וַֽיְהִ֥י כָל־הָאָ֖רֶץ שָׂפָ֣ה אֶחָ֑ת וּדְבָרִ֖ים אֲחָדִֽים׃

The entire earth was of one language and of common words, similar discourse. People could talk to each other about any topic, as they knew each other and came from comparable backgrounds. They were all descendants of Noah. There were still no major linguistic or cultural differences that could create divisions among the peoples. All of the world’s inhabitants constituted a single unit.

וַֽיְהִ֖י בְּנָסְעָ֣ם מִקֶּ֑דֶם וַֽיִּמְצְא֥וּ בִקְעָ֛ה בְּאֶ֥רֶץ שִׁנְעָ֖ר וַיֵּ֥שְׁבוּ שָֽׁם׃

It was as they traveled from some place in the east. This is not referring to all humanity, but to a certain large group of people. And they found a plain. Unlike in modern Hebrew, the word bik’a does not mean a valley, but a plain, a low, level expanse of land. The plain was in the land of Shinar, which lies between the rivers of Babylonia, and is indeed a flat expanse suitable for the events described below; and they settled there.

וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֗הוּ הָ֚בָה נִלְבְּנָ֣ה לְבֵנִ֔ים וְנִשְׂרְפָ֖ה לִשְׂרֵפָ֑ה וַתְּהִ֨י לָהֶ֤ם הַלְּבֵנָה֙ לְאָ֔בֶן וְהַ֣חֵמָ֔ר הָיָ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם לַחֹֽמֶר׃

Each man said to his counterpart: Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly. In the land of Shinar there were not many stones, but there was an abundant supply of clay. Consequently, already in ancient times clay was used for building houses. The brick was for them as stone. The bricks fashioned from blocks of clay were molded into a fixed shape and burned in fire, and thereby turned into a building material that served the same function as stone. And the clay was for them as mortar for sticking the bricks together, and for covering the inner face of the walls. Since they had large amounts of the material, they could build many buildings solely out of such bricks, as was common in most areas of Europe for many years. However, they were not satisfied with the abundance of clay.

וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ הָ֣בָה ׀ נִבְנֶה־לָּ֣נוּ עִ֗יר וּמִגְדָּל֙ וְרֹאשׁ֣וֹ בַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְנַֽעֲשֶׂה־לָּ֖נוּ שֵׁ֑ם פֶּן־נָפ֖וּץ עַל־פְּנֵ֥י כָל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

They said: Come, let us build a city for ourselves, and a tower with the tower’s top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed abroad upon the face of the entire earth. The tower will be visible from vast distances, and it will serve as our center, so that we will not become scattered throughout the world. We can travel far from the city provided that we can still see the tower and know how to return to it. This will ensure that we will not lose contact with each other.

וַיֵּ֣רֶד יְהוָ֔ה לִרְאֹ֥ת אֶת־הָעִ֖יר וְאֶת־הַמִּגְדָּ֑ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנ֖וּ בְּנֵ֥י הָאָדָֽם׃

The Lord came down to see the city, in whose construction all the people were partners, and the tower that the children of man built, not for a practical or technical purpose.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֗ה הֵ֣ן עַ֤ם אֶחָד֙ וְשָׂפָ֤ה אַחַת֙ לְכֻלָּ֔ם וְזֶ֖ה הַחִלָּ֣ם לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת וְעַתָּה֙ לֹֽא־יִבָּצֵ֣ר מֵהֶ֔ם כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָזְמ֖וּ לַֽעֲשֽׂוֹת׃

The Lord said: Behold, they are one people, and there is one language for them all. They are united like a nation, a single unit with a shared idea; and this is what they have begun to do. The unity of the people and language has urged on their ambitions. Now nothing of all that they plotted to do will be prevented from them. It is now in their power to do everything. Since the inclination of the heart of man is evil, in such a state of unity, evil is liable to develop in this society without constraints.

הָ֚בָה נֵֽרְדָ֔ה וְנָבְלָ֥ה שָׁ֖ם שְׂפָתָ֑ם אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א יִשְׁמְע֔וּ אִ֖ישׁ שְׂפַ֥ת רֵעֵֽהוּ׃

Therefore, come, let us descend and muddle their language there, so that one will not understand the language of his counterpart, and we will thereby disrupt their unity.

וַיָּ֨פֶץ יְהוָ֥ה אֹתָ֛ם מִשָּׁ֖ם עַל־פְּנֵ֣י כָל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַֽיַּחְדְּל֖וּ לִבְנֹ֥ת הָעִֽיר׃

The Lord dispersed them from there upon the face of the entire earth, and they ceased to build the city. Their languages became confused, and new forms of expression were created. As a result, people could no longer live together, and therefore they became dispersed throughout the world.

עַל־כֵּ֞ן קָרָ֤א שְׁמָהּ֙ בָּבֶ֔ל כִּי־שָׁ֛ם בָּלַ֥ל יְהוָ֖ה שְׂפַ֣ת כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וּמִשָּׁם֙ הֱפִיצָ֣ם יְהוָ֔ה עַל־פְּנֵ֖י כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (פ)

Therefore, its name, the city’s name, was called Babel, because the Lord confounded [ balal ] the language of all the earth there; and from there the Lord dispersed them on the face of the entire earth. Mankind developed and settled the entire world.

אֵ֚לֶּה תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת שֵׁ֔ם שֵׁ֚ם בֶּן־מְאַ֣ת שָׁנָ֔ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־אַרְפַּכְשָׁ֑ד שְׁנָתַ֖יִם אַחַ֥ר הַמַּבּֽוּל׃

This is the legacy of Shem. Shem was one hundred years old, and he begot Arpakhshad, two years after the flood.

וַֽיְחִי־שֵׁ֗ם אַֽחֲרֵי֙ הוֹלִיד֣וֹ אֶת־אַרְפַּכְשָׁ֔ד חֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת׃ (ס)

Shem lived after he begot Arpakhshad five hundred years; and he begot sons and daughters.

וְאַרְפַּכְשַׁ֣ד חַ֔י חָמֵ֥שׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־שָֽׁלַח׃

Arpakhshad lived thirty-five years, and he begot Shela.

וַֽיְחִ֣י אַרְפַּכְשַׁ֗ד אַֽחֲרֵי֙ הוֹלִיד֣וֹ אֶת־שֶׁ֔לַח שָׁלֹ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֔ים וְאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת׃ (ס)

Arpakhshad lived after he begot Shela four hundred and three years; and he begot sons and daughters.

וְשֶׁ֥לַח חַ֖י שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־עֵֽבֶר׃

Shela lived thirty years, and he begot Ever.

וַֽיְחִי־שֶׁ֗לַח אַחֲרֵי֙ הוֹלִיד֣וֹ אֶת־עֵ֔בֶר שָׁלֹ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֔ים וְאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת׃ (ס)

Shela lived after he begot Ever four hundred and three years; and he begot sons and daughters.

וַֽיְחִי־עֵ֕בֶר אַרְבַּ֥ע וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־פָּֽלֶג׃

Ever lived thirty-four years, and he begot Peleg.

וַֽיְחִי־עֵ֗בֶר אַחֲרֵי֙ הוֹלִיד֣וֹ אֶת־פֶּ֔לֶג שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה וְאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת׃ (ס)

Ever lived after he begot Peleg four hundred and thirty years; and he begot sons and daughters.

וַֽיְחִי־פֶ֖לֶג שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־רְעֽוּ׃

Peleg lived thirty years, and he begot Re’u.

וַֽיְחִי־פֶ֗לֶג אַחֲרֵי֙ הוֹלִיד֣וֹ אֶת־רְע֔וּ תֵּ֥שַׁע שָׁנִ֖ים וּמָאתַ֣יִם שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת׃ (ס)

Peleg lived after he begot Re’u two hundred and nine years; and he begot sons and daughters.

וַיְחִ֣י רְע֔וּ שְׁתַּ֥יִם וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־שְׂרֽוּג׃

Re’u lived thirty-two years, and he begot Serug.

וַיְחִ֣י רְע֗וּ אַחֲרֵי֙ הוֹלִיד֣וֹ אֶת־שְׂר֔וּג שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִ֖ים וּמָאתַ֣יִם שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת׃ (ס)

Re’u lived after he begot Peleg two hundred and seven years; and he begot sons and daughters.

וַיְחִ֥י שְׂר֖וּג שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־נָחֽוֹר׃

Serug lived thirty years, and he begot Nahor.

וַיְחִ֣י שְׂר֗וּג אַחֲרֵ֛י הוֹלִיד֥וֹ אֶת־נָח֖וֹר מָאתַ֣יִם שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת׃ (ס)

Serug lived after he begot Nahor two hundred years; and he begot sons and daughters.

וַיְחִ֣י נָח֔וֹר תֵּ֥שַׁע וְעֶשְׂרִ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־תָּֽרַח׃

Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and he begot Terah.

וַיְחִ֣י נָח֗וֹר אַחֲרֵי֙ הוֹלִיד֣וֹ אֶת־תֶּ֔רַח תְּשַֽׁע־עֶשְׂרֵ֥ה שָׁנָ֖ה וּמְאַ֣ת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת׃ (ס)

Nahor lived after he begot Terah one hundred and nineteen years; and he begot sons and daughters.

וַֽיְחִי־תֶ֖רַח שִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֙וֹלֶד֙ אֶת־אַבְרָ֔ם אֶת־נָח֖וֹר וְאֶת־הָרָֽן׃

Terah lived seventy years, and during those years he begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת תֶּ֔רַח תֶּ֚רַח הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־אַבְרָ֔ם אֶת־נָח֖וֹר וְאֶת־הָרָ֑ן וְהָרָ֖ן הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־לֽוֹט׃

This is the legacy of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran, who was likely the youngest son, begot Lot. These characters will be important for the continuation of the story.

וַיָּ֣מָת הָרָ֔ן עַל־פְּנֵ֖י תֶּ֣רַח אָבִ֑יו בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מוֹלַדְתּ֖וֹ בְּא֥וּר כַּשְׂדִּֽים׃

Haran died during the lifetime of Terah his father. It was apparently uncommon for a son to pass away during his father’s lifetime. He passed away in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans.

וַיִּקַּ֨ח אַבְרָ֧ם וְנָח֛וֹר לָהֶ֖ם נָשִׁ֑ים שֵׁ֤ם אֵֽשֶׁת־אַבְרָם֙ שָׂרָ֔י וְשֵׁ֤ם אֵֽשֶׁת־נָחוֹר֙ מִלְכָּ֔ה בַּת־הָרָ֥ן אֲבִֽי־מִלְכָּ֖ה וַֽאֲבִ֥י יִסְכָּֽה׃

Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves; the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milka, daughter of his brother Haran, who was the father of Milka and the father of Yiska.

וַתְּהִ֥י שָׂרַ֖י עֲקָרָ֑ה אֵ֥ין לָ֖הּ וָלָֽד׃

Sarai was barren. In contrast to Nahor, who together with Milka gave rise to an entire dynasty, as will be described below (22:20–24), she, Sarai, had no child.

וַיִּקַּ֨ח תֶּ֜רַח אֶת־אַבְרָ֣ם בְּנ֗וֹ וְאֶת־ל֤וֹט בֶּן־הָרָן֙ בֶּן־בְּנ֔וֹ וְאֵת֙ שָׂרַ֣י כַּלָּת֔וֹ אֵ֖שֶׁת אַבְרָ֣ם בְּנ֑וֹ וַיֵּצְא֨וּ אִתָּ֜ם מֵא֣וּר כַּשְׂדִּ֗ים לָלֶ֙כֶת֙ אַ֣רְצָה כְּנַ֔עַן וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ עַד־חָרָ֖ן וַיֵּ֥שְׁבוּ שָֽׁם׃

Terah took Abram his son, and Lot, son of Haran, the son of his son, and Sarai, his daughter-in-law, the wife of his son Abram, and they departed with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan. It is not at all clear why they left Ur of the Chaldeans, which is probably located in southern Mesopotamia, modern Iraq, to go to the land of Canaan, which was very far away. Even as the crow flies, this is a huge distance, about 1,000 km. Furthermore, between the two locations lies the Syrian Desert, which can be crossed only in large convoys and after special preparation. In order to reach Canaan, one would have to turn north and come close to the Euphrates River in northern Syria. And they came until Haran, and settled there for the time being, despite the fact that it was not in Canaan.

וַיִּהְי֣וּ יְמֵי־תֶ֔רַח חָמֵ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים וּמָאתַ֣יִם שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּ֥מָת תֶּ֖רַח בְּחָרָֽן׃ (ס)

The days of Terah were two hundred and five years; and Terah died in Haran. It is clear from a comparison of the dates given here and below that Terah’s death at the age of 205 occurred much later than the events described in the next section. However, the Torah supplies this detail here in order to conclude the story of the descendants of Shem. From now on, the focus will be on Abram, the tenth generation from Noah. Abram, together with his descendants, is at the center of the book of Genesis.