^11:9That is why its name was called²² Babel²³—because there the Lord confused the language of the entire world, and from there the Lord scattered them across the face of the entire earth.

Read in Logos

Footnotes

22 The verb has no expressed subject and so can be rendered as a passive in the translation.
23 Babel. Here is the climax of the account, a parody on the pride of Babylon. In the Babylonian literature the name bab-ili meant “the gate of God,” but in Hebrew it sounds like the word for “confusion,” and so retained that connotation. The name “Babel” (בָּבֶל, bavel) and the verb translated “confused” (בָּלַל, balal) form a paronomasia (sound play). For the many wordplays and other rhetorical devices in Genesis, see J. P. Fokkelman, Narrative Art in Genesis ().

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Therefore it is called Babylon, for there the Lord confused the language of the whole earth, and from there the Lord scattered them throughout the earth.

NLTNew Living Translation

That is why the city was called Babel, because that is where the Lord confused the people with different languages. In this way he scattered them all over the world.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Therefore its name was called Babel, for there Yahweh confused the language of the whole earth, and there Yahweh scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

KJV 1900King James Version

Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

Public Domain