ma.yimH8064;and let us makeוְנַֽעֲשֶׂה־ve.na.'a.seh-H6213us a nameשֵׁ֑םShemH8034,lest we be scattered abroadנָפ֖וּץna.FutzH6327upon the faceפְּנֵ֥יpe.NeiH6440of the whole earthהָאָֽרֶץ׃ha.'A.retzH776.

5And Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068came downוַיֵּ֣רֶדvai.Ye.redH3381to seeלִרְאֹ֥תlir.'OtH7200the cityהָעִ֖ירha.'IrH5892and the towerהַמִּגְדָּ֑לha.mig.DalH4026,which the childrenבְּנֵ֥יbe.NeiH1121of menהָאָדָֽם׃ha.'a.DamH120buildedבָּנ֖וּba.NuH1129.

6And Yhwhיְהוָ֗הYah.wehH3068saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559,Behold, the peopleעַ֤ם'amH5971isoneאֶחָד֙'e.ChadH259,and they have all oneאַחַת֙'a.ChatH259languageוְשָׂפָ֤הve.sa.FahH8193;and this they beginהַחִלָּ֣םha.chi.LamH2490to doלַעֲשׂ֑וֹתla.'a.SotH6213:and now nothingלֹֽא־lo'-H3605 H3808will be restrainedיִבָּצֵ֣רyi.ba.TzerH1219from them, which they have imaginedיָזְמ֖וּya.ze.MuH2161to doלַֽעֲשֽׂוֹת׃La.'a.SotH6213.

7Go toהָ֚בָהHa.vahH3051,let us go downנֵֽרְדָ֔הne.re.DahH3381,and there confoundוְנָבְלָ֥הve.na.ve.LahH1101their languageשְׂפָתָ֑םse.fa.TamH8193,thatאֲשֶׁר֙'a.SherH834they may not understandיִשְׁמְע֔וּyish.me.'UH8085oneאִ֖ישׁ'ishH376another’sרֵעֵֽהוּ׃re.'E.huH7453speechשְׂפַ֥תse.FatH8193.

8So Yhwhיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068scattered them abroadוַיָּ֨פֶץvai.Ya.fetzH6327from thenceמִשָּׁ֖םmi.ShamH8033upon the faceפְּנֵ֣יpe.NeiH6440of all the earthהָאָ֑רֶץha.'A.retzH776:and they left offוַֽיַּחְדְּל֖וּvai.yach.de.LuH2308to buildלִבְנֹ֥תliv.NotH1129the cityהָעִֽיר׃ha.'IrH5892.

9Therefore is the name of itשְׁמָהּ֙she.MahH8034calledקָרָ֤אka.Ra'H7121Babelבָּבֶ֔לba.VelH894;because Yhwhיְהוָ֖הYah.wehH3068did there confoundבָּלַ֥לba.LalH1101the languageשְׂפַ֣תse.FatH8193of all the earthהָאָ֑רֶץha.'A.retzH776:and from thence didH6327Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068scatter them abroadהֱפִיצָ֣םhe.fi.TzamH6327upon the faceפְּנֵ֖יpe.NeiH6440of all the earthהָאָֽרֶץ׃ פha.'A.retzH776.

10These arethe generationsתּוֹלְדֹ֣תtol.DotH8435of Shemשֵׁ֔םShemH8035:Shemשֵׁ֚םShemH8035wasan hundredמְאַ֣תme.'AtH3967yearsשָׁנָ֔הsha.NahH8141oldבֶּן־ben-H1121,and begatוַיּ֖וֹלֶדvai.Yo.ledH3205Arphaxadאַרְפַּכְשָׁ֑ד'ar.pakh.ShadH775two yearsשְׁנָתַ֖יִםshe.na.Ta.yimH8141afterאַחַ֥ר'a.CharH310the floodהַמַּבּֽוּל׃ha.ma.BulH3999:

11And Shemשֵׁ֗םShemH8035livedוַֽיְחִי־vay.chi-H2421afterאַֽחֲרֵי֙'a.cha.ReiH310he begatהוֹלִיד֣וֹho.li.DoH3205Arphaxadאַרְפַּכְשָׁ֔ד'ar.pakh.ShadH775fiveחֲמֵ֥שׁcha.MeshH2568hundredמֵא֖וֹתme.'otH3967yearsשָׁנָ֑הsha.NahH8141,and begatוַיּ֥וֹלֶדvai.Yo.ledH3205sonsבָּנִ֖יםba.NimH1121and daughtersוּבָנֽוֹת׃ סu.va.NotH1323.

12And Arphaxadוְאַרְפַּכְשַׁ֣דve.'ar.pakh.ShadH775livedH2425fiveחָמֵ֥שׁcha.MeshH2568and thirtyוּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖יםu.she.lo.ShimH7970yearsשָׁנָ֑הsha.NahH8141,and begatוַיּ֖וֹלֶדvai.Yo.ledH3205Salahשָֽׁלַח׃Sha.lachH7974:

13And Arphaxadאַרְפַּכְשַׁ֗ד'ar.pakh.ShadH775livedוַֽיְחִ֣יvay.ChiH2421afterאַֽחֲרֵי֙'a.cha.ReiH310he begatהוֹלִיד֣וֹho.li.DoH3205Salahשֶׁ֔לַחShe.lachH7974fourוְאַרְבַּ֥עve.'ar.Ba'H702hundredשָׁנִ֔ים מֵא֖וֹתsha.Nim me.'otH8141 H3967and threeשָׁלֹ֣שׁsha.LoshH7969yearsשָׁנָ֑הsha.NahH8141,and begatוַיּ֥וֹלֶדvai.Yo.ledH3205sonsבָּנִ֖יםba.NimH1121and daughtersוּבָנֽוֹת׃ סu.va.NotH1323.

14And Salahוְשֶׁ֥לַחve.She.lachH7974livedH2425thirtyשְׁלֹשִׁ֣יםshe.lo.ShimH7970yearsשָׁנָ֑הsha.NahH8141,and begatוַיּ֖וֹלֶדvai.Yo.ledH3205Eberעֵֽבֶר׃'E.verH5677:

15And Salahשֶׁ֗לַחShe.lachH7974livedוַֽיְחִי־vay.chi-H2421afterאַחֲרֵי֙'a.cha.ReiH310he begatהוֹלִיד֣וֹho.li.DoH3205Eberעֵ֔בֶר'E.verH5677fourוְאַרְבַּ֥עve.'ar.Ba'H702hundredשָׁנִ֔ים מֵא֖וֹתsha.Nim me.'otH8141 H3967and threeשָׁלֹ֣שׁsha.LoshH7969yearsשָׁנָ֑הsha.NahH8141,and begatוַיּ֥וֹלֶדvai.Yo.ledH3205sonsבָּנִ֖יםba.NimH1121and daughtersוּבָנֽוֹת׃ סu.va.NotH1323.

16And Eberעֵ֕בֶר'E.verH5677livedוַֽיְחִי־vay.chi-H2421fourאַרְבַּ֥ע'ar.Ba'H702and thirtyוּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖יםu.she.lo.ShimH7970yearsשָׁנָ֑הsha.NahH8141,and begatוַיּ֖וֹלֶדvai.Yo.ledH3205Pelegפָּֽלֶג׃Pa.legH6389:

17And Eberעֵ֗בֶר'E.verH5677livedוַֽיְחִי־vay.chi-H2421afterאַחֲרֵי֙'a.cha.ReiH310he begatהוֹלִיד֣וֹho.li.DoH3205Pelegפֶּ֔לֶגPe.legH6389fourוְאַרְבַּ֥עve.'ar.Ba'H702hundredשָׁנָ֔ה מֵא֖וֹתsha.Nah me.'otH8141 H3967and thirtyשְׁלֹשִׁ֣יםshe.lo.ShimH7970yearsשָׁנָ֑הsha.NahH8141,and begatוַיּ֥וֹלֶדvai.Yo.ledH3205sonsבָּנִ֖יםba.NimH1121and daughtersוּבָנֽוֹת׃ סu.va.NotH1323.

18And Pelegפֶ֖לֶגFe.legH6389livedוַֽיְחִי־vay.chi-H2421thirtyשְׁלֹשִׁ֣יםshe.lo.ShimH7970yearsשָׁנָ֑הsha.NahH8141,and begatוַיּ֖וֹלֶדvai.Yo.ledH3205Reuרְעֽוּ׃re.'UH7466:

19And Pelegפֶ֗לֶגFe.legH6389livedוַֽיְחִי־vay.chi-H2421afterאַחֲרֵי֙'a.cha.ReiH310he begatהוֹלִיד֣וֹho.li.DoH3205Reuרְע֔וּre.'UH7466two hundredשָׁנִ֖ים וּמָאתַ֣יִםsha.Nim u.ma.Ta.yimH8141 H3967and nineתֵּ֥שַׁעTe.sha'H8672yearsשָׁנָ֑הsha.NahH8141,and begatוַיּ֥וֹלֶדvai.Yo.ledH3205sonsבָּנִ֖יםba.NimH1121and daughtersוּבָנֽוֹת׃ סu.va.NotH1323.

20And Reuרְע֔וּre.'UH7466livedוַיְחִ֣יvay.ChiH2421twoשְׁתַּ֥יִםshe.Ta.yimH8147and thirtyוּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖יםu.she.lo.ShimH7970yearsשָׁנָ֑הsha.NahH8141,and begatוַיּ֖וֹלֶדvai.Yo.ledH3205Serugשְׂרֽוּג׃se.RugH8286:

21And Reuרְע֗וּre.'UH7466livedוַיְחִ֣יvay.ChiH2421afterאַחֲרֵי֙'a.cha.ReiH310he begatהוֹלִיד֣וֹho.li.DoH3205Serugשְׂר֔וּגse.RugH8286two hundredשָׁנִ֖ים וּמָאתַ֣יִםsha.Nim u.ma.Ta.yimH8141 H3967and sevenשֶׁ֥בַעShe.va'H7651yearsשָׁנָ֑הsha.NahH8141,and begatוַיּ֥וֹלֶדvai.Yo.ledH3205sonsבָּנִ֖יםba.NimH1121and daughtersוּבָנֽוֹת׃ סu.va.NotH1323.

22And Serugשְׂר֖וּגse.RugH8286livedוַיְחִ֥יvay.ChiH2421thirtyשְׁלֹשִׁ֣יםshe.lo.ShimH7970yearsשָׁנָ֑הsha.NahH8141,and begatוַיּ֖וֹלֶדvai.Yo.ledH3205Nahorנָחֽוֹר׃na.ChorH5152:

23And Serugשְׂר֗וּגse.RugH8286livedוַיְחִ֣יvay.ChiH2421afterאַחֲרֵ֛י'a.cha.ReiH310he begatהוֹלִיד֥וֹho.li.DoH3205Nahorנָח֖וֹרna.ChorH5152two hundredמָאתַ֣יִםma.Ta.yimH3967yearsשָׁנָ֑הsha.NahH8141,and begatוַיּ֥וֹלֶדvai.Yo.ledH3205sonsבָּנִ֖יםba.NimH1121and daughtersוּבָנֽוֹת׃ סu.va.NotH1323.

24And Nahorנָח֔וֹרna.ChorH5152livedוַיְחִ֣יvay.ChiH2421nineתֵּ֥שַׁעTe.sha'H8672and twentyוְעֶשְׂרִ֖יםve.'es.RimH6242yearsשָׁנָ֑הsha.NahH8141,and begatוַיּ֖וֹלֶדvai.Yo.ledH3205Terahתָּֽרַח׃Ta.rachH8646:

25And Nahorנָח֗וֹרna.ChorH5152livedוַיְחִ֣יvay.ChiH2421afterאַחֲרֵי֙'a.cha.ReiH310he begatהוֹלִיד֣וֹho.li.DoH3205Terahתֶּ֔רַחTe.rachH8646an hundredשָׁנָ֖ה וּמְאַ֣תsha.Nah u.me.'AtH8141 H3967and nineteenתְּשַֽׁע־ עֶשְׂרֵ֥הte.sha'- 'es.RehH8672 H6240yearsשָׁנָ֑הsha.NahH8141,and begatוַיּ֥וֹלֶדvai.Yo.ledH3205sonsבָּנִ֖יםba.NimH1121and daughtersוּבָנֽוֹת׃ סu.va.NotH1323.

26And Terahתֶ֖רַחTe.rachH8646livedוַֽיְחִי־vay.chi-H2421seventyשִׁבְעִ֣יםshiv.'ImH7657yearsשָׁנָ֑הsha.NahH8141,and begatוַיּ֙וֹלֶד֙vai.Yo.ledH3205Abramאַבְרָ֔ם'av.RamH87,Nahorנָח֖וֹרna.ChorH5152,and Haranהָרָֽן׃ha.RanH2039.

27Now these arethe generationsתּוֹלְדֹ֣תtol.DotH8435of Terahתֶּ֔רַחTe.rachH8646:Terahתֶּ֚רַחTe.rachH8646begatהוֹלִ֣ידho.LidH3205Abramאַבְרָ֔ם'av.RamH87,Nahorנָח֖וֹרna.ChorH5152,and Haranהָרָ֑ןha.RanH2039;and Haranוְהָרָ֖ןve.ha.RanH2039begatהוֹלִ֥ידho.LidH3205Lotלֽוֹט׃LotH3876.

28And Haranהָרָ֔ןha.RanH2039diedוַיָּ֣מָתvai.Ya.motH4191beforeפְּנֵ֖יpe.NeiH6440his fatherאָבִ֑יו'a.VivH1Terahתֶּ֣רַחTe.rachH8646in the landבְּאֶ֥רֶץbe.'E.retzH776of his nativityמוֹלַדְתּ֖וֹmo.lad.ToH4138,in Urבְּא֥וּרbe.'UrH218of the Chaldeesכַּשְׂדִּֽים׃kas.DimH3778.

29And Abramאַבְרָ֧ם'av.RamH87and Nahorוְנָח֛וֹרve.na.ChorH5152tookוַיִּקַּ֨חvai.yi.KachH3947them wivesנָשִׁ֑יםna.ShimH802:the nameשֵׁ֤םshemH8034of Abram’sאַבְרָם֙'av.RamH87wifeאֵֽשֶׁת־'e.shet-H802wasSaraiשָׂרָ֔יsa.RaiH8297;and the nameוְשֵׁ֤םve.ShemH8034of Nahor’sנָחוֹר֙na.chOrH5152wifeאֵֽשֶׁת־'e.shet-H802,Milcahמִלְכָּ֔הmil.KahH4435,the daughterבַּת־bat-H1323of Haranהָרָ֥ןha.RanH2039,the fatherאֲבִֽי־'a.vi-H1of Milcahמִלְכָּ֖הmil.KahH4435,and the fatherוַֽאֲבִ֥יva.'a.ViH1of Iscahיִסְכָּֽה׃yis.KahH3252.

30But Saraiשָׂרַ֖יsa.RaiH8297was barrenעֲקָרָ֑ה'a.ka.RahH6135; she hadno childוָלָֽד׃va.LadH2056.

31And Terahתֶּ֜רַחTe.rachH8646tookוַיִּקַּ֨חvai.yi.KachH3947Abramאַבְרָ֣ם'av.RamH87his sonבְּנ֗וֹbe.NoH1121,and Lotל֤וֹטLotH3876the sonבֶּן־ben-H1121of Haranהָרָן֙ha.RanH2039his son’sבֶּן־ben-H1121sonבְּנ֔וֹbe.NoH1121,and Saraiשָׂרַ֣יsa.RaiH8297his daughter in lawכַּלָּת֔וֹka.la.ToH3618,his sonבְּנ֑וֹbe.NoH1121Abram’sאַבְרָ֣ם'av.RamH87wifeאֵ֖שֶׁת'E.shetH802;and they went forthוַיֵּצְא֨וּvai.ye.tze.'UH3318with them from Urמֵא֣וּרme.'UrH218of the Chaldeesכַּשְׂדִּ֗יםkas.DimH3778,to goH3212into the landאַ֣רְצָה'Ar.tzahH776of Canaanכְּנַ֔עַןke.Na.'anH3667;and they cameוַיָּבֹ֥אוּvai.ya.Vo.'uH935unto Haranחָרָ֖ןcha.RanH2771,and dweltוַיֵּ֥שְׁבוּvai.Ye.she.vuH3427there.

32And the daysיְמֵי־ye.mei-H3117of Terahתֶ֔רַחTe.rachH8646were two hundredשָׁנִ֖ים וּמָאתַ֣יִםsha.Nim u.ma.Ta.yimH8141 H3967and fiveחָמֵ֥שׁcha.MeshH2568yearsשָׁנָ֑הsha.NahH8141:and Terahתֶּ֖רַחTe.rachH8646diedוַיָּ֥מָתvai.Ya.motH4191in Haranבְּחָרָֽן׃ סbe.cha.RanH2771.

Commentaries on Genesis 11