Three Reasons for Faithfulness to the Lord – Genesis 11:1-12:9
11 Now the whole earth had one language and one common speech. (2) As men journeyed eastward, they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they settled there. (3) And they said to each another, Come, let us make bricks, and bake them thoroughly. They used bricks instead of stone, and tar instead of mortar. (4) Then they said, Come, let us build a city for ourselves with a tower whose top shall reach unto heaven; so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth.
(5) But Jehovah came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. (6) And Jehovah said, Behold, they are one people and they all have the same language; and this is what they begin to do. In their present condition nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. (7) Come, let us go down and confuse their language so that they may not understand one another. (8) So Jehovah scattered them from there over the whole surface of the earth. And they stopped building the city. (9) That is why it was called Babel—because there Jehovah confused the language of the whole world and from there Jehovah scatter them over the surface of the whole earth.
(10) This is the account of. Shem’s genealogy. Two years after the flood, when Shem was a hundred years old, he became the father of Arpachshad. (11) Shem lived five hundred years after the birth of Arpachshad, and there were born to him sons and daughters. (12) After Arpachshad had lived thirty-five years he became the father of Shelah. (13) Arpachshad lived four hundred and three years after the birth of Shelah, and there were born to him other sons and daughters. (14) After Shelah had lived thirty years, he became the father of Eber. (15) Shelah lived four hundred and three years after the birth of Eber, and there were born to him other sons and daughters. (16) After Eber had lived thirty-four years, he became the father of Peleg. (17) Eber lived four hundred and thirty years after the birth of Peleg, and there were born to him other sons and daughters. (18) After Peleg had lived thirty years, he became the father of Reu. (19) Peleg lived two hundred and nine years after the birth of Reu, and there were born to him other sons and daughters. (20) After Reu had lived thirty-two years, he became the father of Serug. (21) Reu lived two hundred and seven years after the birth of Serug, and there were born to him other sons and daughters. (22) After Serug had lived thirty years, he became the father of Nahor. (23) Serug lived two hundred years after the birth of Nahor, and there were born to him other sons and daughters. (24) After Nahor had lived twenty-nine years, he became the father of Terah. (25) Nahor lived a hundred and nineteen years after the birth of Terah, and there were born to him other sons and daughters. (26) After Terah had lived seventy years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
(27) This is the account of Terah’s genealogy. Terah was the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. And Haran was the father of Lot. (28) Now Haran died during the lifetime of his father Terah in the same place where he had been born, namely, in Ur of the Chaldees. (29) Abram and Nahor each took wives for themselves. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, she was the daughter of Haran, now Haran was the father of both Milcah and Iscah. (30) Now Sarai was barren; she had no children. (31) Then Terah took his son Abram, and his grandson, Lot, (Lot was the son of Haran), and his daughter-in-law Sarai, (who was his son Abram’s wife). Together they journeyed from Ur of the Chaldees intending to go into the land of Canaan; but they came to the city of Haran and settled there. (32) Terah lived two hundred and five years; and Terah died in Haran.
12 Then Jehovah said to Abram, Leave your country, and your people, and your father’s household, and go to the land that I will show you. (2) I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you will be a blessing. (3) I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and by you shall all the peoples of the earth be blessed.
(4) So Abram departed, just as Jehovah had told him; and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. (5) And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions which they had accumulated, and the servants that they had purchased in Haran. They departed intending to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
(6) Abram traveled through the land to the place of Shechem—to the oak of Moreh. Now at that time the Canaanite was occupying the land. (7) And Jehovah appeared to Abram, and said, To your descendants will I give this land. There Abram built an altar to Jehovah, who appeared to him. (8) And he departed from there going to the mountain on the east side of Beth-el, and there he pitched his tent, with Beth-el to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to Jehovah and called upon the name of Jehovah. (9) Then Abram traveled again, still heading towards the South.
Now proceed to the next section of this study, entitled, Exploring the Passage.
