Genesis 11:7 kjv

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

Genesis 11:7 nkjv

Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech."

Genesis 11:7 niv

Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other."

Genesis 11:7 esv

Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech."

Genesis 11:7 nlt

Come, let's go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won't be able to understand each other."

Genesis 11 verses

Genesis 11 7 Meaning

Genesis 11:7 describes God's divine intervention at Babel, where humanity was unified by one language and rebellious intent. God declares His purpose to descend and supernaturally alter human language, rendering people unable to understand one another. This act was designed to halt their project of building a city and a tower "to the heavens" out of human pride and defiance, leading directly to their dispersion across the earth as ordained by God after the Flood.

Genesis 11 7 Context

Genesis 11:7 is a pivotal verse within the Tower of Babel narrative (Gen 11:1-9). This event occurs after the global flood, as humanity begins to re-populate the earth. Instead of scattering and filling the earth as commanded by God (Gen 9:1), people gathered in Shinar (Babylonia), aiming to build a monumental city and a tower that would reach "to the heavens." Their stated purpose was to make a "name for themselves" and prevent scattering. This unified effort, driven by self-exaltation and defiance of God's command, represented a universal human rebellion. In response, God intervenes by confounding their common language, rendering their collaborative efforts impossible, thus forcing their dispersion. The tower itself was likely a ziggurat, a type of massive stepped pyramid common in Mesopotamian cultures, often dedicated to pagan deities and serving as symbols of human power reaching into the divine realm. The biblical narrative is a direct theological challenge (polemic) to such claims of human autonomy and self-sufficiency, asserting God's supreme authority and judgment over human pride and rebellious ambition.

Genesis 11 7 Word analysis

• Come (הָבָה - havah): An imperative verb, acting as an invitation or summons. Here, it signifies the immediate, determined resolve of the divine council to act. Its prior use by the humans in Gen 11:3, "Come, let us make," creates an ironic parallel, showing God's responsive, superior authority to human plans.
• let Us (נֵרְדָה - neredah, Qal imperfect from יָרַד - yarad, meaning 'to go down'): The first common plural form strongly suggests a plurality within the Godhead, often interpreted as the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) or God consulting with His heavenly court. This indicates deliberate counsel and shared intent in the divine decision.
• go down (same as neredah): Signifies a direct, purposeful intervention from a transcendent, heavenly realm into the earthly sphere. It implies active involvement, investigation, and decisive judgment by God.
• and there confuse (וְנָבְלָה - venavelah, from בָּלַל - balal, meaning 'to mix, mingle, confuse, confound'): This is the key action. The Hebrew word balal creates a profound wordplay with the name "Babel" (בָּבֶל - Bavel). Babel thus means "confusion," signifying the divinely imposed disorder upon their rebellious order. This confusion directly targets their means of unity.
• their language (שָׂפָה - saphah, literally 'lip'; figuratively 'language, speech'): This specifies the precise object of divine confusion. It points to spoken communication, which was the binding element for their collective action. By targeting their "lip," God dismantled their ability to conspire and coordinate.
• so that they will not understand (לֹא יִשְׁמְעוּ - lo yishme'u, meaning 'they will not hear/understand'): This highlights the direct consequence and divine intent of the confusion. The lack of mutual understanding brings their collective endeavor to an abrupt halt. "Hearing" in Hebrew often implies understanding and obedience.
• one another's speech (אִישׁ שְׂפַת רֵעֵהוּ - ish s'fat re'ehu, literally 'a man his neighbor's lip/language'): This phrase underscores the comprehensive breakdown of interpersonal communication, forcing isolation and ultimately, dispersion.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Come, let Us go down": This phrase establishes God's absolute sovereignty and immediate resolve. It demonstrates that God is not a distant, detached deity but actively descends to examine and execute judgment upon humanity's prideful rebellion. The "Us" underscores the unified purpose and counsel within the divine nature.
• "and there confuse their language": This shows the precise, surgical nature of God's intervention. By targeting language—the very means of their concerted action—God frustrates their unified defiance. The word balal (confuse) becomes an iconic symbol of divine judgment upon human aspirations built apart from Him. The "there" refers directly to the site of their rebellious building.
• "so that they will not understand one another's speech": This phrase defines the specific outcome and effectiveness of God's judgment. The lack of mutual comprehension serves as the divine instrument to scatter them, fulfilling God's earlier command to populate the earth, and dismantling their unified rebellious project.

Genesis 11 7 Bonus section

• The Irony of Human Intent vs. Divine Outcome: The builders' fear was to "be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth" (Gen 11:4). God's judgment, the confusion of languages, directly caused the scattering they desperately tried to avoid through their rebellion. Their very efforts to circumvent God's plan became the catalyst for its fulfillment.
• Echoes in Heavenly Consultations: The phrase "Let Us" (Gen 11:7), along with Gen 1:26 ("Let Us make man"), hints at intra-divine counsel, providing early scriptural glimpses of the Trinitarian nature of God or His deliberative majesty with His heavenly court, involved in pivotal moments of creation and judgment.
• Foundation for National Identity: The event at Babel marks a significant turning point, providentially initiating the division of humanity into diverse language groups, which in turn contributed to the formation of distinct nations, peoples, and cultures. This scattering lays the groundwork for God's later covenant with Abraham, through whom God would gather a chosen people from among these now-dispersed nations.

Genesis 11 7 Commentary

Genesis 11:7 serves as a powerful testament to God's active involvement in human affairs, His sovereignty over human endeavors, and His judgment upon pride. Humanity, unified in language and ambition, sought to establish a monument to their own greatness, defying God's post-flood command to "fill the earth." This verse details God's counter-strategy: He "comes down" (a divine anthropomorphism denoting personal, purposeful intervention) to directly frustrate their unity by confusing their shared language. This act of divine confusion (balal) not only thwarted their immediate project but also led to the necessary scattering of peoples across the globe, providentially fulfilling God's original command while judging their rebellion. It underscores that any human attempt at a unified future built upon self-will, rather than divine purpose, will ultimately lead to disunity and chaos. Babel teaches that true, lasting unity can only be achieved in submission to God, exemplified later in the Pentecost event (Acts 2) where a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual assembly united under God's Spirit.