SEV Biblia, Chapter 11:1
ΒΆ Era entonces toda la tierra una lengua y unas mismas palabras.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Genesis 11:1
Verse 1. The whole earth was of one language] The whole earth - all mankind was of one language, in all likelihood the HEBREW; and of one speech - articulating the same words in the same way. It is generally supposed, that after the confusion mentioned in this chapter, the Hebrew language remained in the family of Heber. The proper names, and their significations given in the Scripture, seem incontestable evidences that the Hebrew language was the original language of the earth-the language in which God spake to man, and in which he gave the revelation of his will to Moses and the prophets. ""It was used,"" says Mr. Ainsworth, ""in all the world for one thousand seven hundred and fifty-seven years, till Phaleg, the son of Heber, was born, and the tower of BHebel was in building one hundred years after the flood, chap. x. 25; xi. 9. After this, it was used among the Hebrews or Jews, called therefore the Jews' language, Isaiah xxxvi. 11, until they were carried captive into Babylon, where the holy tongue ceased from being commonly used, and the mixed Hebrew (or Chaldee) came in its place."" It cannot be reasonably imagined that the Jews lost the Hebrew tongue entirely in the seventy years of their captivity in Babylon; yet, as they were mixed with the Chaldeans, their children would of course learn that dialect, and to them the pure Hebrew would be unintelligible; and this probably gave rise to the necessity of explaining the Hebrew Scriptures in the Chaldee tongue, that the children might understand as well as their fathers. As we may safely presume the parents could not have forgotten the Hebrew, so we may conclude the children in general could not have learned it, as they did not live in an insulated state, but were mixed with the Babylonians. This conjecture removes the difficulty with which many have been embarrassed; one party supposing that the knowledge of the Hebrew language was lost during the Babylonish captivity, and hence the necessity of the Chaldee Targums to explain the Scriptures; another party insisting that this was impossible in so short a period as seventy years.
Matthew Henry Commentary
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 eve 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. I contempt of the Divine will, and against the counsel of Noah, the bul of mankind united to build a city and a tower to prevent their separating. Idolatry was begun, and Babel became one of its chie 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 an encourage one another to wicked works.
Original Hebrew
ויהי 1961 כל 3605 הארץ 776 שׂפה 8193 אחת 259 ודברים 1697 אחדים׃ 259
