So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that scurries and swarms in the water, and every sort of bird—each producing offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.

So God said to Noah, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth!

and with all the animals that were on the boat with you—the birds, the livestock, and all the wild animals—every living creature on earth.

Yes, I am confirming my covenant with you. Never again will floodwaters kill all living creatures; never again will a flood destroy the earth.”

Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come.

and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life.

When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth.”

Then God said to Noah, “Yes, this rainbow is the sign of the covenant I am confirming with all the creatures on earth.”

But you must never eat animals from the sea or from rivers that do not have both fins and scales. They are detestable to you. This applies both to little creatures that live in shallow water and to all creatures that live in deep water.

“The following creatures will make you ceremonially unclean. If any of you touch their carcasses, you will be defiled until evening.

“These are the instructions regarding land animals, birds, marine creatures, and animals that scurry along the ground.

The life of every creature is in its blood. That is why I have said to the people of Israel, ‘You must never eat or drink blood, for the life of any creature is in its blood.’ So whoever consumes blood will be cut off from the community.

“You must therefore make a distinction between ceremonially clean and unclean animals, and between clean and unclean birds. You must not defile yourselves by eating any unclean animal or bird or creature that scurries along the ground. I have identified them as being unclean for you.

But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground. “O God,” they pleaded, “you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Must you be angry with all the people when only one man sins?”

“O Lord, you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Please appoint a new man as leader for the community.

He could speak with authority about all kinds of plants, from the great cedar of Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows from cracks in a wall. He could also speak about animals, birds, small creatures, and fish.

Must you keep an eye on such a frail creature and demand an accounting from me?

Iron is nothing but straw to that creature, and bronze is like rotten wood.

Nothing on earth is its equal, no other creature so fearless.

Of all the creatures, it is the proudest. It is the king of beasts.”

O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures.

Praise the Lord from the earth, you creatures of the ocean depths,

Desert animals will move into the ruined city, and the houses will be haunted by howling creatures. Owls will live among the ruins, and wild goats will go there to dance.

Desert animals will mingle there with hyenas, their howls filling the night. Wild goats will bleat at one another among the ruins, and night creatures will come there to rest.

He has surveyed and divided the land and deeded it over to those creatures. They will possess it forever, from generation to generation.