Revised Literal Translation

Genesis 11:2-9

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.

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Commentaries on Genesis 11