Bible Commentary

Genesis 11:1-4

Matthew Henry on Genesis 11:1-4

Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · Matthew Henry · CC0 1.0 Universal

How soon men forget the most tremendous judgments, and go back to their former crimes! Though the desolations of the deluge were before their eyes, though they sprang from the stock of righteous Noah, yet even during his life-time, wickedness increases exceedingly.

Nothing but the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit can remove the sinful lusts of the human will, and the depravity of the human heart. God's purpose was, that mankind should form many nations, and people all lands.

In contempt of the Divine will, and against the counsel of Noah, the bulk of mankind united to build a city and a tower to prevent their separating. Idolatry was begun, and Babel became one of its chief seats.

They made one another more daring and resolute. Let us learn to provoke one another to love and to good works, as sinners stir up and encourage one another to wicked works.

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commentaryThe Confusion of Tongues. (b. c. 2247.)THE CONFUSION OF TONGUES. (B. C. 2247.) The close of the foregoing chapter tells us that by the sons of Noah, or among the sons of Noah, the nations were divided in the earth after the flood, that is, were distinguished…Matthew HenrycommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 11:1-10EXPOSITIONJoseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 11:1Unity of language. 1. The original birthright of the human race. 2. The lost inheritance of sinful men. 3. The ultimate goal of the Christian dispensation. 4. The recovered heritage of redeemed humanity.—W.Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 11:1-9Order brought forth. We are now to trace the rise of the kingdom of God among the nations. Already in the case of Nimrod, the mighty hunter before the Lord, that is, by permission of Divine providence, the antagonism be…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 11:1And the whole earth. I.e. the entire population of the globe, and not simply the inhabitants of the land of Shinar (Ingiis; cf. Genesis 9:29). Was. Prior to the dispersion spoken of in the preceding chapter, though obvi…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 11:2And it came to pass, as they journeyed. Literally, in their journeyings. The root ( גָקַע, to pull up, as, e.g; the stakes of a tent when a camp moves, Isaiah 33:20) suggests the idea of the migration of nomadic hordes…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 11:2Note— 1. The benefit of a wandering condition. It sometimes prevents the rise of sinful thoughts and wicked deeds. So long as the primitive nomads were travelling from station to station they did not think of either reb…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 11:3Ancient brick makers. I. IN SHINAR. Examples of II. IN EGYPT (Exodus 5:7). Illustrations ofJoseph S. Exell and contributors