Genesis 11:1 Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. 3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. 4 And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”
5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. 7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. 9 Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.
Excerpt from Asbury Bible Commentary
“Primeval history reaches its apex of mayhem in the episode of Babel. The story gives an explanation for the diversity of languages and for the spread of peoples over the whole earth. In the latter sense it relates to the preceding chapter. The project is grandiose, capturing the feeling of pride and self-sufficiency. As such, it represents humanity in conflict with God, not only in terms of independence from God, but possibly resistance to the idea of populating the whole earth (v. 4, cf. 1:28; 9:1, 7). At any rate, God's decisive statement, 'Come, let us’ (v. 7) stands in stark contrast to the ineffectual 'Come, let’s' of the people (vv. 3-4 ). The solution to the language confusion will await the birth of the church when the effects of Babel will be reversed (Acts 2:5-11).”
https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/asbury-bible-commentary/confusion-languages-at-Babel
"At Pentecost, the festival of the firstfruits of the harvest, the church received the firstfruits of cosmic redemption when the Holy Spirit was poured out equally upon all flesh (Acts 2:1–4). The miracle of tongues, where everyone heard the Gospel in his own language (vv. 5–11), provided evidence God was breaking down the cultural and ethnic division imposed at Babel, revealing that the true Israel is defined not by tongue or culture but by common faith in the Messiah… Linguistic and cultural differences remain, but the power of the Spirit enables us to break through them for the sake of the Gospel. The reversal of Babel has begun, as the elect from every nation gather before the Lord’s throne to worship Him (Rev. 7:9–12).”
["Babel Reversed" http://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/babel-reversed/]
Excerpt from "Christ is All "by J. C. Ryle
"The name of Jesus is the only name by which we shall obtain an entrance through the gate of eternal glory. If we come to that gate in our own names, we are lost, we shall not be admitted, we shall knock in vain. If we come in the name of Jesus, it is a passport and Shibboleth, and we shall enter and live.
The mark of the blood of Christ is the only mark that can save us from destruction. When the angels are separating the children of Adam in the last day, if we are not found marked with that atoning blood, we had better never have been born.
Oh, let us never forget that Christ must be ‘all' to that soul who would be justified!-We must be content to go to heaven as beggars,-saved by free grace, simply as believers in Jesus,-or we shall never be saved at all.
Is there a thoughtless, worldly soul among the readers of this book? Is there one who thinks to reach heaven by saying hastily at the last, 'Lord have mercy on me,' without Christ? Friend, you are sowing misery for yourself, and unless you alter, you will awake to endless woe.
Is there a proud, formal soul among the readers of this book? Is there any one thinking to make him self fit for heaven, and good enough to pass muster by his own doings?-Brother, you are building a Babel, and you will never reach heaven in your present state.
But is there a labouring, heavy-laden one among the readers of this book? Is there one who wants to be saved, and feels a vile sinner? I say to such an one, 'Come to Christ, and He shall save you. Come to Christ, and cast the burden of your soul on Him. Fear not: only believe.’”
Genesis 11:10 This is the genealogy of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old, and begot Arphaxad two years after the flood. 11 After he begot Arphaxad, Shem lived five hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.
12 Arphaxad lived thirty-five years, and begot Salah. 13 After he begot Salah, Arphaxad lived four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters.
14 Salah lived thirty years, and begot Eber. 15 After he begot Eber, Salah lived four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters.
16 Eber lived thirty-four years, and begot Peleg. 17 After he begot Peleg, Eber lived four hundred and thirty years, and begot sons and daughters.
18 Peleg lived thirty years, and begot Reu. 19 After he begot Reu, Peleg lived two hundred and nine years, and begot sons and daughters.
20 Reu lived thirty-two years, and begot Serug. 21 After he begot Serug, Reu lived two hundred and seven years, and begot sons and daughters.
22 Serug lived thirty years, and begot Nahor. 23 After he begot Nahor, Serug lived two hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.
24 Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and begot Terah. 25 After he begot Terah, Nahor lived one hundred and nineteen years, and begot sons and daughters.
26 Now Terah lived seventy years, and begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
27 This is the genealogy of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran begot Lot. 28 And Haran died before his father Terah in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans. 29 Then Abram and Nahor took wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah. 30 But Sarai was barren; she had no child.
"The final section in Genesis' primeval history is a singular toledoth pointing to Israel. Ch. 10 depicts the spread of humankind through the earth while this passage particularizes the story to one specific line. Genesis is now ready to recount its patriarchal history. The sin of Adam has universalized, and humankind is impotent to retard its devastation. The Creator must become the Redeemer. The line of Shem, then, must be understood as the hope of the whole world."
… God's choice of this one line does not betray any special merit on the part of the family of Shem (cf. Dt 7:6-7). It is not even conclusive that he was firstborn of Noah's sons. Though, in any case, God set aside the laws of primogeniture in the cases of Jacob (25:23) and Ephraim (48:19-20). Indeed, the choice was rather strange in view of God's mandate to populate the earth, for the end of the toledoth announces that Sarah is barren (11:30)! That is where the hopeless conclusion of primeval history takes us. That is where patriarchal history must begin.” (Asbury Bible Commentary)
"Observe here,... That there was an observable gradual decrease in the years of their lives. Shem reached to six hundred years, which yet fell short of the age of the patriarchs before the flood; the three next came short of five hundred, the three next did not reach to three hundred, and after them we read not of any that attained to two hundred but Terah; and not many ages after this Moses reckoned seventy or eighty to be the utmost men ordinarily arrive at. When the earth began to be replenished, men’s lives began to be shortened; so that the decrease is to be imputed to the wise disposal of Providence, rather than to any decay of nature." (Benson Commentary)
31 And Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there.
"Here begins the story of Abram. We have here, 1st, His country: Ur of the Chaldees — An idolatrous country, where even the children of Eber themselves degenerated. 2d, His relations, mentioned for his sake, and because of their interest in the following story. His father was Terah, of whom it is said, Joshua 24:2, that he served other gods on the other side the flood; so early did idolatry gain footing in the world.” (Benson Commentary)
"And Terah took Abram—Terah takes the lead in this emigration, as the patriarch of the family…
And they went forth with them-- Terah and Abram went forth with Lot and the other companions of their journey.
To go into the land of Kenaan— It was the design of Terah himself to settle in the land of Kenaan... The prime motive to this change of abode was the call to Abram recorded in the next chapter. Moved by the call of God, Abram 'obeyed; and he went out not knowing whither he went’ Hebrews 11:8. ” (Barnes’ Notes on the Bible)
"See Joshua 24:2 Nehemiah 9:7 1 Chronicles 1:26. Being informed by his son of the command of God, Terah did not despise it, because it came to him by the hands of his inferior, but cheerfully obeyeth it; and therefore he is so honourably mentioned as the head and governor of the action.” (Matthew Poole's Commentary)
They all headed to Canaan land; yet, they tarried in Haran for 10 years
32 So the days of Terah were two hundred and five years, and Terah died in Haran.
"It concerns us to hasten out of our natural state, lest death surprise us in it. We here read of Abram's departure out of Ur of the Chaldees, with his father Terah, his nephew Lot, and the rest of his family, in obedience to the call of God. This chapter leaves them about mid-way between Ur and Canaan, where they dwelt till Terah's death. Many reach to Charran, and yet fall short of Canaan; they are not far from the kingdom of God, and yet never come thither.” (Mtt. Henry)