Bible/Genesis/11

Genesis 11:2

11:1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. language: Heb. lip. speech: Heb. words
And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. from: or, eastward

KJV

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As they traveled east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they lived there.

And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.

And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelled there.

11:3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. they said: Heb. a man said to his neighbour burn: Heb. burn them to a burning

What does Genesis 11:2 mean?

Genesis 11:2 is a verse in the book of Genesis, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include נָסַע (nâçaʻ), קֶדֶם (qedem), מָצָא (mâtsâʼ). It connects to 7 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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And
it
came
to
pass,
as
they
journeyedנָסַעnâçaʻ/naw-sah'/H5265properly, to pull up, especially the tent-pins, i.e. start on ajourney
from
the
east,קֶדֶםqedem/keh'-dem/H6924the front, of place (absolutely, the fore part, relatively the East) or time (antiquity); often used adverbially (before, anciently, eastward)
that
they
foundמָצָאmâtsâʼ/maw-tsaw'/H4672properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present
a
plainבִּקְעָהbiqʻâh/bik-aw'/H1237properly, a split, i.e. a wide level valley between mountains
in
the
landאֶרֶץʼerets/eh'-rets/H776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
of
Shinar;שִׁנְעָרShinʻâr/shin-awr'/H8152Shinar, a plain in Babylonia
and
they
dweltיָשַׁבyâshab/yaw-shab'/H3427properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry
there.
from:
or,
eastward

Commentary on Genesis 11:2

HENRY_FULL · Genesis 11:2
n the sons of God and the sons of men (professors and profane) survived the flood, and now appeared again, when men began to multiply: according to this distinction we have, in this chapter, I. The dispersion of the sons of men at Babel ( ver. 1-9 ), where we have, 1. Their presumptuous provoking design, which was to build a city and a tower, ver. 1-4 . 2. The righteous judgment of God upon them in disappointing their design, by confounding their language, and so scattering them, ver. 5-9 . II. The pedigree of the sons of God down to Abraham ( ver. 10-26 ), with a general account of his family, and removal out of his native country, ver. 27 , &c. The Confusion of Tongues. ( b. c. 2247.)

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Genesis 10:10

And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. Babel: Gr. Babylon

Genesis 11:9

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. Babel: that is, Confusion

Genesis 13:11

Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.

Genesis 14:1

And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;

Isaiah 11:11

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

Daniel 1:2

And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

Zechariah 5:11

And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.

Topics

BabelConfusionDispersionLanguageTongueTower

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Genesis 11:2.

Leviticus 18:25

And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.

Leviticus 18:3

After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.

Leviticus 20:22

Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out.

Leviticus 23:43

That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 25:10

And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.

Leviticus 25:18

Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety.

Leviticus 25:19

And the land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety.

Leviticus 26:5

And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.

Frequently asked questions

What does Genesis 11:2 say?

Genesis 11:2 (King James Version) reads: "And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. from: or, eastward"

Is Genesis 11:2 in the Old or New Testament?

Genesis 11:2 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Genesis.

Who wrote the book of Genesis?

The book of Genesis is traditionally attributed to Moses.

Reflect

As you read Genesis 11:2, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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