Genesis 9
Complete Jewish Bible
9 God blessed Noach and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will be upon every wild animal, every bird in the air, every creature populating the ground, and all the fish in the sea; they have been handed over to you. 3 Every moving thing that lives will be food for you; just as I gave you green plants before, so now I give you everything — 4 only flesh with its life, which is its blood, you are not to eat. 5 I will certainly demand an accounting for the blood of your lives: I will demand it from every animal and from every human being. I will demand from every human being an accounting for the life of his fellow human being. 6 Whoever sheds human blood, by a human being will his own blood be shed; for God made human beings in his image. 7 And you people, be fruitful, multiply, swarm on the earth and multiply on it.”
(v) 8 God spoke to Noach and his sons with him; he said, 9 “As for me — I am herewith establishing my covenant with you, with your descendants after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you — the birds, the livestock and every wild animal with you, all going out of the ark, every animal on earth. 11 I will establish my covenant with you that never again will all living beings be destroyed by the waters of a flood, and there will never again be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 God added, “Here is the sign of the covenant I am making between myself and you and every living creature with you, for all generations to come: 13 I am putting my rainbow in the cloud — it will be there as a sign of the covenant between myself and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth, and the rainbow is seen in the cloud; 15 I will remember my covenant which is between myself and you and every living creature of any kind; and the water will never again become a flood to destroy all living beings. 16 The rainbow will be in the cloud; so that when I look at it, I will remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of any kind on the earth.”
17 God said to Noach, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between myself and every living creature on the earth.”
(vi) 18 The sons of Noach who went out from the ark were Shem, Ham and Yefet. Ham is the father of Kena‘an. 19 These three were the sons of Noach, and the whole earth was populated by them.
20 Noach, a farmer, was the first to plant a vineyard. 21 He drank so much of the wine that he got drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Kena‘an, saw his father shamefully exposed, went out and told his two brothers. 23 Shem and Yefet took a cloak, put it over both their shoulders, and, walking backward, went in and covered their naked father. Their faces were turned away, so that they did not see their father lying there shamefully exposed.
24 When Noach awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him. 25 He said, “Cursed be Kena‘an; he will be a servant of servants to his brothers.” 26 Then he said, “Blessed be Adonai, the God of Shem; Kena‘an will be their servant. 27 May God enlarge Yefet; he will live in the tents of Shem, but Kena‘an will be their servant.”
28 After the flood Noach lived 350 years. 29 In all, Noach lived 950 years; then he died.
Genesis 9
Holman Christian Standard Bible
God’s Covenant with Noah
9 God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.(A) 2 The fear and terror of you will be in every living creature on the earth, every bird of the sky, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are placed under your authority.[a] 3 Every living creature will be food for you;(B) as I gave the green plants, I have given you everything.(C) 4 However, you must not eat meat with its lifeblood in it.(D) 5 I will require the life of every animal(E) and every man for your life and your blood. I will require the life of each man’s brother for a man’s life.(F)
7 But you, be fruitful and multiply; spread out over the earth and multiply on it.”(I)
8 Then God said to Noah and his sons with him, 9 “Understand that I am confirming My covenant(J) with you and your descendants after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you—birds, livestock, and all wildlife of the earth that are with you—all the animals of the earth that came out of the ark. 11 I confirm My covenant with you that never again will every creature be wiped out by the waters of a flood; there will never again be a flood to destroy the earth.”(K)
12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant(L) I am making between Me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all future generations: 13 I have placed My bow in the clouds,(M) and it will be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. 14 Whenever I form clouds over the earth and the bow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember My covenant(N) between Me and you and all the living creatures:[b] water will never again become a flood to destroy every creature. 16 The bow will be in the clouds, and I will look at it and remember the everlasting covenant(O) between God and all the living creatures[c] on earth.” 17 God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have confirmed between Me and every creature on earth.”
Prophecies about Noah’s Family
18 Noah’s sons who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham was the father of Canaan. 19 These three were Noah’s sons, and from them the whole earth was populated.(P)
20 Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant[d] a vineyard. 21 He drank some of the wine, became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside.(Q) 23 Then Shem and Japheth took a cloak and placed it over both their shoulders, and walking backward, they covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father naked.
24 When Noah awoke from his drinking and learned what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said:
26 He also said:
Praise the Lord, the God of Shem;
Canaan will be[e] his slave.
27 God will extend[f] Japheth;
he will dwell in the tents of Shem;
Canaan will be his slave.
28 Now Noah lived 350 years after the flood. 29 So Noah’s life lasted 950 years; then he died.
Footnotes
- Genesis 9:2 Lit are given in your hand
- Genesis 9:15 Lit and creatures of all flesh
- Genesis 9:16 Lit creatures of all flesh
- Genesis 9:20 Or Noah began to be a farmer and planted
- Genesis 9:26 As a prophecy; others interpret the verbs in vv. 26-27 as a wish or prayer: let Canaan be . . .
- Genesis 9:27 In Hb, the name Japheth sounds like the word “extend.”
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.