“And when they removed from the east, they found a plain in the land of Sennaar, and dwelt in it.”
In the year one hundred and thirty after the flood. Which was afterward called Chaldea. That is, from Armenia where the Ark stayed. To wit, Nimrod and his company.
“And they said: Come, let us make a city and a tower, the top whereof may reach to heaven; and let us make our name famous before we be scattered abroad into all lands.”
They were moved with pride and ambition, thinking to prefer their own glory to God’s honor.
“And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of Adam were building.”
Meaning, that he declared by effect, that he knew their wicked enterprise: for God’s power is everywhere, and doth neither ascend nor descend.
“And he said: Behold, it is one people, and all have one tongue: and they have begun to do this, neither will they leave off from their designs, till they accomplish them in deed.”
God speaketh this in derision, because of their foolish persuasion and enterprise.
“Come ye, therefore, let us go down, and there confound their tongue, that they may not understand one another’s speech.”
He speaketh as though he took counsel with his own wisdom and power: to wit, with the Son and holy Ghost: signifying the greatness and certainty of the punishment. By this great plague of the confusion of tongues appeareth God’s horrible judgment against man’s pride and vain glory.
“These are the generations of Sem: Sem was a hundred years old when he begot Arphaxad, two years after the flood.”
He returneth to the genealogy of Shem, to come to the history of Abram, wherein the Church of God is described, which is Moses’ principle purpose. Cross references: : 1 Chron. 1:17
“And these are the generations of Thare: Thare begot Abram, Nachor, and Aran. And Aran begot Lot.”
He maketh mention first of Abram, not because he was the firstborn, but for the history which properly appertaineth unto him. Also Abram at the confusion of tongues, was 48 years old, for in the destruction of Sodom he was 99. And it was destroyed 52 years after the confusion of tongues.
“And Abram and Nachor married wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai: and the name of Nachor’s wife, Melcha, the daughter of Aran, father of Melcha and father of Jescha.”
Some think that this Iscah was Sarai.
“And Thare took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Aran, his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, the wife of Abram his son, and brought them out of Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Chanaan: and they came as far as Haran, and dwelt there.”
Josh. 24:2 ; Neh. 9:7 ; Judg. 5:7 ; Acts 7:4 Albeit the oracle of God came to Abram, yet the honor is given to Terah, because he was the father. Which was a city of Mesopotamia.