Babel: one tongue divided; races scattered

Then people rose and left the lands of the East; and as they went forward upon the earth they came to the broad plain of Shinar. (Gen 11:2) There they set about building a tower by which they hoped to climb to heaven, leaving a monument to keep their memory among later generations. The structure was of burnt brick and asphalt. (Gen 11:3-4)

Their daring arrogance grew the more because they shared one purpose and lived in one place, and because a single language powerfully furthered the design they had fixed.

But God, unwilling that the work should be finished, divided their languages so that they could no longer understand one another. (Gen 11:7-8) So they were split, scattered, and took possession of the world. They dwelt in clans and tribes, each according to its own tongue: hence so many peoples and languages upon the earth.

And since three races of humankind took the earth, and one of them lay under the curse while two had been blessed, the first blessing belonged to Shem, whose posterity dwelt in the East and occupied the land of the Chaldeans. (Ur of the Chaldeans)