- 1
- Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.
- 2
- The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands.
- 3
- Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.
- 4
- "But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it.
- 5
- And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man.
- 6
- "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.
- 7
- As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it."
- 8
- Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him:
- 9
- "I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you
- 10
- and with every living creature that was with you--the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you--every living creature on earth.
- 11
- I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth."
- 12
- And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come:
- 13
- I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
- 14
- Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds,
- 15
- I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.
- 16
- Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."
- 17
- So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth."
- 18
- The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.)
- 19
- These were the three sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered over the earth.
- 20
- Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded [1] to plant a vineyard.
- 21
- When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent.
- 22
- Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside.
- 23
- But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father's nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father's nakedness.
- 24
- When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him,
- 25
- he said, "Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers."
- 26
- He also said, "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem. [2]
- 27
- May God extend the territory of Japheth [3] ; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his [4] slave."
- 28
- After the flood Noah lived 350 years.
- 29
- Altogether, Noah lived 950 years, and then he died.
- [20] Or soil, was the first
- [26] Or be his slave
- [27] Japheth sounds like the Hebrew for extend.
- [27] Or their
As a biblical scholar with a deep understanding of ancient texts and religious narratives, I can confidently delve into the rich tapestry of Genesis 9:1-29, providing insights into the historical, cultural, and theological aspects of this passage.
The passage begins with God blessing Noah and his sons, instructing them to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth. It establishes a covenant with humanity and all living creatures, promising that never again will all life be cut off by a flood. This covenant is symbolized by the rainbow in the clouds, signifying God's everlasting promise.
The text touches on dietary guidelines, permitting the consumption of all living things but prohibiting the consumption of meat with its lifeblood still in it. The sanctity of life is emphasized, as an accounting is demanded for both human and animal life. The concept of shedding human blood is met with a divine decree, stating that whoever sheds the blood of man, his blood shall be shed, reinforcing the notion of the sanctity of human life.
The narrative also introduces the sons of Noah—Shem, Ham, and Japheth—and their descendants, who become the progenitors of various peoples scattered over the earth. Notably, the passage recounts an incident involving Noah and his sons after the flood. When Noah becomes intoxicated, Ham sees his father's nakedness and reveals it to his brothers. Shem and Japheth, however, cover their father respectfully, leading to Noah's blessings and curses upon their descendants.
The concluding verses provide information about Noah's post-flood life, stating that he lived for 350 years after the flood, reaching a total lifespan of 950 years.
In summary, Genesis 9:1-29 encompasses themes of covenant, dietary laws, the sanctity of life, and the consequences of actions. It introduces the post-flood world and sets the stage for the development of diverse nations through the descendants of Noah's sons. The narrative reflects on the complexities of human relationships and the importance of reverence for life in the context of divine guidance.
