¹ The entire earth had one language and a common way of speaking. ² As people journeyed from the east, they found a plain in the land of <span class="ytc-term" data-term="Shin'ar" title="The ancient name for the land of Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), particularly the region of Babylon. The land where <span class="ytc-term" data-term="Nimrod" title="Means 'rebel' or 'we will rebel.' Son of Kush, grandson of Cham. The first great empire-builder after the flood — a mighty hunter who built Babel, Nineveh, a...">Nimrod built his first kingdom and where the T...">Shin'ar (Shinar) and settled there. ³ They said to each other, "Come on, let's make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They used bricks instead of stone and tar for mortar. ⁴ Then they said, "Come on, let's build ourselves a city and a tower with a top that reaches the heavens. Let's make a name for ourselves so we won't be scattered across the face of the entire earth." ⁵ Yahuah (Yah) came down to see the city and the tower that the people were building. ⁶ Yahuah (Yah) said, "Look, the people are united and they all speak the same language. This is only the beginning of what they'll do; now nothing they imagine doing will be impossible for them. ⁷ Come, let's go down and confuse their language there, so they won't understand each other's speech." ⁸ So Yahuah (Yah) scattered them from there over the face of all the earth, and they stopped building the city. ⁹ That's why the city was named Babel (Babel), because Yahuah (Yah) confused the language of the whole world there. From that place, Yahuah scattered them across the face of the entire earth. ¹⁰ This is the account of Shem’s (Shem) family line: Two years after the flood, when Shem was 100 years old, he became the father of Arphakshad (Arphaxad). ¹¹ After Arphakshad (Arphaxad) was born, Shem (Shem) lived 500 years and had other sons and daughters. ¹² When Arphakshad (Arphaxad) was 35 years old, he became the father of Shelach (Salah). ¹³ After Shelach (Salah) was born, Arphakshad (Arphaxad) lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters. ¹⁴ When Shelach (Salah) was 30 years old, he became the father of Eber (Eber). ¹⁵ After Eber (Eber) was born, Shelach (Salah) lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters. ¹⁶ When Eber (Eber) was 34 years old, he became the father of <span class="ytc-term" data-term="Peleg" title="Means 'division' or 'water channel.' Son of Eber, great-great-grandson of Shem. His name marks the time when 'the earth was divided' — likely referring to th...">Peleg (Peleg). ¹⁷ After <span class="ytc-term" data-term="Peleg" title="Means 'division' or 'water channel.' Son of Eber, great-great-grandson of Shem. His name marks the time when 'the earth was divided' — likely referring to th...">Peleg (Peleg) was born, Eber (Eber) lived 430 years and had other sons and daughters. ¹⁸ When <span class="ytc-term" data-term="Peleg" title="Means 'division' or 'water channel.' Son of Eber, great-great-grandson of Shem. His name marks the time when 'the earth was divided' — likely referring to th...">Peleg (Peleg) was 30 years old, he became the father of Re'u (Reu). ¹⁹ After Re'u (Reu) was born, <span class="ytc-term" data-term="Peleg" title="Means 'division' or 'water channel.' Son of Eber, great-great-grandson of Shem. His name marks the time when 'the earth was divided' — likely referring to th...">Peleg (Peleg) lived 209 years and had other sons and daughters. ²⁰ When Re'u (Reu) was 32 years old, he became the father of Serug (Serug). ²¹ After Serug (Serug) was born, Re'u (Reu) lived 207 years and had other sons and daughters. ²² When Serug (Serug) was 30 years old, he became the father of Nachor (Nahor). ²³ After Nachor (Nahor) was born, Serug (Serug) lived 200 years and had other sons and daughters. ²⁴ When Nachor (Nahor) was 29 years old, he became the father of Terach (Terah). ²⁵ After Terach (Terah) was born, Nachor (Nahor) lived 119 years and had other sons and daughters. ²⁶ After Terach (Terah) had lived 70 years, he became the father of Abram (Abraham), Nachor (Nahor), and Haran (Haran). ²⁷ This is the account of Terach’s (Terah) family line: Terach was the father of Abram (Abraham), Nachor (Nahor), and Haran (Haran); and Haran was the father of Lot (Lot).