Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Genesis, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
God, Humanity, and Creation
Mistrust, Disobedience, and Death
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises
The Role of Women
Summary
Analysis
At first, the whole earth uses the same language to communicate. Eventually, as people settle on the plain of Shinar, they decide to build a city and a brick-and-mortar tower that reaches to heaven. By doing so, they hope to “make a name” for themselves. The LORD observes the people’s city and tower and sees that, having one language, the people will be able to do whatever they want. He determines to confuse the people’s language so that they cannot understand one another. He does so, and the people are scattered over the face of the earth. The place is called “Babel” because God confused their language.
As humans spread across the earth, so does sin. Rebellion against God happens collectively as well as individually. Here, people conspire against God’s intentions—instead of depending on him for what they need, humans try to be self-sufficient and assert themselves, even reaching for heaven itself. The Hebrew word balal means “to confuse,” which is what God does in order to thwart people’s rebellious intentions.
Themes
The descendants of Shem are traced across several generations to a man named Terah. Terah is the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran was the father of Lot; he died, before his father Terah, in the land of Ur. Meanwhile, his brother Abram took a wife named Sarai, and his brother Nahor took a wife named Milcah. Sarai was barren, or childless. Terah, with his son Abram, Abram’s wife Sarai, and Terah’s grandson Lot, set out from Ur for the land of Canaan, but they stop and settle in the land of Haran.
From the broader sweep of humanity, the genealogy narrows to focus on a specific family—Abram’s. Abram and both of his brothers will be significant in the narrative to come. Abram’s father initially sets out for what will become known as the promised land of Canaan but stops short. Being childless, Abram does not appear to be the ancestor of a great nation.
Themes
