² As people moved eastward,^[a] they found a plain in Shinar^[b](A) and settled there.

³ They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks^(B) and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone,^(C) and tar^(D) for mortar. ⁴ Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens,^(E) so that we may make a name^(F) for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered^(G) over the face of the whole earth.”^(H)