Genesis 11:6 kjv

And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

Genesis 11:6 nkjv

And the LORD said, "Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.

Genesis 11:6 niv

The LORD said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.

Genesis 11:6 esv

And the LORD said, "Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.

Genesis 11:6 nlt

"Look!" he said. "The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them!

Genesis 11 verses

Genesis 11 6 Meaning

In Genesis 11:6, the LORD God observes the unified state of humanity at Babel. He acknowledges their singular language and collective effort as potent enablers of their grand design, specifically the building of a city and a tower reaching into the heavens. God's statement reveals His assessment that such unrestrained unity, when directed by human will independent of His own, poses a significant danger. He recognizes that "nothing which they purpose to do will be withheld from them," meaning their collective ambition, left unchecked, could lead to unlimited self-exaltation and defiance against God's plan for humanity. This verse encapsulates God's strategic intervention to prevent an escalating spiral of wickedness that would profoundly hinder the redemptive purposes He had for mankind.

Genesis 11 6 Context

Genesis 11:6 is situated within the narrative of the Tower of Babel, immediately following the genealogical list of Noah's descendants in chapter 10, which describes the "table of nations" spread across the earth. However, Genesis 11 steps back in time, presenting humanity as still unified linguistically and geographically "in the east" (Gen 11:2). The people's purpose to build a city and a tower with its top "in the heavens" (Gen 11:4) directly contradicts God's post-Flood command to Noah and his sons to "fill the earth" (Gen 9:1). Their desire was to prevent scattering, make a name for themselves, and perhaps even secure themselves against another flood (though not explicitly stated, some commentaries infer this). God's observation in verse 6 serves as His assessment of their potential and the necessity for divine intervention to curb their pride and prevent an even greater moral and spiritual corruption of the whole earth. This event critically bridges the history of fallen humanity (Gen 3-10) with the beginning of God's redemptive plan through Abraham (Gen 12), illustrating humanity's innate rebellion and God's sovereign response.

Genesis 11 6 Word analysis

• And the LORD said: Represents the active and deliberative involvement of God (Yahweh), the personal covenant-making God, in human history. His observation is not one of surprise, but of informed judgment regarding humanity's intentions.

• "Indeed" (הֵן - hen): An emphatic particle, equivalent to "behold" or "lo," drawing immediate attention to the following profound insight. It underscores the certainty and weight of God's realization.

• "the people are one" (עַם אֶחָד - am echad): Highlights their solidarity and unity of purpose. "One people" implies not merely numerical oneness but a singular, cohesive identity and collective mindset. This unity, while often a virtue, becomes dangerous when directed against God.

• "and they all have one language" (וּשְׂפָה אֶחָת לְכֻלָּם - u'safah echath l'chulam): "Language" (שָׂפָה - safah, literally "lip") refers to their unified communication system. This linguistic uniformity facilitates their organized, collaborative efforts and reinforces their collective identity, making their common anti-God ambition highly efficient.

• "and this is what they begin to do" (וְזֶה הַחִלָּם לַעֲשׂוֹת - v'zeh hachilam la'asot): Emphasizes that the construction of the tower and city is only the initial phase of their self-aggrandizing projects. God perceives their trajectory—this is just the start of what their unified, unconstrained ambition would accomplish.

• "now nothing which they purpose to do will be withheld from them": This phrase reveals the depth of God's concern.

  • "now" (וְעַתָּה - v'attah): Indicates an immediate consequence or realization, prompting prompt divine action.
  • "nothing will be withheld" (לֹא יִבָּצֵר - lo yibatsel): Derived from the root בָּצַר (batsar), meaning "to cut off," "to be inaccessible," or "to fortify." In this context, it implies that no achievement, no goal they devise ("purpose" - יָזְמוּ - yazemu, to scheme or devise, often with negative connotation), will be impossible or unattainable for them given their complete unity. God acknowledges the boundless potential of human ingenuity and collaborative effort, which, when coupled with a rebellious spirit, could lead to immense evil and undermine His ultimate purposes for humanity.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "Indeed the people are one and they all have one language": This establishes the critical foundation for their profound capability. It points to a terrifyingly efficient unity – mental and communicative – that fuels their ambitious projects and, from God's perspective, makes them unstoppable in their self-directed path, leading potentially to unrecoverable moral decay.
  • "and this is what they begin to do; now nothing which they purpose to do will be withheld from them": This reveals God's prescient insight into the potential trajectory of unified human rebellion. It is not just about the current tower, but about the future limitless extent of their disobedience and pride. The capacity for unchecked human autonomy to invent, to scheme, and to accomplish great feats without God is seen as dangerous, as it ultimately leads away from Him.

Genesis 11 6 Bonus section

The phrase "nothing which they purpose to do will be withheld from them" does not imply that humanity could somehow challenge or usurp God's omnipotence. Instead, it signifies that within the earthly realm, when unified in purpose and effort, there would be no human internal or external barrier to their plans for self-aggrandizement and collective defiance against God. It illustrates the profound creative and destructive capacity of humankind, especially when working in concert. God, therefore, intervenes not from weakness, but from wisdom, recognizing the spiritual catastrophe such unrestrained human potential would lead to, making it virtually impossible for any future revelation or redemptive plan to take root among a people united in such profound rebellion. The immediate solution, the confounding of languages, directly addresses the problem identified in the first half of the verse: their formidable unity enabled by a singular language. This divine disruption thus paves the way for God's redemptive work to proceed by selecting Abraham and creating a scattered multitude that could ultimately be brought back into fellowship through Christ.

Genesis 11 6 Commentary

Genesis 11:6 presents a pivotal moment of divine assessment following the post-Flood humanity's decision to build a monument of self-exaltation. God's declaration is not an expression of fear of human power, but rather a judicial and discerning understanding of the trajectory of unrestrained human ambition, unity, and ingenuity when misdirected. Humanity, bound by a common language and singular purpose, exhibited immense potential to achieve whatever they set their minds to. The concern for God was that such a powerful, unified will, not submitted to His divine command to spread and fill the earth, would lead to unparalleled levels of collective sin, idolatry, and resistance against God's intended order, potentially corrupting humanity beyond repair and frustrating His plans for redemption. God's subsequent intervention (confounding their language) was not arbitrary punishment but a gracious act of limiting human depravity and preventing them from reaching a spiritual state beyond hope. It highlights God's sovereignty over human endeavors and His protective oversight, ensuring His covenant promises could proceed for the blessing of all nations, as would be demonstrated with Abraham shortly after this event. This narrative reminds us that unity and innovation are potent forces; their moral outcome depends entirely on whether they are aligned with or against God's will.

• Example 1: Modern examples of unchecked human unity, like totalitarian regimes, demonstrate how collective will and centralized power can lead to grave injustice and moral degradation if not guided by God's truth.
• Example 2: Scientific and technological advancements, while offering great benefits, also present moral dilemmas when pursued without ethical or divine boundaries, reflecting the potential for anything "purposed to do" to lead away from God.