Genesis 11:3

1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

2 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 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.

4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” So they used brick instead of stone, and tar instead of mortar.
KJV
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.
WEB
They said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar.
ASV
And they said one to another, Come, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar.
DARBY
And they said one to another, Come on, let us make bricks, and burn [them] thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar.
BLB
And they said, each man to his brother, “Come, let us make bricks and burn [them] for burning.” And the brick was to them for stone, and the tar was to them for the mortar.
ÅB
Og de sa til hverandre: Kom, la oss gjøre teglstein og brenne dem vel! Og de brukte tegl istedenfor stein, og jordbek istedenfor kalk.
OTB
De sa til hverandre: “Kom, la oss lage murstein og brenne dem grundig.” De brukte murstein i stedet for stein, og bek til mørtel.
B1930
Og de sa til hverandre: Kom, la oss gjøre teglsten og brenne dem vel! Og de brukte tegl istedenfor sten, og jordbek istedenfor kalk.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Genesis 14:10

    And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.

    Read in context
  • Exodus 1:14

    And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.

    Read in context
  • Exodus 2:3

    And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink.

    Read in context
  • James 5:1

    Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.

    Read in context
  • Hebrews 10:24

    And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

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  • 2 Samuel 12:31

    And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 41:6–7

    They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage.

    Read in context
  • Hebrews 3:13

    But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

    Read in context