Genesis 9 Explained
And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.
Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man.
Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.
And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,
And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;
And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.
And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.
And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.
And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.
These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.
And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:
And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.
And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.
And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.
And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years.
And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.
Genesis 9 marks a pivotal point in the biblical narrative, transitioning from the catastrophic judgment of the flood to a renewed covenant and the re-establishment of human civilization. Following the devastation described in Genesis 6-8, this chapter unveils God's merciful dealings with Noah and his sons in a world cleansed and ready for a fresh start. It can be divided into three main sections: God's blessings and commands, the covenant with a sign, and the unsettling incident involving Noah and his sons.
God's Renewed Blessing and Instructions
God begins by blessing Noah and his sons, echoing the original commission given to Adam and Eve in Genesis 1:28. He commands them to "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth" (Genesis 9:1). This is not merely a repetition, but a recommissioning. The flood, a judgment on the world's wickedness, didn't nullify God's original purpose for humanity; instead, it provided a clean slate for that purpose to be fulfilled.
However, there are significant differences in this new beginning. While humanity is still tasked with subduing the earth, a sense of brokenness enters the picture. God declares that all animals will now fear mankind (Genesis 9:2). This suggests a disruption in the harmonious relationship that existed in Eden, a consequence of sin's pervasive impact.
Furthermore, God expands the permissible food sources. In Eden, humans were limited to plants (Genesis 1:29-30). Now, after the flood, God grants permission to eat animals, with one crucial restriction: they must not consume blood (Genesis 9:3-4). This prohibition likely stems from the understanding that blood represents life (see Leviticus 17:11), and consuming it would be a violation of the sanctity of life. Raw meat was off limits because it represented life.
A significant addition is the establishment of a principle of justice. God declares that anyone who sheds human blood, "by humans shall their blood be shed" (Genesis 9:6). This is the foundation for capital punishment, rooted in the profound truth that humans are made in God's image. To take an innocent human life is not merely an act against the individual, but an attack on God Himself. Humans uniquely reflect God’s image and nature, so taking innocent human life is unthinkable and requires retribution, since at its core murder is an attack on God. This command serves as a deterrent against violence and underscores the immense value God places on human life.
The Covenant of the Rainbow
God then establishes a covenant with Noah, his descendants, and all living creatures, promising never again to destroy all life with a flood (Genesis 9:8-11). This covenant is universal in scope, extending to all of humanity and the animal kingdom. It is a testament to God's enduring mercy and faithfulness, even in the face of human fallibility. God won’t wipe out every creation with a flood again, but he still reserves the right to wipe it out some other way. A second judgment is indeed coming, one not carried along by waves but by flames (see 2 Peter 3:7).
As a sign of this covenant, God sets his bow in the clouds, the rainbow (Genesis 9:12-17). The rainbow is more than just a beautiful meteorological phenomenon; it is a visual reminder of God's promise, a symbol of His steadfast love and commitment to His creation. What is significant about the rainbow (and the covenant) is that it required nothing from humans. God simply said, "Whenever . . . the bow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant" (Genesis 9:14-15). God keeps his promises toward us unconditionally, even in the face of our sin. If he didn’t, no covenant between us would last.
Noah's Shame and a Prophetic Curse
The chapter concludes with a troubling episode. Noah, a man who found favor in God's eyes (Genesis 6:8), succumbs to drunkenness and exposes himself in his tent (Genesis 9:20-21). This incident serves as a stark reminder that even those used mightily by God are susceptible to sin and prone to making mistakes. It’s difficult to end well, as Noah’s life shows us.
Ham, one of Noah's sons, sees his father's nakedness and tells his brothers about it, while Shem and Japheth respectfully cover their father without looking at him (Genesis 9:22-23). While the exact nature of Ham's offense is not explicitly stated, it is clear that he dishonored his father, perhaps through mockery or a lack of respect. Noah’s sinful drunkenness provided the setting for another sinful act. Ham, one of Noah’s three sons, saw his father naked. But rather than covering his nakedness and removing his father’s shame, Ham ridiculed his father to his brothers. His brothers covered their father, but Ham’s spiteful words created a ripple effect, leading to the curse on Ham’s son, Canaan.
Upon awakening, Noah curses Canaan, Ham's son, declaring that he will be a servant to his brothers (Genesis 9:24-25). He then blesses Shem and Japheth (Genesis 9:26-27). This pronouncement is not merely a personal vendetta but a prophetic declaration with far-reaching implications. Canaan’s line would continue in unrighteousness and oppression, following in the footsteps of Ham’s example. And God’s plan to bless the world would now focus instead on Shem’s descendants, while Canaan’s descendants would be removed from that plan.
It is crucial to understand that this curse has been tragically misinterpreted throughout history, particularly in relation to race. The idea that Ham was the father of black people and that his descendants were cursed to be slaves has been used to justify the enslavement and oppression of Africans. However, this interpretation is demonstrably false.
First, the curse was specifically on Canaan, not Ham himself. Second, the Bible places limitations on curses, typically to three or four generations (Exodus 20:5). Third, the curse on Canaan found its fulfillment in the historical subjugation of the Canaanites by the Israelites (Joshua 9:23; 1 Kings 9:20-21). Moreover, descendants of Ham’s other sons – Cush, Mizraim, and Put – have continued to this day as national peoples in Ethiopia (Cush), Egypt (Mizraim), and Libya (Put). In fact, founders of the first two great civilizations, Sumer (Mesopotamia) and Egypt, descended from Ham. This understanding is vital to negate the Christian endorsement of the American enslavement of black Christians as well as any lingering myth of superiority or inferiority based on race.
It is important to remember that all humanity originates from Adam and then Noah's three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth (Genesis 9:18; Acts 17:26). God intended to reestablish the human race through the three sons of Noah; therefore, God legitimized all races over which each son stood as head and over which Noah presided as father. This is especially true since Scripture says that God blessed Noah and his sons, and the command to repopulate the earth was comprehensive and equally applied to each of them (see 9:1). All races can take pride in the fact that it was God’s intention that each unique group exist, survive, and function as nations of peoples, without any one group or ethnicity being superior in nature to any other.
Genesis 9 concludes with a summary of Noah's lifespan: he lived 350 years after the flood, for a total of 950 years (Genesis 9:28-29). He is the last of the patriarchs to live nearly a millennium, marking a gradual decline in human longevity as we move into Genesis 11.
Genesis 9, therefore, offers a complex and multifaceted picture of God's grace, human responsibility, and the enduring consequences of sin. It is a chapter that calls for careful interpretation, a commitment to justice, and a recognition of the inherent dignity and equality of all people. It serves as a reminder that God's promises are steadfast, even when humanity falters, and that His plan for redemption will ultimately prevail.
And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.
Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man.
Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.
And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,
And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;
And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.
And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.
And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.
And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.
These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.
And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:
And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.
And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.
And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.
And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years.
And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.
Genesis 9 marks a pivotal point in the biblical narrative, transitioning from the catastrophic judgment of the flood to a renewed covenant and the re-establishment of human civilization. Following the devastation described in Genesis 6-8, this chapter unveils God's merciful dealings with Noah and his sons in a world cleansed and ready for a fresh start. It can be divided into three main sections: God's blessings and commands, the covenant with a sign, and the unsettling incident involving Noah and his sons.
God's Renewed Blessing and Instructions
God begins by blessing Noah and his sons, echoing the original commission given to Adam and Eve in Genesis 1:28. He commands them to "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth" (Genesis 9:1). This is not merely a repetition, but a recommissioning. The flood, a judgment on the world's wickedness, didn't nullify God's original purpose for humanity; instead, it provided a clean slate for that purpose to be fulfilled.
However, there are significant differences in this new beginning. While humanity is still tasked with subduing the earth, a sense of brokenness enters the picture. God declares that all animals will now fear mankind (Genesis 9:2). This suggests a disruption in the harmonious relationship that existed in Eden, a consequence of sin's pervasive impact.
Furthermore, God expands the permissible food sources. In Eden, humans were limited to plants (Genesis 1:29-30). Now, after the flood, God grants permission to eat animals, with one crucial restriction: they must not consume blood (Genesis 9:3-4). This prohibition likely stems from the understanding that blood represents life (see Leviticus 17:11), and consuming it would be a violation of the sanctity of life. Raw meat was off limits because it represented life.
A significant addition is the establishment of a principle of justice. God declares that anyone who sheds human blood, "by humans shall their blood be shed" (Genesis 9:6). This is the foundation for capital punishment, rooted in the profound truth that humans are made in God's image. To take an innocent human life is not merely an act against the individual, but an attack on God Himself. Humans uniquely reflect God’s image and nature, so taking innocent human life is unthinkable and requires retribution, since at its core murder is an attack on God. This command serves as a deterrent against violence and underscores the immense value God places on human life.
The Covenant of the Rainbow
God then establishes a covenant with Noah, his descendants, and all living creatures, promising never again to destroy all life with a flood (Genesis 9:8-11). This covenant is universal in scope, extending to all of humanity and the animal kingdom. It is a testament to God's enduring mercy and faithfulness, even in the face of human fallibility. God won’t wipe out every creation with a flood again, but he still reserves the right to wipe it out some other way. A second judgment is indeed coming, one not carried along by waves but by flames (see 2 Peter 3:7).
As a sign of this covenant, God sets his bow in the clouds, the rainbow (Genesis 9:12-17). The rainbow is more than just a beautiful meteorological phenomenon; it is a visual reminder of God's promise, a symbol of His steadfast love and commitment to His creation. What is significant about the rainbow (and the covenant) is that it required nothing from humans. God simply said, "Whenever . . . the bow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant" (Genesis 9:14-15). God keeps his promises toward us unconditionally, even in the face of our sin. If he didn’t, no covenant between us would last.
Noah's Shame and a Prophetic Curse
The chapter concludes with a troubling episode. Noah, a man who found favor in God's eyes (Genesis 6:8), succumbs to drunkenness and exposes himself in his tent (Genesis 9:20-21). This incident serves as a stark reminder that even those used mightily by God are susceptible to sin and prone to making mistakes. It’s difficult to end well, as Noah’s life shows us.
Ham, one of Noah's sons, sees his father's nakedness and tells his brothers about it, while Shem and Japheth respectfully cover their father without looking at him (Genesis 9:22-23). While the exact nature of Ham's offense is not explicitly stated, it is clear that he dishonored his father, perhaps through mockery or a lack of respect. Noah’s sinful drunkenness provided the setting for another sinful act. Ham, one of Noah’s three sons, saw his father naked. But rather than covering his nakedness and removing his father’s shame, Ham ridiculed his father to his brothers. His brothers covered their father, but Ham’s spiteful words created a ripple effect, leading to the curse on Ham’s son, Canaan.
Upon awakening, Noah curses Canaan, Ham's son, declaring that he will be a servant to his brothers (Genesis 9:24-25). He then blesses Shem and Japheth (Genesis 9:26-27). This pronouncement is not merely a personal vendetta but a prophetic declaration with far-reaching implications. Canaan’s line would continue in unrighteousness and oppression, following in the footsteps of Ham’s example. And God’s plan to bless the world would now focus instead on Shem’s descendants, while Canaan’s descendants would be removed from that plan.
It is crucial to understand that this curse has been tragically misinterpreted throughout history, particularly in relation to race. The idea that Ham was the father of black people and that his descendants were cursed to be slaves has been used to justify the enslavement and oppression of Africans. However, this interpretation is demonstrably false.
First, the curse was specifically on Canaan, not Ham himself. Second, the Bible places limitations on curses, typically to three or four generations (Exodus 20:5). Third, the curse on Canaan found its fulfillment in the historical subjugation of the Canaanites by the Israelites (Joshua 9:23; 1 Kings 9:20-21). Moreover, descendants of Ham’s other sons – Cush, Mizraim, and Put – have continued to this day as national peoples in Ethiopia (Cush), Egypt (Mizraim), and Libya (Put). In fact, founders of the first two great civilizations, Sumer (Mesopotamia) and Egypt, descended from Ham. This understanding is vital to negate the Christian endorsement of the American enslavement of black Christians as well as any lingering myth of superiority or inferiority based on race.
It is important to remember that all humanity originates from Adam and then Noah's three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth (Genesis 9:18; Acts 17:26). God intended to reestablish the human race through the three sons of Noah; therefore, God legitimized all races over which each son stood as head and over which Noah presided as father. This is especially true since Scripture says that God blessed Noah and his sons, and the command to repopulate the earth was comprehensive and equally applied to each of them (see 9:1). All races can take pride in the fact that it was God’s intention that each unique group exist, survive, and function as nations of peoples, without any one group or ethnicity being superior in nature to any other.
Genesis 9 concludes with a summary of Noah's lifespan: he lived 350 years after the flood, for a total of 950 years (Genesis 9:28-29). He is the last of the patriarchs to live nearly a millennium, marking a gradual decline in human longevity as we move into Genesis 11.
Genesis 9, therefore, offers a complex and multifaceted picture of God's grace, human responsibility, and the enduring consequences of sin. It is a chapter that calls for careful interpretation, a commitment to justice, and a recognition of the inherent dignity and equality of all people. It serves as a reminder that God's promises are steadfast, even when humanity falters, and that His plan for redemption will ultimately prevail.