The whole earth ¹  had a common language and a common vocabulary. ² 

biblegateway Gen 11:1

Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words.

At one time the whole earth had the same language and vocabulary.

The whole world had one language with a common vocabulary.

biblegateway Gen 11:1

Now the whole world had one language and a common speech.

Now the whole earth had one language and the same words.

bibleoremus Gen 11:1

Now the whole earth had one language and the same words.

THERE was a time when all the world spoke a single language and used the same words.

biblegateway Gen 11:1

Now the whole earth had one language and one speech.

And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

biblegateway Gen 11:1

The whole earth ¹  had a common language and a common vocabulary. ² 

¹ sn The whole earth. Here “earth” is a metonymy of subject, referring to the people who lived in the earth. Genesis 11 begins with everyone speaking a common language, but chap. 10 has the nations arranged by languages. It is part of the narrative art of Genesis to give the explanation of the event after the narration of the event. On this passage see A. P. Ross, “The Dispersion of the Nations in Genesis 11:1-9,” BSac 138 (1981): 119-38.

² tn Heb “one lip and one [set of] words.” The term “lip” is a metonymy of cause, putting the instrument for the intended effect. They had one language. The term “words” refers to the content of their speech. They had the same vocabulary.