Genesis Chapter 9
"A 2nd Chance"
Context:
Life of Noah after the Flood
Chief People:
- God
- Noah
- Ham
- Shem
- Jepheth
- Canaan
Choice Verses:
GENESIS 9:1
Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.
- These are the exact words God spoke to Adam and Eve in Genesis 1:28. We are starting over again, and just as we are descendants of Adam and Eve, we are also all descendants of Noah. This is also the third instance so far in Scripture where God commands humanity to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.
GENESIS 9:2
The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands.
- This command to rule over the animal kingdom is different from the original version given in Eden. God tells Noah and sons that the animal kingdom will fear them. This command implies that the man and animal relationship prior to the flood was one that neither feared the other, and they both lived in harmony. This verse establishes a mostly adversarial relationship between the two now, and something else lost from the paradise of Eden as the result of man's sinfulness.
GENESIS 9:3
Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.
- We see here that prior to the flood man was a vegetarian *(green plants), but now we are granted the right to eat everything that lives, which would include animals.
GENESIS 9:4
But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it.
- As with Adam and Eve and the two trees in the Garden of Eden, there is fine print here too; everything turns into everything but. Although God does not ban meat eating, he does appear to be concerned with the humane treatment of animals. (Deuteronomy 25:4), (Exodus 23:5). The premise of this verse describes the blood as the animal's life, and therefore prohibited by God, and in a symbolic sense, sacred. This deep respect for blood is the first step in a long process, establishing the symbolism of Christ's sacrifice for human sin on the cross. (John 6:53-57)
GENESIS 9:5
And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.
- Accounting here refers to accountability, or reckoning God demands. Interpreted, God is setting his law concerning murder. Although it was not specifically addressed with Cain, and the murder of his brother Abel, he is making it clear here. This warning applies to both man and animals, but only in the context of murder.
GENESIS 9:6
Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.
- God Deems taking the life of a murderer fundamental for the moral order of society, that it is one of the first three commandments God gives to mankind. This contradicts some that view only God can take life (Leviticus 24:17), (Numbers 35:16). God makes it clear though, the death of man does not always mean death becomes the one responsible, if accidental (Exodus 21:13). Opponents of the death penalty view it as cruel and outdated. We have to wonder if we’d have less murder if a murderer knew the death penalty followed their actions, and the Bible speaks on that too (Deuteronomy 19:13). God gives a specific reason for this new command to kill those who kill others: Humans are made in God's image (Genesis 1:26–27). This specific reference to capital punishment is also important in that it even predates the Law of Moses.
GENESIS 9:7
As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.
- This follows the pattern of Genesis 1 where God re-emphasizes his commands. The difference here though is it follows His command concerning murder, and its punishment.
GENESIS 9:8
Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him.
- One difference of the post-flood era, beginning with chapter 9, is that God is speaking directly to Noah's sons, as well as to Noah. God is specifically including the next generation in His promises, commands, and blessings.God will establish a specific agreement with Noah and all of his descendants. This may be due to Eve mis representing what she heard from Adam about the Tree of Knowledge.
GENESIS 9:9
I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you.
- A "covenant" is a solemn agreement between two parties, where each side has certain obligations. Both parties in the covenant are bound to follow through on their end of the agreement. This makes it clear the covenant is not just with Noah and his family, but with all after him, since all after him are Noah’s descendants.
GENESIS 9:10
and with every living creature that was with you--the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you--every living creature on earth.
- Although it's been made clear that man will triumph over the animals, this is God's promise to all that he will not destroy earth as he had with the flood, and that he cares about all, including animals.
GENESIS 9:11
I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.
- God gives more specifics on his covenant. That oath is given here in direct terms.
GENESIS 9:12
And God said, 'This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come.
- As with any contract (covenant), it is legally binding with a signature, here with a sign from God.
GENESIS 9:13
I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
- God’s signature is not one as we know, but in the form of a rainbow in the clouds. God is taking responsibility for creating rainbows as a symbol of His pledge to humanity and to animals.
GENESIS 9:14
Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds.
- This will be a reaffirmation of God’s covenant; every time we see clouds or a rainbow He is telling us His Covenant is still binding.
GENESIS 9:15
I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.
- What is made clear here is there is no timeframe set on this covenant, no fine print; there will never be another flood like the one that destroyed all of earth. Although God states it’s a reminder to Him, it's more of a reminder to man of his promise.
GENESIS 9:16
Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.
- While God does not need to "see" the rainbow or "remember" His agreement, these words clarify that the rainbow is meant for our reassurance. This verse adds the word "everlasting" to the description of the covenant. It does not depend on the faithfulness of humanity or the animals or anyone else to keep the other side of the agreement. God will do it. Period. This in no way means man won't destroy earth, it only says God won't.
GENESIS 9:17
So God said to Noah, 'This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.
- This verse restates, yet again, that the sign of the rainbow is meant to prove His covenant promise to all humanity and all animal-kind forever.
GENESIS 9:18
The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. Ham was the father of Canaan.
- Canaan is the land the Israelites entered after the Exodus. This verse just sets the stage of things to come.
GENESIS 9:19
These were the three sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered over the whole earth.
- The previous verse reintroduced Noah's sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Now we're reminded that all of the people of the earth to come will be born of these three men.
GENESIS 9:20
Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard.
- Although Noah was the builder of the ark, the keeper of all animals, and the father of mankind after the flood, we are told that prior to all this he was a farmer. What we see though is that the first thing he plants is a vineyard, needed for wine. On the one hand, wine is described as a gift from God that brings gladness to the human heart (Judges 9:13; Psalm 104:15). On the other hand, wine and other forms of alcohol will often contribute to sinful thoughts, actions, and words throughout human history (Proverbs 31:4; Ephesians 5:18).
GENESIS 9:21
When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent.
- Uncovered implies nakedness. Following their initial sin, Adam and Eve became aware of their nakedness and covered themselves. God's actions made it clear that it was appropriate for them to cover their nakedness. Noah, drunk, reverses that action here, uncovering himself. Although not explicitly stated here, I believe it's the setting of the table that getting drunk is indeed a sin.
GENESIS 9:22
Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside.
- My first question here is why did Ham (referred here as the Father of Canaan) first tell his brother, and not simply cover him? This seems on its face to be disrespectful to his father, as if he was mocking him for his state of drunkenness, a man God viewed as a man of “great righteousness”.
GENESIS 9:23
But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father's naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked.
- A lesson here I believe is that with this verse, and the Bible in general, all have “dysfunctional” families in some sense. The Bible does not portray families of the Bible as perfect, they (and we) all have problems. Here you have Ham apparently doing wrong, while his other two brothers do good. Being a good parent, and in this case being a “righteous man”, does not mean your children will be good, or righteous. We can only instill good values, and hope they too choose that path, but the choice is theirs. The response of Shem and Japheth reveals how seriously they and their culture took the issue of seeing another's nakedness and honoring one's father. With great care and creativity, they found a way to cover their father.
GENESIS 9:24
When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him.
- As with Adam’s first born Cain, Noah’s first born Ham had done wrong. I have to wonder if this is symbolic, since both Adam and Noah both had 3 sons recorded in scripture, and both were first born.
GENESIS 9:25
he said, 'Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.
- What is most important here to understand is that this curse is not from God, but Noah. Canaan was a son of Ham and grandson of Noah, as well as the father of the Canaanites in the Land of Canaan. We are told that son Canaan would be cursed due to Ham’s action in previous verses. It also implies Ham had other son’s, since the curse says Canaan will be slaves to his brothers.
GENESIS 9:26
He also said, 'Praise be to the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem.
- As history has repeatedly shown us, we too often let interpretation form our beliefs, allowing us to fit the narrative we want into our actions. It is also another example that just because we have a conscience does not mean we will do good; we often do evil, and with a good conscience. Later Christian and Jews use this, and the next verse, as justification for slavery. They argue that Ham was the father of the black race, and then therefore the black race was cursed to be enslaved.
GENESIS 9:27
May God extend Japheth's territory; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.
- This is a continuation of Noah’s blessing on his two good sons. What is meant by living in the tents of Shem I take as the two brothers were very close, and depended on each other. Interestingly, the family line of Shem will eventually lead to God's people in Israel, through Abraham and Isaac. This same family line will also produce the Messiah, Jesus (Luke 3:23-36).
GENESIS 9:28
After the flood Noah lived 350 years.
- Oddly, the only story chronicled in the Bible about Noah after the flood is that of his Nakedness, and the curse given to Ham’s son Canaan. Perhaps this is setting the stage for something else; Lot getting drunk and sleeping with his daughter (Genesis 19:32-35), or it could be just a simple warning on getting drunk.
GENESIS 9:29
Noah lived a total of 950 years, and then he died.
- Early men in scripture such as Adam, Seth, and Methuselah are credited with lifespans of more than nine hundred years. Noah, however, will be the last to live such a long life.
Crucial Words
- Subdue: Overcome, quieten, or bring under control. The word subdue comes from the Hebrew verb, “kavash”, and it literally means to place your foot on the neck of your conquered enemy and bring them under complete control, in a subservient position,
- Covenant: A usually formal, solemn, and binding agreement; a written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action.
- Debauchery: Extreme indulgence in bodily pleasures and especially sexual pleasures. Debauchery is the habitual and unrestrained indulgence of lust and sensuality. It encompasses several aspects of unholy living, including but not limited to sexual immorality, drunkenness, crude talk, and generally out-of-control behavior.
Cross Reference
- Genesis 1:28 “God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
- (Deuteronomy 25:4) “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain”.
- (Exodus 23:5) “If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it.”
- (John 6:53-57) “Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.”
- (Matthew 12:36) “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment”
- (Leviticus 24:17) “Anyone who takes the life of a human being is to be put to death.”
- (Numbers 35:16) “If anyone strikes someone a fatal blow with an iron object, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death”
- (Exodus 21:13) “However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place I will designate.”
- Deuteronomy 19:13 “Show no pity. You must purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, so that it may go well with you”
- (Judges 9:13) “But the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and humans, to hold sway over the trees?’”
- (Psalm 104:15) “wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts.”
- (Proverbs 31:4) “It is not for kings, Lemuel—it is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer,”
- (Ephesians 5:18) “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,”
- (Genesis 19:32) “Let’s get our father to drink wine and then sleep with him and preserve our family line through our father.”
Questions:
- Genesis 9:1 Why does God not say specifically that Noah would rule over all living things, as he had with Adam and Eve in Genesis 1?
- Genesis 9:3 Why does God allow man to go from being a vegetarian to meat eaters after the flood?
- Genesis 9:3 Why does God specify man can eat anything that “lives and moves about”, is there a restriction there?
- Genesis 9:5 What is meant by “demand an accounting”?
- Genesis 9:8 Why is God speaking to both Noah and his sons in Genesis 9, when he only spoke to Adam in Genesis 1?
- Genesis 9:13 What is the significance of God using clouds and a rainbow as his sign of the covenant?
- Genesis 9:22 Is there meaning behind ham being the first to discover his father naked in his tent?
- Genesis 9:22 Why did Ham tell his brothers, rather than simply covering him up?
- Genesis 9:24 Is there any symbolism and/or meaning in the fact that Cain and Ham were both first born to Adam and Noah, and they were also the first of 3 sons of each recorded?
- Genesis 9:25 Why is Ham’s son cursed by God, and not Ham directly? And also why not Ham’s other sons; Canaan’s brothers?
- Genesis 9:29 Why is Noah the last individual in the Bible to live that long?
Christ seen (or mentioned)?
No
Central Lessons(s), and Timeless Truth(s):
- Don't drink in excess, you may do something stupid, or embarrassing.