Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, on Gen 11:4

“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.”

“a tower whose top may reach unto heaven--a common figurative expression for great height (Deu 1:28; 9:1-6). lest we be scattered--To build a city and a town was no crime; but to do this to defeat the counsels of heaven by attempting to prevent emigration was foolish, wicked, and justly offensive to God.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.