Genesis 11:6

4 “Come,” they said, “let us build for ourselves a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens, that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of all the earth.”

5 Then the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the sons of men were building.

And the LORD said, “If they have begun to do this as one people speaking the same language, then nothing they devise will be beyond them.

7 Come, let Us go down and confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.”

8 So the LORD scattered them from there over the face of all the earth, and they stopped building the city.

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 the LORD said, “If they have begun to do this as one people speaking the same language, then nothing they devise will be beyond them.
KJV
And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
WEB
The LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do. Now nothing will be withheld from them, which they intend to do.
ASV
And Jehovah said, Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is what they begin to do: and now nothing will be withholden from them, which they purpose to do.
DARBY
And Jehovah said, Behold, the people is one, and have all one language; and this have they begun to do. And now will they be hindered in nothing that they meditate doing.
BLB
And YHWH said, “Behold, the people [are] one, and one language [is] to them all, and this they have begun to do. And now nothing will be restrained from them of all that they devise to do.
ÅB
Og Herren sa: Se, de er ett folk, og ett tungemål har de alle; dette er det første de tar seg fore, og nå vil intet være umulig for dem, hva de så får i sinne å gjøre.
OTB
Herren sa: “Se, de er ett folk med samme språk, og dette er hva de har begynt å gjøre. Nå vil ingenting de planlegger være umulig for dem.
B1930
Og Herren sa: Se, de er ett folk, og ett tungemål har de alle; dette er det første de tar sig fore, og nu vil intet være umulig for dem, hvad de så får i sinne å gjøre.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Psalms 2:1–4

    Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?

    Read in context
  • Genesis 3:22

    Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. And now, lest he reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever...”

    Read in context
  • Genesis 11:1

    Now the whole world had one language and a common form of speech.

    Read in context
  • Ecclesiastes 11:9

    Rejoice, O young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.

    Read in context
  • Luke 1:51

    He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

    Read in context
  • Genesis 6:5

    Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time.

    Read in context
  • Genesis 9:19

    These three were the sons of Noah, and from them the whole earth was populated.

    Read in context
  • Genesis 8:21

    When the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, He said in His heart, “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from his youth. And never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done.

    Read in context