God’s Covenant with Noah

God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.(A) 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] Every living creature will be food for you;(B) as I gave the green plants, I have given you everything.(C) However, you must not eat meat with its lifeblood in it.(D) 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)

Whoever sheds man’s blood,
his blood will be shed by man,(G)
for God made man in His image.(H)

But you, be fruitful and multiply; spread out over the earth and multiply on it.”(I)

Then God said to Noah and his sons with him, “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:

Canaan will be cursed.(R)
He will be the lowest of slaves to his brothers.(S)

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

  1. Genesis 9:2 Lit are given in your hand
  2. Genesis 9:15 Lit and creatures of all flesh
  3. Genesis 9:16 Lit creatures of all flesh
  4. Genesis 9:20 Or Noah began to be a farmer and planted
  5. Genesis 9:26 As a prophecy; others interpret the verbs in vv. 26-27 as a wish or prayer: let Canaan be . . .
  6. Genesis 9:27 In Hb, the name Japheth sounds like the word “extend.”

God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth. The fear of you and the dread of you will be on every animal of the earth, and on every bird of the sky. Everything that moves along the ground, and all the fish of the sea, are delivered into your hand. Every moving thing that lives will be food for you. As I gave you the green herb, I have given everything to you. But flesh with its life, that is, its blood, you shall not eat. I will surely require accounting for your life’s blood. At the hand of every animal I will require it. At the hand of man, even at the hand of every man’s brother, I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in his own image. Be fruitful and multiply. Increase abundantly in the earth, and multiply in it.”

God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying, “As for me, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your offspring after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the livestock, and every animal of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ship, even every animal of the earth. 11 I will establish my covenant with you: All flesh will not be cut off any more by the waters of the flood. There will never again be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 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: 13 I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be a sign of a covenant between me and the earth. 14 When I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow will be seen in the cloud, 15 I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh, and the waters will no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 The rainbow will be in the cloud. I will look at it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 God said to Noah, “This is the token of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

18 The sons of Noah who went out from the ship were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham is the father of Canaan. 19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated.

20 Noah began to be a farmer, and planted a vineyard. 21 He drank of the wine and got drunk. He was uncovered within his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. 23 Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it on both their shoulders, went in backwards, and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were backwards, and they didn’t see their father’s nakedness. 24 Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had done to him. 25 He said,

“Canaan is cursed.
    He will be a servant of servants to his brothers.”

26 He said,

“Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Shem.
    Let Canaan be his servant.
27 May God enlarge Japheth.
    Let him dwell in the tents of Shem.
    Let Canaan be his servant.”

28 Noah lived three hundred fifty years after the flood. 29 All the days of Noah were nine hundred fifty years, and then he died.