Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.

GENESIS 11:7KJV
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Genesis 11:7 (KJV)

What does Genesis 11:7 mean?

Genesis 11:7 describes God deciding to go down and confuse the language of the people building the Tower of Babel, so that they would not be able to understand each other’s speech. This action was meant to disrupt their unified effort and stop the construction of the tower.

In this verse, God is speaking, likely to heavenly beings or within the divine council, about intervening in human affairs. The people had gathered in one place and were working together with a single language, which gave them great unity and potential. By confusing their language, God ensured they could no longer cooperate as before, leading to their scattering across the earth.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 11:7

  • "Confound" (בָּלַל, balal): This word means to mix up or confuse. The choice of this word highlights that God’s action was to create disorder in their communication, not just to introduce new languages but to make understanding impossible.
  • "Language" and "speech" (שָׂפָה, saphah): This word literally means "lip," but it is often used for "language" or "speech." The focus here is on the ability to communicate, emphasizing that the confusion was about their means of understanding each other, not just vocabulary.
  • "Understand" (שָׁמַע, shama): This verb means to hear or understand. The verse points out that the confusion was so deep that people could not even comprehend what others were saying, not just that they spoke differently.

Why Genesis 11:7 matters

  • Genesis 11:7 explains why humanity became divided into different language groups, providing a foundational story for the diversity of languages in the world.
  • The verse shows that God actively intervened to limit human pride and ambition when it led to self-exaltation and disobedience.
  • This moment sets up the scattering of people across the earth, which is a turning point in the early chapters of Genesis and shapes the rest of the biblical story.

Where else these words appear

“to” Hebrew H3051 · used in 30 verses

  • Genesis 11:3 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.
  • Deuteronomy 32:3 Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.
  • Job 6:22 Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?

“confound” Hebrew H1101 · used in 42 verses

  • Genesis 11:9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
  • Numbers 7:19 He offered for his offering one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
  • Numbers 15:9 Then shall he bring with a bullock a meat offering of three tenth deals of flour mingled with half an hin of oil.

“that” Hebrew H834 · used in 105 verses

  • Genesis 1:7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
  • Genesis 38:10 And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.
  • Deuteronomy 12:2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: