ne language in the world, The building of Babel. (1-4) The
confusion of tongues, The builders of Babel dispersed. (5-9) The
descendants of Shem. (10-26) Terah, father of Abram, grandfather
of Lot, they remove to Haran. (27-32)
Verses 1-4: How soon men forget the most tremendous judgments, and go
back to their former crimes! Though the desolations of the
deluge were before their eyes, though they sprang from the stock
of righteous Noah, yet even during his life-time, wickedness
increases exceedingly. Nothing but the sanctifying grace of the
Holy Spirit can remove the sinful lusts of the human will, and
the depravity of the human heart. God's purpose was, that
mankind should form many nations, and people all lands. In
contempt of the Divine will, and against the counsel of Noah,
the bulk of mankind united to build a city and a tower to
prevent their separating. Idolatry was begun, and Babel became
one of its chief seats. They made one another more daring and
resolute. Let us learn to provoke one another to love and to
good works, as sinners stir up and encourage one another to
wicked works.
Verses 5-9: Here is an expression after the manner of men; The Lord
came down to see the city. God is just and fair in all he does
against sin and sinners, and condemns none unheard. Pious Eber
is not found among this ungodly crew; for he and his are called
the children of God; their souls joined not themselves to the
assembly of these children of men. God suffered them to go on
some way, that the works of their hands, from which they
promised themselves lasting honour, might turn to their lasting
reproach. God has wise and holy ends, in allowing the enemies of
his glory to carry on their wicked projects a great way, and to
prosper long. Observe the wisdom and mercy of God, in the
methods taken for defeating this undertaking. And the mercy of
God in not making the penalty equal to the offence; for he deals
not with us according to our sins. The wisdom of God, in fixing
upon a sure way to stop these proceedings. If they could not
understand one another, they could not help one another; this
would take them off from their building. God has various means,
and effectual ones, to baffle and defeat the projects of proud
men that set themselves against him, and particularly he divides
them among themselves. Notwithstanding their union and obstinacy
God was above them; for who ever hardened his heart against him,
and prospered? Their language was confounded. We all suffer by
it to this day: in all the pains and trouble used to learn the
languages we have occasion for, we suffer for the rebellion of
our ancestors at Babel. Nay, and those unhappy disputes, which
are strifes of words, and arise from misunderstanding one
another's words, for aught we know, are owing to this confusion
of tongues. They left off to build the city. The confusion of
their tongues not only unfitted them for helping one another,
but they saw the hand of the Lord gone out against them. It is
wisdom to leave off that which we see God fights against. God is
able to blast and bring to nought all the devices and designs of
Babel-builders: there is no wisdom nor counsel against the Lord.
The builders departed according to their families, and the
tongue they spake, to the countries and places allotted to them.
The children of men never did, nor ever will, come all together
again, till the great day, when the Son of man shall sit upon
the throne of his glory, and all nations shall be gathered
before him.
Verses 10-26: Here is a genealogy, or list of names, ending in Abram,
the friend of God, and thus leading towards Christ, the promised
Seed, who was the son of Abram. Nothing is left upon record but
their names and ages; the Holy Ghost seeming to hasten through
them to the history of Abram. How little do we know of those
that are gone before us in this world, even of those that lived
in the same places where we live, as we likewise know little of
those who now live in distant places! We have enough to do to
mind our own work. When the earth began to be peopled, men's
lives began to shorten; this was the wise disposal of
Providence.
Verses 27-32: Here begins the story of Abram, whose name is famous in
both Testaments. Even the children of Eber had become
worshippers of false gods. Those who are through grace, heirs of
the land of promise, ought to remember what was the land of
their birth; what was their corrupt and sinful state by nature.
Abram's brethren were, Nahor, out of whose family both Isaac and
Jacob had their wives; and Haran, the father of Lot, who died
before his father. Children cannot be sure that they shall
outlive their parents. Haran died in Ur, before the happy
removal of the family out of that idolatrous country. It
concerns us to hasten out of our natural state, lest death
surprise us in it. We here read of Abram's departure out of Ur
of the Chaldees, with his father Terah, his nephew Lot, and the
rest of his family, in obedience to the call of God. This
chapter leaves them about mid-way between Ur and Canaan, where
they dwelt till Terah's death. Many reach to Charran, and yet
fall short of Canaan; they are not far from the kingdom of God,
and yet never come thither.
ne language in the world, The building of Babel. (1-4) The
confusion of tongues, The builders of Babel dispersed. (5-9) The
descendants of Shem. (10-26) Terah, father of Abram, grandfather
of Lot, they remove to Haran. (27-32)