Post 19 "Scattered" Genesis 11

Genesis chapter 11 is a tarnsition from the flood and Noah to Abraham. Abraham was known as Abram at first. V1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech." The people migrated east to Shinar. My Bible helps says this was 'probably the plain of Mesopotamina on the Euphrates and Tigiris Riers.' Gen 10:10, 11:2. I guess we all know that is Iraq.

The people had one language and they decided to build a tower that would reach heaven. V4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven..." The tower was called Babel which is Babylon in the Greek form. Jewis tradition holds that the tower was destroyed but the kingdom of Babylon persisted. Then came a day "when the Lord came down to see the city..." v3. The Lord must have been impressed for he said "...now nothing will be restrained from them..." v6. Here we see why the people scattered. This chapter compliments the previous chapter and follows the generations up to Abraham. "Go to, let us go down and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech." v7

We have the whole population outlined in previous chapters but now we zero in on Abraham and his dealings with those who scattered from Babel. The saga begans with Terah leaving Ur with his family which included Abram (Abraham) and Lot. Lot was the son of Haran who was Abram's brother. Now Terah departed from Ur for Canaan but stopped in Haran. A city no doubt named for his son. Terah died in Haran which is in Mesopotamia. It is from here that Abram was commanded by the Lord to "Get thee out of thy country...". This starts the next chapter in Genesis 12:1. My map shows Haran north of modern Israel or Canaan. Or, looking at the map, it is left and up from Babylon near the mouth of the Euphrates River. I need a better map but it appears to be in modern Syria and near Antioch which was where "...the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch." Acts 11:26.

Special notes: A great deal of time has passed since Noah, as we get ready for the next chapter. The people are scattered all about and their kingdoms are well established.

Abram has taken a wife named Sarai or Sarah who was barren or as yet unable to have children.

Lot has become Abram's sidekick and departs Haran with him.

The Lord told Abram to depart his country but Abram seems to be ready to complete his earthly fathers mission of going into Canaan right away. Although they do reach Canaan the time was not right for them to stay, as we will see.

In review, we have seen the creation of mankind and the world as Adam and Eve knew it. We have seen sin enter and a judgment of water where a small number survive. Now, mankind has again multiplied and spread over great distance. Then, we are introduced to Abram who is to become Abraham. The focus narrows from all the peoples of the earth to one man and the nation he fathers. It is a great adventure we are now beginning.