Genesis 11:2 kjv
And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.
Genesis 11:2 nkjv
And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there.
Genesis 11:2 niv
As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there.
Genesis 11:2 esv
And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.
Genesis 11:2 nlt
As the people migrated to the east, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there.
Genesis 11 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 9:1, 7 | And God blessed Noah... "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth." | God's command for humanity to disperse. |
| Gen 10:8-10 | Cush begot Nimrod... And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel... in the land of Shinar. | Nimrod founded cities in Shinar, including Babel. |
| Gen 11:1 | Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. | Immediate preceding verse setting linguistic unity. |
| Gen 11:4 | Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens... | Their ambitious plan upon settling in Shinar. |
| Gen 12:1 | Get out of your country, from your family... to a land that I will show you. | God's command to Abram to migrate, opposing settling in one place. |
| Isa 11:11 | The Lord will set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant... from Shinar... | Shinar as a place of exile from which people return. |
| Dan 1:1-2 | Nebuchadnezzar... came to Jerusalem... carried them to the land of Shinar. | Shinar (Babylon) as a destination for exiles/tribute. |
| Zec 5:11 | To build a house for it in the land of Shinar... | Shinar symbolically a place where wickedness is established. |
| Rev 17:5 | MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. | Shinar's most prominent city (Babel/Babylon) as a symbol of rebellion. |
| Rev 18:2 | "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!" | Divine judgment against the symbolic city. |
| Ps 2:1-2 | The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His Anointed. | Human rulers uniting against God, akin to Babel's goal. |
| Acts 17:26 | And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings. | God's sovereignty over human settlement and dispersion. |
| Jas 4:6 | God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble. | Humility as God's requirement, contrasting human pride. |
| Job 1:3 | So that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East. | The term "East" used geographically, though unrelated to Gen 11 context. |
| Jer 50:1 | The word that the LORD spoke against Babylon... the land of the Chaldeans... | Prophecy of God's judgment against Babylon/Shinar. |
| Jer 51:6 | Flee from the midst of Babylon, and everyone save his life! | Call to escape Babylon before divine judgment. |
| Luke 14:28-30 | Parable of building a tower, needing to count the cost. | Metaphor of human building projects, implicitly challenging God's disapproval of grand human structures. |
| Rom 1:21-23 | Professing to be wise, they became fools... worshipped created things. | Human attempt to build glory for self, not God. |
| Ez 23:15-16 | Adorned with turbans, graceful sashes, All of them princes to look at, in the manner of the Babylonians of Chaldea, the land of their birth. | A vivid description associated with Chaldea/Babylon culture. |
| Isa 14:13-14 | You have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven... I will be like the Most High.' | Pride that leads to challenging God's authority. |
Genesis 11 verses
Genesis 11 2 Meaning
Genesis 11:2 describes the post-flood descendants of Noah migrating westward from the mountainous region where the ark rested, ultimately settling in a flat plain within the land of Shinar. This verse marks a pivotal moment, signaling humanity's choice to gather and establish a centralized community in a location favorable for construction, setting the stage for their collective project of building a city and a tower in defiance of God's earlier command to spread and fill the earth.
Genesis 11 2 Context
Genesis 11:2 appears immediately after the assertion that the entire earth shared a single language (Gen 11:1) and serves as the immediate precursor to the Tower of Babel narrative (Gen 11:3-9). It bridges the extensive genealogical lists in Genesis 10, which detail the nations arising from Noah's sons, and the story of unified humanity's great rebellion.
Historically and culturally, the setting in Shinar points to ancient Mesopotamia, specifically Sumer, known as the cradle of urban civilization. This region was characterized by the construction of monumental temples (ziggurats) which were tiered towers serving religious purposes, seeking to bridge the gap between human and divine realms. The decision to settle in a plain of Shinar, fertile and conducive to large-scale agriculture and communal living, reflects human agency and self-sufficiency, moving away from God's implied directive to "fill the earth" (Gen 9:1) by dispersion, towards consolidation.
Genesis 11 2 Word analysis
- And as they journeyed: Implies a collective, intentional movement after their dispersion from the ark's landing place. This migration is purposeful, not random.
- from the east (מִקֶּדֶם - miqqedem): This phrase holds dual significance. Geographically, it denotes migration from the highlands of Ararat (east of Mesopotamia) down to the plains. Theologically or symbolically, it can suggest moving away from the primal garden of Eden, which was "in the east" (Gen 2:8), thereby symbolizing a departure from proximity to God's direct presence or original command.
- they found (מָצְאוּ - matzʾu): Not an accidental stumble, but a deliberate discovery of a desirable location suitable for their ambitions. It suggests recognition of a place with resources for a settled life and major construction.
- a plain (בִּקְעָה - biqʿah): Refers to a wide valley or flatland, starkly contrasting with the mountainous region of Ararat where Noah's ark settled. This flatness was ideal for their collective architectural endeavor, allowing for broad foundational construction that a mountainous terrain would hinder.
- in the land of Shinar (בְּאֶרֶץ שִׁנְעָר - beʾerets Shinʿar): Identifies the specific region of settlement. Shinar is recognized as ancient Sumer in Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. This geographical detail is crucial, as Shinar became historically linked with Babylon (Babel), a biblical symbol of rebellion, pride, and humanistic attempts to usurp God's authority. It was the hub of Nimrod's kingdom (Gen 10:10).
- and they dwelt there (וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׁם - wayyēshvū sham): Signifies permanent settlement, halting their nomadic phase. This decision to reside collectively in one place is directly contrary to God's post-flood command for humanity to spread out and "fill the earth" (Gen 9:1, 7). This choice lays the groundwork for their subsequent unified defiance.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "as they journeyed from the east": Highlights the trajectory and origin point of their movement. This signifies a departure from where the ark landed (Ararat, to the east of Shinar) and potentially a symbolic departure from God's appointed place or past.
- "they found a plain in the land of Shinar": Emphasizes a deliberate choice of location. The discovery of a suitable plain within a historically significant and symbolically charged region like Shinar points to humanity's preferred environment for collective ambition and self-exaltation.
- "and they dwelt there": Marks the decisive end of their migration. Their permanent settlement here solidifies their intent to consolidate, challenging God's intention for human dispersal. It becomes the locus of their unified action against divine decree.
Genesis 11 2 Bonus section
The choice of "the plain of Shinar" implicitly highlights the contrast between humanity's chosen dwelling place and God's own methods. Noah's ark landed on the mountains (Gen 8:4), demonstrating God's provision in high places, while humanity opts for the flatland suitable for human ingenuity. This illustrates a recurring theme: human self-reliance vs. divine provision. The subsequent narrative of the Tower of Babel (built in this plain) becomes the clearest evidence of the shift described in this verse. Furthermore, the very name Shinʿar might allude to its character; some traditions connect it to meanings like "land of the rivers" (Tigris and Euphrates, crucial for early civilizations) or even a concept related to "striking," perhaps hinting at the confrontation that would ensue. This verse, though concise, effectively establishes the foundational setting and initial action for a major narrative that underscores the consequences of human pride and unity apart from God.
Genesis 11 2 Commentary
Genesis 11:2 is more than a geographical statement; it reveals a critical spiritual and theological turning point for humanity post-Flood. The migration from the highlands "from the east" to the "plain in the land of Shinar" symbolizes humanity's descent—both literally to the lowlands and spiritually towards autonomy from God. The fertile plain was chosen for its practical suitability for building a centralized society and monument. The "land of Shinar" carries heavy theological weight, being the site of Babel (Babylon), which would become the enduring archetype of human rebellion, pride, and an anti-God system throughout biblical history. By settling there, humanity explicitly defies God's command to fill the earth through dispersion (Gen 9:1). Their deliberate choice to congregate in this particular locale sets the stage for a united human effort to establish their own dominion and legacy, effectively choosing collective self-sufficiency and fame over obedience and dependence on their Creator.