Noah receives the identical creation mandate given to Adam in Genesis 1:28 ("be fruitful and multiply"), making this the only post-fall repetition of humanity's original divine commission.
Genesis 9
The Covenant with Noah
1God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth.
2The 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.
3Every moving thing that lives will be food for you. As I gave you the green herb, I have given everything to you.
4But flesh with its life, that is, its blood, you shall not eat.
5I 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.
6Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in his own image.
7Be fruitful and multiply. Increase abundantly in the earth, and multiply in it.”
8God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying,
9“As for me, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your offspring after you,
10and 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.
11I 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.”
12God 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:
13I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be a sign of a covenant between me and the earth.
14When I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow will be seen in the cloud,
15I 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.
16The 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.”
17God said to Noah, “This is the token of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”
Noah's Drunkenness and the Curse of Canaan
18The sons of Noah who went out from the ship were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham is the father of Canaan.
19These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated.
20Noah began to be a farmer, and planted a vineyard.
21He drank of the wine and got drunk. He was uncovered within his tent.
22Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.
23Shem 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.
24Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had done to him.
25He said, “Canaan is cursed. He will be a servant of servants to his brothers.”
26He said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem. Let Canaan be his servant.
27May God enlarge Japheth. Let him dwell in the tents of Shem. Let Canaan be his servant.”
28Noah lived three hundred fifty years after the flood.
29All the days of Noah were nine hundred fifty years, and then he died.
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Theme
After the flood, God establishes a covenant with Noah and all living creatures, promising never again to destroy the earth by flood and giving the rainbow as a perpetual sign. God blesses Noah's family with dominion over animals and permission to eat meat, while establishing fundamental laws about the sanctity of human life. The chapter concludes with Noah's drunkenness and his prophetic blessing and cursing of his sons, which will have lasting implications for their descendants.
Context
This chapter transitions from God's judgment in the flood narrative to His covenant faithfulness, establishing the foundation for humanity's new beginning and the genealogical framework for subsequent biblical history.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-7 God's Blessing and New Commands God blesses Noah's family with fruitfulness, dominion over animals, permission to eat meat, and laws protecting human life.
- 8-17 The Noahic Covenant and Rainbow Sign God establishes an everlasting covenant promising never to destroy the earth by flood again, with the rainbow as the covenant sign.
- 18-19 Noah's Sons and Earth's Repopulation The three sons of Noah—Shem, Ham, and Japheth—become the ancestors of all humanity after the flood.
- 20-23 Noah's Drunkenness and Ham's Dishonor Noah becomes drunk from his vineyard's wine, and Ham dishonors his father while Shem and Japheth act respectfully.
- 24-29 Noah's Prophetic Blessing and Curse Noah pronounces a curse on Canaan and blessings on Shem and Japheth, establishing prophetic destinies for their lineages.
The Covenant with Noah
9:1–9:17 narrative speech solemn
God establishes a covenant with Noah and all living creatures, promising never again to destroy the earth by flood and setting the rainbow as a sign of this eternal covenant.
person_contrast
Noah receives the identical creation mandate given to Adam in Genesis 1:28 ("be fruitful and multiply"), making this the only post-fall repetition of humanity's original divine commission.
Noah's Drunkenness and the Curse of Canaan
9:18–9:29 narrative narration solemn
Noah becomes drunk and is dishonored by his son Ham, leading to Noah's curse upon Canaan and blessings upon Shem and Japheth.
person_contrast
Noah's transformation from covenant-keeper to vineyard-planting drunkard marks the Bible's first post-flood moral failure, ironically paralleling humanity's pre-flood corruption.
Insights
Noah's transformation from covenant-keeper to vineyard-planting drunkard marks the Bible's first post-flood moral failure, ironically paralleling humanity's pre-flood corruption.
Cross-References
Connected passages across Scripture
Genesis 9:1 5 references
Lexicals 5
Genesis 1:28 Lexical
God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish o…
Genesis 1:22 Lexical
God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the ear…
Exodus 1:7 Lexical
The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the lan…
Genesis 17:20 Lexical
As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedin…
Genesis 28:3 Lexical
May God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, that you may be a company of peoples,
Genesis 9:2 5 references
Lexicals 5
Ezekiel 38:20 Lexical
so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals of the field, all creeping things who creep on the earth,…
Zephaniah 1:3 Lexical
I will sweep away man and animal. I will sweep away the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and the heaps of rubble w…
Hosea 4:3 Lexical
Therefore the land will mourn, and everyone who dwells in it will waste away, with all living things in her, even the an…
Genesis 1:28 Lexical
God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish o…
Genesis 1:26 Lexical
God said, “Let’s make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over th…
Genesis 9:3 2 references
Genesis 9:7 2 references
Genesis 9:10 1 reference
Genesis 9:11 1 reference
Genesis 9:12 4 references
Lexicals 4
Genesis 17:7 Lexical
I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlas…
Exodus 31:13 Lexical
“Speak also to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Most certainly you shall keep my Sabbaths; for it is a sign between me a…
Genesis 17:11 Lexical
You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a token of the covenant between me and you.
Exodus 31:17 Lexical
It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the s…
Genesis 9:13 1 reference
Genesis 9:15 1 reference
Genesis 9:17 1 reference
Genesis 9:18 5 references
Lexicals 5
Genesis 7:13 Lexical
In the same day Noah, and Shem, Ham, and Japheth—the sons of Noah—and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with t…
Genesis 6:10 Lexical
Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Genesis 5:32 Lexical
Noah was five hundred years old, then Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
1 Chronicles 1:4 Lexical
Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Genesis 10:1 Lexical
Now this is the history of the generations of the sons of Noah and of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them aft…
Genesis 9:20 4 references
Lexicals 4
Deuteronomy 28:30 Lexical
You will betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her. You will build a house, and you won’t dwell in it. You will…
Jeremiah 31:5 Lexical
Again you will plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria. The planters will plant, and will enjoy its fruit.
Deuteronomy 20:6 Lexical
What man is there who has planted a vineyard, and has not used its fruit? Let him go and return to his house, lest he di…
Jeremiah 35:7 Lexical
You shall not build a house, sow seed, plant a vineyard, or have any; but all your days you shall dwell in tents, that y…
Genesis 9:21 2 references
Lexicals 2
Genesis 9:23 5 references
Lexicals 5
Genesis 5:32 Lexical
Noah was five hundred years old, then Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Genesis 10:21 Lexical
Children were also born to Shem (the elder brother of Japheth), the father of all the children of Eber.
1 Chronicles 1:4 Lexical
Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Genesis 7:13 Lexical
In the same day Noah, and Shem, Ham, and Japheth—the sons of Noah—and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with t…
Genesis 10:1 Lexical
Now this is the history of the generations of the sons of Noah and of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them aft…
Genesis 9:27 5 references
Lexicals 5
Genesis 10:1 Lexical
Now this is the history of the generations of the sons of Noah and of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them aft…
Genesis 6:10 Lexical
Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Genesis 5:32 Lexical
Noah was five hundred years old, then Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Genesis 7:13 Lexical
In the same day Noah, and Shem, Ham, and Japheth—the sons of Noah—and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with t…
Genesis 10:21 Lexical
Children were also born to Shem (the elder brother of Japheth), the father of all the children of Eber.
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