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Bible chapter guide

Genesis 11

People in the land of Shinar build a city and a tower to make a name for themselves; the LORD confuses their language and scatters them, and the place is called Babel. Shem's line is traced to Terah, who sets out from Ur with Abram towards Canaan and stops at Haran.

Summary written for the Labs; read the chapter itself for the full text.

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How sure can we be?

  • Strongly supported

    Terah died at 205, or at 145? (Genesis 11:32): KJV and the 和合本 both read 205. The Cambridge Bible explains the Samaritan 145 as an adjustment that makes Terah's death fall in the year Abram left Haran.

  • Strongly supported

    Cainan in Luke's list but not in Genesis (Luke 3:36): Luke's list follows the Greek Genesis and names Cainan between Arphaxad and Shelah. KJV and the 和合本 translate Genesis from the Hebrew, which has no Cainan, so the two lists differ in both translations.

  • Strongly supported

    Cainan between Arphaxad and Shelah (Luke 3:36): Both KJV and the 和合本 have Cainan in Luke 3:36 and no Cainan in Genesis 11:12. Luke's list agrees with the Greek Genesis, not the Hebrew.

  • Plausible

    Abraham was about 70: Leaves Ur with Terah.

    Before he left Haran at 75; how long the family stayed in Haran is not said.

  • Speculative

    Sarah was about 45: "Sarai was barren".

    Said before the family leaves Ur; no age is given.

  • Speculative

    Sarah, ages 0–65: Sarai of Ur and Haran

    The first thing Genesis says about Sarai after her name is that she had no child. Her waiting began long before this chart's waiting band, in a culture where barrenness was a public sorrow. The text gives her no speech yet. Her story begins in silence and end…

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