John Calvin Commentary Genesis 11:7

"Come, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another`s speech." — Genesis 11:7 (ASV)

Go to, let us go down. We have said that Moses has presented the case to us using the figure hypotyposis, so that God's judgments might be more clearly illustrated. For this reason, he now introduces God as the speaker, who declares that the work which they supposed could not be hindered will, without any difficulty, be destroyed.

The meaning of these words is essentially this: ‘I will not use many instruments; I will only blow upon them, and they, through the confusion of tongues, will be contemptuously scattered.’ And just as they, having gathered a large group, were scheming how they might reach the clouds, so on the other hand, God summons His troops, by whose intervention He might ward off their fury.

However, it is asked, what troops He intends? The Jews think that He addresses Himself to the angels. But since no mention is made of the angels, and God places those to whom He speaks in the same rank with Himself, this interpretation is harsh and deservedly rejected. This passage rather corresponds to the former one, which occurs in the account of the creation of man, when the Lord said, Let us make man after our image. For God aptly and wisely opposes His own eternal wisdom and power to this great multitude, as if He had said that He had no need of foreign assistance, but possessed within Himself what was sufficient for their destruction.

Therefore, this passage is rightly cited as proof that Three Persons subsist in One Divine Essence. Moreover, this example of divine vengeance applies to all ages, for people are always inflamed with the desire to attempt what is unlawful. And this history shows that God will always be opposed to such plans and schemes, so that we see depicted before our eyes what Solomon says:

There is no counsel, nor prudence, nor strength against the Lord (Proverbs 21:30).

Unless God’s blessing is present, from which alone we may expect a successful outcome, all that we attempt will inevitably perish. Since, then, God declares that He is at perpetual war with the boundless audacity of people, anything we undertake without His approval will end miserably, even if all creatures above and below were to earnestly offer us their assistance.

Now, although the world bears this curse to this day, yet, in the midst of punishment and of the most dreadful proofs of divine anger against human pride, the admirable goodness of God is made conspicuous. This is evident because nations communicate with each other, even though they speak different languages. But it is especially clear because He has proclaimed one gospel in all languages throughout the whole world and has endowed the Apostles with the gift of tongues.

As a result, those who were previously miserably divided have united in the unity of the faith. In this sense Isaiah says that the language of Canaan would be common to all under the reign of Christ (Isaiah 19:18), because, although their languages may differ in sound, they all speak the same thing when they cry, Abba, Father.