Genesis 11 — Rabbi

Genesis 11:1

וַֽיְהִ֥י

hâyâh

and — to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary) כָל

kôl

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense) הָאָ֖רֶץ

ʼerets

the — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) שָׂפָ֣ה

sâphâh

the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.) אֶחָ֑ת

ʼechâd

properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first וּדְבָרִ֖ים

dâbâr

and — a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause אֲחָדִֽים

ʼechâd

properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first

Genesis 11:1 · Masoretic Text (WLC)

AMPLIFIED · 1 of 3

Now the whole earth spoke

Chiasm

This is the outer edge of Babel's tightly mirrored structure: the passage opens with humanity unified by one language, and closes (v.9) with…one language

Chiasm

This is the outer edge of Babel's tightly mirrored structure: the passage opens with humanity unified by one language, and closes (v.9) with… and used the same words (vocabulary).

Chiasm

This is the outer edge of Babel's tightly mirrored structure: the passage opens with humanity unified by one language, and closes (v.9) with…

Rabbi's unlock

No commentary yet for this passage — the library is still growing here.

↔ Rabbi noticed a connection

The matching close of this chiasm's outer bracket -- the one language and one speech introduced here, undone there.

Genesis 11:1 · WEB

The whole earth was of one language and of one speech.

Genesis 11:9 · WEB

Therefore its name was called Babel, because there Yahweh confused the language of all the earth. From there, Yahweh scattered them abroad on the surface of all the earth.

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Today's memory verse · from this session

“Now the whole earth spoke one language and used the same words (vocabulary).”

Genesis 11:1

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