Genesis 11:6

And the LORD said, “If they have begun to do this as one people speaking the same language, then nothing they devise will be beyond them.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Yahweh speaks after descending to observe the city and tower being constructed by humanity. He declares His assessment regarding the unified human race without addressing a named listener.

The words — הֵן (hen) translates literally as "here!" or "behold," marking a decisive divine observation. עַם אֶחָד וְשָׂפָה אַחַת (am echad ve-safah achat) means "one people and one language," describing their current unified condition.

The thread — The pattern of unified human ambition meeting divine response appears in Genesis 3:22 and Psalm 2:1. The verse also directly extends the linguistic unity introduced in Genesis 11:1.

Why it lands — The text states that shared language and purpose remove practical limits on human planning. It requires the reader to acknowledge that divine action addresses collective human autonomy before it escalates.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיֹּ֣אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said יְהוָ֗הYah.wehYahweh הֵ֣ןhenhere!עַ֤ם'ama people אֶחָד֙'e.Chadone וְשָׂפָ֤הve./sa.Fahand/ a language אַחַת֙'a.Chatone לְכֻלָּ֔םle./khu.La/m[belongs] to/ all of/ them וְזֶ֖הve./Zehand/ this הַחִלָּ֣םha.chi.La/m[is] beginning/ they לַעֲשׂ֑וֹתla./'a.Sotto/ do וְעַתָּה֙ve./'a.Tahand/ now לֹֽא־lo'-not יִבָּצֵ֣רyi.ba.Tzerit will be withheldמֵהֶ֔םme./Hemfrom <the>/ themכֹּ֛לkolall אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherthat יָזְמ֖וּya.ze.Muthey will plan לַֽעֲשֽׂוֹת׃La./'a.Sotto/ do

King James Version

And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

Cross-references

Psalms 2:1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
Genesis 3:22 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. And now, lest he reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever...”
Genesis 11:1 Now the whole world had one language and a common form of speech.
Ecclesiastes 11:9 Rejoice, O young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.
Luke 1:51 He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
Genesis 6:5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time.
Genesis 9:19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from them the whole earth was populated.
Genesis 8:21 When the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, He said in His heart, “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from his youth. And never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done.
Acts 17:26 From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.
Judges 10:14 Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you in your time of trouble.”