Limitless Word
From that land he went to Assyria, and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah,
Genesis 10:11 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB Out of that land he went into Assyria, and built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah,
  • KJV Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,
  • BSB From that land he went forth into Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah,
  • NKJV From that land he went to Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah,
  • NLT From there he expanded his territory to Assyria, building the cities of Nineveh, Rehoboth-ir, Calah,

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

From Shinar the kingdom expanded into Assyria, where Nineveh and other cities were built. Human power spreads and multiplies its centers.

Overview

The narrative traces the extension of empire into Assyria, naming cities that loom large in later biblical history, especially Nineveh. The growth of these great cities reflects humanity's drive to build and dominate. These same cities later become objects of both God's judgment and His mercy, as seen in the message to Nineveh that points toward Christ.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 16

  • Mic 5:6They will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in its gates. He will deliver us from the Assyrian, when he invades our land, and when he marches within our border.
  • Jonah 1:2“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach against it, for their wickedness has come up before me.”
  • Ps 83:8Assyria also is joined with them. They have helped the children of Lot. Selah.
  • Nah 1:1A revelation about Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
  • Ezra 4:2they came near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers’ households, and said to them, “Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as you do; and we have been sacrificing to him since the days of Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.”
  • Zeph 2:13He will stretch out his hand against the north, destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as the wilderness.
  • Nah 3:7It will happen that all those who look at you will flee from you, and say, ‘Nineveh is laid waste! Who will mourn for her?’ Where will I seek comforters for you?”
  • Jonah 3:1–10Yahweh’s word came to Jonah the second time, saying,
  • Num 24:22Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted, until Asshur carries you away captive.”
  • Ezek 27:23Haran and Canneh and Eden, the traffickers of Sheba, Asshur and Chilmad, were your traffickers.
  • Nah 2:8But Nineveh has been from of old like a pool of water, yet they flee away. “Stop! Stop!” they cry, but no one looks back.
  • Ezek 32:22Asshur is there and all her company; her graves are all around her; all of them slain, fallen by the sword;
  • Isa 37:37So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, went away, returned to Nineveh, and stayed there.
  • 2 Kgs 19:36So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and lived at Nineveh.
  • Hos 14:3Assyria can’t save us. We won’t ride on horses; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, ‘Our gods!’ for in you the fatherless finds mercy.”
  • Num 24:24But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim. They shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber. He also shall come to destruction.”

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (7)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Genesis videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Genesis 10:11YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on GenesisMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.

How Genesis 10:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.