The Meaning of Genesis 11:5 Explained

Genesis 11:5

KJV: And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.

YLT: And Jehovah cometh down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men have builded;

Darby: And Jehovah came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men built.

ASV: And Jehovah came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the LORD  came down  to see  the city  and the tower,  which the children  of men  builded. 

What does Genesis 11:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 11:1-9 - The Confusion Of Tongues
Driven by the fear of another deluge, though God had given distinct assurances to the contrary, and impelled by the desire to perpetuate their name and memory to coming generations, Noah's descendants began to build on the plain of Shinar-a fertile valley watered by the Euphrates and Tigris. Babel, Babylon and Babylon the Great, such is the lineage of the apostasy which has ever opposed the Church of God; like a shadow, stealing along the wall at our side. To Babel we must oppose Abraham; to Babylon, Jerusalem; to Babylon the Great, the Bride, the Lamb's wife. "Come out of her, my people," is the cry that rings down the ages. God comes down to see! From him no secrets are hid. All things are naked and open to His eyes. The one language or lip refers to the pronunciation; speech to the stock of words; God touched the lips. When disunion prevails, destruction follows. But Pentecost and Heaven will undo the wreck of Babel. See Revelation 7:9. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 11

1  One language in the world
2  The building of Babel
5  It is interrupted by the confusion of tongues, and the builders dispersed
10  The generations of Shem
27  The generations of Terah, the father of Abram
31  Terah, with Abram and Lot, move from Ur to Haran

What do the individual words in Genesis 11:5 mean?

But came down Yahweh to see - the city and the tower which had built the sons of men
וַיֵּ֣רֶד יְהוָ֔ה לִרְאֹ֥ת אֶת־ הָעִ֖יר וְאֶת־ הַמִּגְדָּ֑ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנ֖וּ בְּנֵ֥י הָאָדָֽם

וַיֵּ֣רֶד  But  came  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לִרְאֹ֥ת  to  see 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָעִ֖יר  the  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
הַמִּגְדָּ֑ל  the  tower 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִגְדָּל  
Sense: tower.
בָּנ֖וּ  had  built 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
בְּנֵ֥י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
הָאָדָֽם  of  men 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.