VERSE 1 And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth (#r,a'h'-ta, Wal.miW Wbr>W WrP. ~h,l' rm,aYOw: wyn"B'-ta,w> x;nO-ta, ~yhil{a/ %r,b'y>w: [waw w/Piel impf.3m.s. barak bless; kneel + noun m.p.abs. Elohim + d.o. marker + proper noun Noah + waw w/d.o. marker + noun m.p.constr.w/3m.s.suff. ben son + waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. amar say + prep lamedh w/3m.p.suff. + Qal imper.m.p. parah bear fruit + waw w/Qal imper.m.p. rabhah be many/much + waw w/Qal imper.m.p. male fill + d.o. marker + def.art.w/noun both s.abs. eretz]).

VERSE 2 The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air (~yIm'V'h; @A[-lK' l[;w> #r,a'h' tY:x;-lK' l[; hy<h.yI ~k,T.xiw> ~k,a]r;AmW ([waw w/noun m.s.constr.w/2m.p.suff. mora- fear + waw w/noun m.s.constr.w/2m.p.suff. chath terror; "dread" + Qal impf.3m.s. hayah be; "will fall" + prep al upon + noun m.s.constr. kol all + noun f.s.constr. chayyah living thing (wild animals) + def.art.w/noun both s.abs. eretz + waw w/prep al upon + noun m.s.constr. kol every, all + noun m.s.abs. oph bird + def.art.w/noun m.p.abs. shamayim air, sky], upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands [WnT'nI ~k,d>y<B. ~Y"h; ygED>-lk'b.W hm'd'a]h' fmor>Ti rv,a] lkoB [prep beth w/noun m.s.abs. kol every + rel.pro. asher that + Qal impf.3f.s. ramash creep; "moves" + def.art.w/noun f.s.abs. adamah ground, land + waw w/prep beth w/noun m.s.constr. kol all + noun m.p.constr. dag fish + def.art.w/noun m.s.abs. yam sea + prep beth w/noun f.s.constr.w/2m.p.suff. yadh hand + Niphal perf.3p. nathan give]).

VERSE 3 "Every moving thing that is alive shall be food for you; I give all to you, as I gave the green plant (lKo-ta, ~k,l' yTit;n" bf,[e qr,y<K. hl'k.a'l. hy<h.yI ~k,l' yx;-aWh rv,a] fm,r,-lK' [noun m.s.constr. kol every + noun m.s.abs. remesh creeping, walkin on all fours + rel.pro. asher that + pro.3m.s. hu "thing" + adj.m.s.abs. chay living + prep Lamech w/2m.p.suff. "for you" + Qal impf.3m.s. hayah be + prep lamedh w/noun f.s.abs. akelah food; from vb. which means ‘to eat’ + prep kaph w/noun m.s.abs. yereq green + noun m.s.abs. esheb grass, herb, plant + Qal perf.1s. nathan give + d.o. marker + noun m.s.abs. kol every, all]).

VERSE 4 "Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood (Wlkeato al{ Amd' Avp.n:B. rf'B'-%a; [adv ak surely, only + noun m.s.abs. bashar flesh + prep beth w/noun f.s.constr.w/3m.s.suff. nephesh life, soul + noun m.s.constr.w/3m.s.suff. dam blood + neg lo + Qal impf.2m.p. akal eat]).

ANALYSIS: VERSES 1-4

1. This is the third time God has blessed man (1:28; 5:2), and the second time man has been told to be "fruitful and multiply" (1:28).
2. Here the first term "be fruitful" refers to simply reproduction of the species (e.g., ‘have children’).
3. The second imperative "multiply" so far has only been used of creatures (1:22; 8:17).
4. It refers simply to increasing the homosapien species.
5. The third imperative "fill the earth" occurs here and in 1:28 (cf. 1:22; 6:11, 13).
6. This imperative is an especially a long-term phenomena.
7. Post-diluvian man has been doing this to the present day with some six to seven billion humans to show for it.
8. The corrupt Atrahasis Epic concludes on exactly the opposite of the biblical story.
9. This account reads: "In addition let there be a third category among the peoples; Let there be among the peoples women who bear and women who do not bear; Let there be among the peoples the Pasitu-demon to snatch the baby from the lap of her who bore it. Establish Ugbabtu-women, Entu-women, and Igisitu-women, and let them be taboo and so stop childbirth."
10. This epic says overpopulation is earth’s primary problem, hence the need for population control, which can be accomplished by nature or the gods.
11. In the famous Gilgamesh Epic, Enil (primary deity) is appeased quite easily after the flood is over.
12. Utnapishtim (Noah equivalent) and his wife are made immortal, and they are to dwell in a faraway place, at the mouth of the rivers, segregated from the gods.
13. Population control is simply illustrative of doctrine of demons.
14. The first prohibition mentioned in connection with the Noahic Covenant is that animal blood is not to be consumed by humans (v.4).
15. The divine provision of animal flesh for food makes this prohibition paradoxical.
16. Post diluvian man is told not to consume animal blood.
17. This includes eating raw bloody meat.
18. The fondness of certain Abyssinian tribes eat raw meat freshly cut from a living animal is of course a violation of this prohibition.
19. Various passages in Scripture insist that blood should be drained out before they can be eaten (Lev. 3:17; 7:26-27; 19:26; Deut. 12:16-23; 1Sam. 14:32-34).
20. In the ancient sacrificial law blood symbolizes the work of the Redeemer with respect to human sin.
21. Blood is equated with life in v.4 and elsewhere so consuming blood is forbidden as it shows disrespect for the symbolism connected with blood.

Capital Punishment Authorized for Murder (vv. 5-6)

VERSE 5 "Surely I will require your lifeblood; from every beast I will require it (WNv,r>d>a, hY"x;-lK' dY:mi vrod>a, ~k,ytevop.n:l. ~k,m.DI-ta, %a;w> [waw w/adv akh surely + d.o. maker + noun m.s.constr.w/2m.p.suff. dam blood + prep lamedh w/noun f.p.constr.w/2m.p.suff. nephesh life + Qal impf.1s. darash require + prep min w/noun f.s.conste. yadh hand + noun m.s.constr. kol + noun f.s.abs. chayyah life; "beast" + Qal impf.1s.w/3m.s.suff. darash require]).

And from every man, from every man's brother I will require the life of man (~d'a'h' vp,n<-ta, vrod>a, wyxia' vyai dY:mi ~d'a'h' dY:miW [waw w/prep min w/noun f.s.constr. yadh hand + def.art.w/noun m.s.abs. adam man + prep min w/noun f.s.constr. yadh hand + noun m.s.abs. ish man + noun m.s.constr.w/3m.s.suff. ach brother + Qal impf.1s. darash require + d.o. marker + noun f.s.abs. nephesh life, soul + def.art.w/noun m.s.abs. adam man]).

VERSE 6 "Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man (~d'a'h'-ta, hf'[' ~yhil{a/ ~l,c,B. yKi %peV'yI AmD' ~d'a'B' ~d'a'h' ~D; %pevo [Qal part.m.s.abs. shapak pour; "sheds" + noun m.s.constr. dam blood + def.art.w/noun m.s.abs. adam man + prep beth w/def.art.w/noun m.s.abs. adam man + noun m.s.constr.w/3m.s.suff. dam blood + Niphal impf.3m.s. shapak pour; "shed" + part ki for + prep beth w/noun m.s.abs. tselem image + noun m.p.abs. Elohim + Qal perf.3m.s. ashah do; "made" + d.o. marker + def.art.w/noun m.s.abs. adam man]).

VERSE 7 "As for you, be fruitful and multiply (Wbr>W WrP. ~T,a;w> [waw w/pro.2m.p. attem you + Qal imper.m.p. parah bear fruit + waw w/Qal imper.m.p. rabah be many]); Populate the earth abundantly and multiply in it (Hb'-Wbr>W #r,a'b' Wcr>vi [Qal imper.m.p. sharatz teem; "Populate abundantly" + prep beth w/def.art.w/noun both s.abs. eretz earth + waw w/Qal imper.m.p. rabah be great; "multiply" + prep beth w/3f.s.suff. "in it"])."

ANALYSIS: VERSES 5-7

1. The second prohibition of the Noahic Covenant is the sanctity of human life.
2. Man and animal is held accountable at the highest level if human life is taken without proper justification under common law.
3. No sin show greater contempt for human life than homicide.
4. Whereas animal blood can be shed but not consumed, human blood cannot even be shed.
5. Three times in v. 5 God says He will require it; i.e., require a reckoning "for the blood of your lives/souls" (v. 5a).
6. What that reckoning is, is made apparent in v.6.
7. In this homicide directive the first thing that is mentioned is divine retribution on animals that may kill men.
8. Ex. 21:28-20 provides an illustration of an ox who gores a man to death should be put to death.
9. All the more then God requires the same reckoning if a man should take the life of another without justification.
10. God requires "the life (nephesh) of a man who murders his "brother."
11. The murdered person is designated here as "brother" to the murderer.
12. The slain person "brother" to the one who is guilty of this crime.
13. Humanity is viewed here as a family.
14. This is the first time ach ("brother") has been used since Gen. 4 (cf. vv. 4-8).
15. It seems likely that by using this term the incident of Gen. 4 is being alluded to.
16. Cain’s action was incongruous.
17. Phrase one reads literally: "Surely I will require your blood, in reference to your souls."
18. Meaning, that if any of the descendants of Noah and his sons are killed unjustly, then there must be a reckoning, namely the execution of the murderer.
19. Phrase two deals with the reckoning prescribed if an animal kills a human.
20. Phrase two: "from the hand of every beast (one doing the killing) I will require it."
21. "It" as the feminine suffix of the verb "require" (darash) has as its antecedent nephesh.
22. The reckoning is a life for a life.
23. The guilty party, in this instance an animal, is to be killed.
24. In the third line we have literally: "And from the hand of man, from every man’s brother, I will require the life/soul of the man."
25. In this instance, "the man" (ha adam) occurring twice refers to the guilty party.
26. The word’s "from every man’s brother" standing in apposition to "from the hand of the man" refers likewise to the guilty party.
27. In verse six there are three distinct categories of homosapien in view relative to an act of murder.
28. First, there is the murderer as seen in the participle "whoever sheds."
29. Next, there is the victim "man’s blood" or "the man’s blood."
30. Thirdly, there is the executioner(s) represented by the preposition beth ("by") prefixed to adam ("man").
31. Finally, there is the rationale: "For in the image of God He made man."
32. The verb ashah is used because man is not an exact replica of the divine.
33. This usage is consistent with the "planning verse" dealing with man’s origin (1:26 as contrasted with the "execution verse" of 1:27).
34. The living soul was created, the physical person was manufactured while both were planned using the common verb ashah (2640 times in the OT).
35. Verse 6 is a concise poetic formulation of the principle of lex talionos (eye, for an eye, tooth for a tooth, life for a life).
36. The tight formulation (shed, blood, man, man, blood, shed) repeating each word of the first clause in reverse order in the second emphasizes the strict correspondence of punishment to offense (cf. Lev. 24:16-22).
37. Man’s unique status explains why human life is to be specially protected, but animal life is not.
38. Because of this special status among the lower creation God insists on the death penalty for murder.
39. Societies of men are therefore justified in putting to death those within those societies who arrogate to themselves the right that is God’s alone.
40. This verse has rightly stood in the forefront of scriptural documentation for the justification of the death penalty.
41. Those who attempt to disregard this verse as justification for the death penalty take the prefixed preposition beth as meaning "in exchange" for the man instead of the translation "by" man.
42. They do this so they can say that God and God alone has the authority to take human life.
43. There is no grammatical justification for taking the preposition to mean "on account of."
44. To ascribe this unusual meaning to this preposition is dubious at best.
45. The penalty for shedding innocent blood is reserved both to God and men.
46. In v. 7 Yahweh repeats the command (blessing) of v. 1.
47. Mention of the image of God in which man was made (1:26) lead back to the command in verse 1.
48. The "be fruitful and multiply" is added to here with the with the "populate the earth abundantly and multiply in it."
49. Originally just the aquatic life had been blessed with "to swarm and multiply" (1:20).
50. The imperative "populate" (sharatz) has previously been mentioned in connection with sea creatures (1:20, 21), land creatures and man (7:21 in connection with their destruction), and with the repopulation of land creatures coming off the ark (8:17).
51. Here it is used strictly with regard to human population growth in the post-diluvian civilization.
52. This verse stands in contrast to all homicidal activity.
53. Noah and his sons are to be life producers and protectors.
54. As protectors they are to see to it that those who would for whatever reasons choose to kill their fellows are themselves to be killed.
55. Every single violation of this injunction be it based on individual, national or ideological grounds is here condemned.
56. The command to execute murders is seen in the NT in Rom. 13:3-4 where it is carried out in connection with divine institution number 4: "For rulers are not a cause for fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, and avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil."

Confirmation of the Covenant (vv. 8-18)

VERSE 8 Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying (rmoale ATai wyn"B'-la,w> x;nO-la, ~yhil{a/ rm,aYOw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s amar say + noun m.p.abs. Elohim + prep el to + proper noun Noah + waw w/prep el + noun m.p.constr.w/3m.s.suff. ben son + prep eth with w/3m.s.suff. + prep lamedh w/Qal infin.constr. amar say]),

VERSE 9 "Now behold, I Myself do establish My covenant with you, and with your descendants after you (~k,yrex]a; ~k,[]r>z:-ta,w> ~k,T.ai ytiyrIB.-ta, ~yqime ynIn>hi ynIa]w: [waw w/pro.1s. ani I + interj. hinneh behold + Hiphil part.m.s.abs. qum rise; "do establish" + d.o. marker + noun f.s.constr.w/1s.suff. berith covenant + prep eth with w/2m.p.suff. "with you" + waw w/prep eth with + noun m.s.constr.w/2m.p.suff. zera seed; "descendants" + adv. w/2m.p.suff. achare after]);

VERSE 10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you (~k,T.ai #r,a'h' tY:x;-lk'b.W hm'heB.B; @A[B' ~k,T.ai rv,a] hY"x;h; vp,n<-lK' taew> [waw w/prep eth with + noun m.s.constr. kol every + noun f.s.abs. nephesh life; "creature" + def.art.w/adj.f.s.abs. chay living + rel.pro. asher that + prep eth w/2m.p.suff. + prep w/def.art.w/noun m.s.abs. oph bird + prep beth w/def.art.w/noun f.s.abs. behemah beast + waw w/prep beth w/noun m.s.constr. kol + noun f.s.constr. chayyah living thing + def.art.w/noun both s.abs. eretz earth + prep eth w/2m.p.suff. "with you"]; of all that comes out of the ark, even every beast of the earth [#r,a'h' lkol. hb'Teh; yaec.yO lKomi [prep min w/noun m.s.abs. kol all + Qal part.m.p.constr. yatsar go out + def.art.w/noun f.s.abs. tebah ark + prep lamedh /wnoun m.s.abs. kol every + noun f.s.constr. chayyah living thing + def.art.w/noun both s.abs. eretz]).

VERSE 11 "I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be cut off by the water of the flood, neither shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth (#r,a'h' txev;l. lWBm; dA[ hy<h.yI-al{w> lWBM;h; yMemi dA[ rf'B'-lK' treK'yI-al{w> ~k,T.ai ytiyrIB.-ta, ytimoqih]w: [waw w/Hiphil perf.1s. qum rise; establish + d.o. marker + noun f.s.constr.w/1s.suff. berith covenant + prep eth with w/2m.p.suff. + waw w/neg lo + Niphal impf.3m.s. karath cut off + noun m.s.constr. kol + noun m.s.abs. bashar flesh + adv odh again + prep min w/noun m.p.constr. mayim waters + def.art.w/noun m.s.abs. mabbul flood + waw w/neg lo + Qal impf.3m.s. hayah be + adv odh again + noun m.s.abs. mabbul flood + prep lamedh w/Piel infin.constr. shachath ruin; "destroy" + def.art.w/noun both s.abs. eretz])."

ANALYSIS: VERSES 8-11

1. In vv. 1-7 God had spoken to Noah and his sons about their privileges and prohibitions.
2. Now He shifts the monologue to Himself and informs them as to what He will do and what He will not ever do again.
3. So what we discover is the boundaries that God and man are to abide by over the course of human history.
4. The positive emphasis is that God will establish a covenant and the negative element is that He will never again send a universal flood.
5. V. 8 introduces the speech of verses 9-11.
6. Will man’s efforts to repopulate only be brought to naught by a flood?
7. No. These verses give Noah and his descendants after him assurance that this will not happen again.
8. In chapter 8:21-22 we have the expression of God’s thoughts to Himself in this connection.
9. We could translate in v. 9 as "I myself am about to confirm."
10. This is similar to 6:17 which has the 3^rd masculine suffix with the interjection "behold" to express divine determination with respect to the flood: "I myself am about to bring…"
11. "Establish" or "confirm" is the hiphil of qum used to ratify legal agreements already initiated (cf. 6:18).
12. How God confirms this covenant to Noah is not immediately apparent, though the use of the perfect (past) tense shows that it has happened by 9:17.
13. In 6:18 it was simply "my covenant with you."
14. Here the covenant includes "your descendants after you" and all the animals who accompanied Noah in the ark (v.10).
15. This is the last list of the ark’s passengers in the flood narrative.
16. "I will establish my covenant with you" both makes a connection with v. 9 and harks back to 6:18 where Noah was first informed of an impending covenant.
17. "Never again shall be cut off" contrasts with the "end of all flesh" of 6:13.
18. "Be cut off" (Niphal of karath) is as frequent threat in the law (Lev. 7:20; 17:4) against sin.
19. Here the assurance is given that al least such a fate will not befall land creatures through the agency of a flood.

Sign of the Covenant (vv. 12-17)

VERSE 12 God said, "This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations (~l'A[ trodol. ~k,T.ai rv,a] hY"x; vp,n<-lK' !ybeW ~k,ynEybeW ynIyBe !tenO ynIa]-rv,a] tyrIB.h;-tAa tazO ~yhil{a/ rm,aYOw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. amar say + noun m.p.abs. Elohim + adj.f.s.as. zoth this + noun both s.abs. oth sign + def.art.w/noun f.s.abs. berith covenant + rel.pro. asher which + pro.1s. ani I + Qal part.m.s.abs. nathan give + prep bayin w/1s.suff. between + waw w/prep bayin w/2m.p.suff. + waw w/prep bayin beween + noun m.s.constr. kol all + noun f.s.abs. nephesh life + adj.f.s.abs. chay living + rel.pro. asher which + prep eth with w/2m.p.suff. + prep lamedh w/noun m.p.abs. dor generation + noun m.s.abs. olam perpetual]);

VERSE 13 I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth (#r,a'h' !ybeW ynIyBe tyrIB. tAal. ht'y>h'w> !n"['B, yTit;n" yTiv.q;-ta, [d.o. marker + noun f.s.constr.w/1s.suff. qesheth bow + Qal perf.1s. nathan give; "set" + prep beth w/def.art.w/noun m.s.abs. anan cloud + waw w/Qal perf.3f.s. hayah be + prep lamedh w/noun both s.abs. oth sign + noun f.s.abs. berith covenant + prep bayith w/1s.s.uff. between + waw w/prep bayith between + def.art.w/noun both s.abs. eretz]).

VERSE 14 "It shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow will be seen in the cloud (!n"['B, tv,Q,h; ht'a]r>nIw> #r,a'h'-l[; !n"[' ynIn>[;B. hy"h'w> [waw w/Qal perf.3m.s. hayah be + prep beth w/Piel infin.constr.w/1s.suff. anan cloud + prep al upon + def.art.w/noun both s.abs. eretz + waw w/Niphal perf.3f.s. ra-ah see + def.art.w/noun f.s.abs. qesheth bow + prep beth w/def.art.w/noun m.s.abs. anan cloud]),

VERSE 15 and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh (rf'B'-lk'B. hY"x; vp,n<-lK' !ybeW ~k,ynEybeW ynIyBe rv,a] ytiyrIB.-ta, yTir>k;z"w> [waw w/Qal perf.1s. zakar remember + d.o. marker + noun f.s.constr.w/1s.suff. berith covenant + rel.pro. asher which + prep bayith w/1s.suff. between + waw w/prep bayith w/2m.p.suff. between + waw w/prep bayith between + noun m.s.constr. kol + noun f.s.abs. nephesh life + adj.f.s.abs. chay living + prep beth w/noun m.s.constr. kol all + noun m.s.abs. bashar flesh]; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh [rf'B'-lK' txev;l. lWBm;l. ~yIM;h; dA[ hy<h.yI-al{w> [waw w/neg lo + Qal impf.3m.s. hayah be + adv odh again + def.art.w/noun m.p.abs. mayim waters + prep lamedh w/noun m.s.abs. mabbul flood + prep lamedh w/Piel infin.constr. shachath ruin + noun m.s.constr. kol all + noun m.s.abs. bashar flesh]).

VERSE 16 "When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant (~l'A[ tyrIB. rKoz>li h'ytiyair>W !n"['B, tv,Q,h; ht'y>h'w> [waw w/Qal perf.3f.s. hayah be + def.art.w/noun f.s.ab.s qesheth bow + prep beth w/def.art.w/noun m.s.abs. anan cloud + waw w/Qal perf.1s.w/3m.s.suff. ra-ah see + prep lamedh w/Qa infin.constr. zakar remember + noun f.s.abs. berith covenant + noun m.s.abs. olam forever] between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth (#r,a'h'-l[; rv,a] rf'B'-lk'B. hY"x; vp,n<-lK' !ybeW ~yhil{a/ !yBe [prep bayith between + noun m.p.abs. Elohim + waw w/prep bayith + noun m.s.constr. kol + noun f.s.abs. nephesh life + adj.f.s.asbs. chay living + prep beth w/noun m.s.constr. kol all + noun m.s.abs. bashar flesh + rel.pro. asher + prep al upon + def.art.w/noun both s.abs. eretz])."

VERSE 17 And God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth (#r,a'h'-l[; rv,a] rf'B'-lK' !ybeW ynIyBe ytimoqih] rv,a] tyrIB.h;-tAa tazO x;nO-la, ~yhil{a/ rm,aYOw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. amar say + noun m.p.abs. Elohim + prep el to + proper noun Noah + adj.f.s. zoth this + noun both s.abs. oth sign + def.art.noun f.s.abs. berith covenant + rel.pro. asher + Hiphil perf.1s. qum rise; cause to rise, hence "establish" + prep bayith w/1s.suff. + waw w/prep bayith + noun m.s.constr. kol + noun m.s.abs. bashar flesh + prep al + def.art.w/noun both s.abs. eretz])."

ANALYSIS: VERSES 12-17

1. Here the story of the flood is brought to its conclusion.
2. Here the terminology of scene 1—"covenant" (6:18; 9:12,13,15,16,17), "generations" (6:9; 9:12), "see" (6:12; 9:14,16), "establish" (6:18; 9:17)), "a flood to ruin all flesh" (6:17; 9:15)—is echoed and rewritten in a joyful major key.
3. Its theme is "the sign of the covenant" (vv. 12, 13, 17).
4. Between vv. 17 and 19 is the rainbow in the cloud (vv. 13, 14, 16).
5. The partners of the covenant are referred to in five different ways: "between me and you and every living thing which was with you" (v.12); "between me and the earth" (v. 13); "between me and you and every living thing among all flesh" (v.15); "between God and every living thing among all flesh which is on the earth" (v.16); and, "between me and all flesh which is on the earth" (v.17).
6. This use of repetition is to underscore the promise for future of life on the dry land.
7. "Signs" take various forms in the Bible, from miracles (Deut. 6:22; Isa. 7:11) and striking coincidences (Ex. 3:12) to national customs (Ex. 31:13 or items of clothing (Deut. 6:8).
8. But "signs" are appointed by God and it is His consecration of these sometimes ordinary events or customs that make them a portent of things to come or things that have already taken place.
9. Circumcision is called a "sign" of the Abrahamic Covenant (17:11).
10. Signs remind men to God’s presence and obligations, but here, in these verses the rainbow is a sign that is seen by man but reminds God of His promise.
11. This covenant God makes is not only "between Noah and every living creature" but "for all successive generations" (literally, "for generations of eternity").
12. "My bow I have set in the cloud" refers to the common phenomenon seen by man after a rain shower.
13. The rainbow was not a natural phenomenon before the flood, so Noah and his sons are hearing about it for the first time.
14. They knew of bows and arrows but not this atmospheric phenomenon.
15. Neither did they know of clouds in the sky in their years before the flood.
16. Bow was not a new term for them, only its application was new.
17. But cloud was to become a new and regular part of their speech.
18. V. 14 is the protasis to v. 15.
19. Not every time clouds come appear will the rainbow be visible.
20. But whenever a rainbow is visible, God is reminded of His covenant.
21. "Then I shall remember" (v.15) is the second time God is said to "remember" in this story.
22. At the height of the flood "God remembered Noah" (8:1).
23. Here is a pledge for the future: because God will remember His covenant (identical phrasing in Lev. 26:42, and cf. Ex. 2:24; 6:5), there will never be a repeat of the great flood.
24. V. 16 reemphasizes the promise of vv. 14-15 using slightly different phraseology.
25. This time the covenant itself is described as "everlasting."
26. V. 17 is the final fanfare which restates God’s promise to "all flesh which is upon the earth."

Noah’s Drunkenness (vv. 18-24)

VERSE 18 Now the sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem and Ham and Japheth; and Ham was the father of Canaan (![;n"k. ybia] aWh ~x'w> tp,y"w" ~x'w> ~ve hb'Teh;-!mi ~yaic.YOh; x;nO-ynEb. Wyh.YIw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.p. hayah "were" + noun m.p.constr. ben son + proper noun Noah + def.art.w/Qal part.m.p.abs. yatsa go out + prep min from + def.art.w/noun f.s.abs. tebah ark + proper noun Shem + waw w/proper noun Ham + waw w/proper noun Japeth + waw w/proper noun Ham + pro.3m.s. hu he + noun m.s.constr. abh father + proper noun Canaan]).

VERSE 19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated (#r,a'h'-lk' hc'p.n" hL,aemeW x;nO-ynEB. hL,ae hv'l{v. [adj.m.s.abs. shalosh three + adj.p.abs. elleh these + noun m.p.constr. ben son + proper noun Noah + waw w/prep min w/adj.p.abs. elleh these + Qal perf.3f.s. naphats break; scatter; "was populated" + noun m.s.constr. kol + def.art.w/noun both s.abs. eretz]).

VERSE 20 Then Noah began farming and planted a vineyard (~r,K' [J;YIw: hm'd'a]h' vyai x;nO lx,Y"w: [waw w/Hiphil impf.3m.s. chalal wound, pierce; plant + proper noun Noah + noun m.s.abs. ish man + def.art.w/noun f.s.abs. adamah ground; with preceding word + husbandman or farmer + waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. nata plant + noun m.s.abs. kerem vineyard]).

VERSE 21 He drank of the wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent (hl{h\a' %AtB. lG:t.YIw: rK'v.YIw: !yIY:h;-!mi T.v.YEw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. shathah drink + prep min from + def.art.w/noun m.s.abs. yayin wine + waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. shakhar be drunk + waw w/Hithpael impf.3m.s. galah uncover + prep beth w/noun m.s.constr. tawek midst + noun m.s.constr.w/3m.s.suff. ohel tent]).

VERSE 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside (#WxB; wyx'a,-ynEv.li dGEY:w: wybia' tw:r>[, tae ![;n:k. ybia] ~x' ar>Y:w: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. ra-ah see + proper noun Ham + noun m.s.constr. abh father + proper noun Canaan + d.o. marker + noun f.s.constr. erewah nakedness + noun m.s.constr.w/3m.s.suff. abh father + waw w/Hiphil impf.3m.s. nagad tell + prep lamedh w/adj.m. dual constr. shenayim two + noun m.p.constr.w/3m.s.suff. ach brother + prep w/def.art.w/noun m.s.abs. chutz outside]).

VERSE 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father (~h,ybia] tw:r>[, tae WSk;y>w: tyNIr;xoa] Wkl.YEw: ~h,ynEv. ~k,v.-l[; WmyfiY"w: hl'm.Fih;-ta, tp,y<w" ~ve xQ;YIw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. laqach take + proper noun Shem + waw w/proper noun Japeth + d.o. marker + def.art.w/noun f.s.abs. shemelah garment + waw w/Qal impf.3m.p. shith place + prep al upon + noun m.s.constr. shekem shoulder + adj.m. dual constr.w/3m.p.suff. shenayim two; both + waw w/Qal impf.3m.p. halak walk + adv achornaith backwards + waw w/Piel impf.3m.p. kasha cover + d.o. marker + noun f.s.constr. erewah nakedness + noun m.s.constr.w/3m.p.suff. abh father]; and their faces were turned away, so that they did not see their father's nakedness (War' al{ ~h,ybia] tw:r>[,w> tyNIr;xoa] ~h,ynEp.W [waw w/noun m.p.constr.w/3m.p.suff. paneh face + adv achoranith backwards + waw w/noun f.s.constr. erewah nakedness + noun m.s.constr.w/3m.p.suff. abh father + neg lo + Qal perf.3p. ra-ah see]).

VERSE 24 When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him (!j'Q'h; AnB. Al-hf'['-rv,a] tae [d;YEw: AnyYEmi x;nO #q,yYIw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. yaqats awake + proper noun Noah + prep min w/noun m.s.constr.w/3m.s.suff. yayin wine + waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. yada know + d.o. marker + rel.pro. asher + Qal perf.3m.s. ashah do + prep lamedh w/3m.s.suff. "to him" + noun m.s.constr.w/3m.s.suff. ben son + def.art.w/adj.m.s.abs. qatan youngest]).

ANALYSIS: VERSES 18-24

1. The flood narrative is bracketed by references to Noah and his three sons (6:9-10; 9:18-10).
2. In this second reference, two additional pieces of information are supplied.
3. The first is the reference to the Canaan son of Ham.
4. This fact appears quite curious in light of 10:6 where Canaan is cited as the youngest son of Ham.
5. Why mention just this son?
6. The second piece of information is that the three sons of Noah are the progenitors of the entire human race.
7. "Was populated" is the Qal perfect of the verb naphats which means "to scatter/disperse" anticipating the dispersion of the tribes of the earth in accordance with Gen. 10-11; cf. 10:18; 11:4,8,9).
8. The history of the peoples of the earth is postponed until after the interlude about Noah, his drunkenness, Ham’s sin, and Noah’s prophecy in connection with his sons.
9. Noah the farmer was the first to cultivate the vine after the Flood.
10. It is said by some that the vine originally comes from Armenia where the ark landed.
11. The expression "farming" is literally "the man of the land" (ish ha adamah) and is an unusual phrase.
12. The phrase is "tiller of the ground" is used in 4:2 (also Zech. 13:5).
13. One view has this title connecting Noah with his father Lamech’s aspiration mentioned in 5:29: "This one will give us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands arising from the ground which the LORD cursed."
14. If this interpretation is valid then it would mean that there was no such thing as alcoholic beverages before the Flood.
15. Certainly God provided the vine as a gift to heighten man’s mood (cf. Psa. 104:15 "And wine which makes man’s heart glad, so that he may make his face glisten with oil, and food which sustains man’s heart.").
16. Noah’s enterprise was honorable, he just abused on this occasion the product.
17. "He drank some wine, became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent."
18. Brief and to the point, as often when Scripture disapproves of certain actions, these verses (21-2) do not go into lurid detail.
19. This is the same man who was described earlier as "righteous, blameless among his contemporaries; he walked with God" (6:9).
20. Noah is not to be censured for drinking wine.
21. Wine is one of God’s grace gifts to mankind (Ps. 104:15).
22. Burnt and peace offerings had to be accompanied by a libation of wine under the law (Num. 15:5-10).
23. Deut. 14:26 encouraged the purchase of wine and strong drink during religious festivals.
24. A man under the Nazarite vow couldn’t even eat raisins, but that was a different matter (Num. 6:3)!
25. A priest was told not to drink any alcoholic beverage before he officiated (Lev. 10:9).
26. The Bible condemns alcoholism (cf. Isa. 5:11) and binge drinking (Isa. 5:22).
27. Noah was guilty of the isolated sin of drunkenness.
28. Getting naked inside his tent is not a sin.
29. This action is no doubt a euphemism for sex with his wife.
30. The account does not stop to moralize on Noah’s behavior.
31. The sin of Noah (drunkenness) becomes the occasion for sexual misconduct.
32. Some interpreters view Ham’s actions as nothing more than voyeurism.
33. In other words, disrespect for his parents by telling his brothers what he witnessed.
34. But others feel that there is much more to this episode than mere voyeurism.
35. If it was that then why is the youngest son of Ham cursed, rather than Ham?
36. And why, is there a constant mention of Canaan in verses 18-27 (5x)?
37. Why is Canaan cursed and not Ham or some other son of Ham?
38. Ham was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
39. Three sins are proposed by interpreters with respect to Ham.
40. The first is voyeurism.
41. The second is sodomy.
42. And the third is adultery with Noah’s wife.
43. The first and the second of these is ruled out based on the repeated reference to Canaan in these verses.
44. The third option makes most sense if Canaan is the offspring of Noah’s wife and her son Ham.
45. In Lev. 18:6-19, 20:11, 17-21; Ezek. 16:36-37, "to uncover (Piel of gala) the nakedness of X" means to commit fornication, that is to engage in heterosexual (never homosexual) intercourse with a relative.
46. Thus, Lev. 18:7, "you shall not uncover the nakedness of your father," prohibits cohabitation with one’s mother.
47. In Lev. 20:17 ""uncover" is replace by "see": "if a man takes his sister…and sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness…," suggesting the changeability of "uncovering" and "seeing."
48. To do the first is to do the second.
49. Applied to Gen. 9:21, this suggestion would mean that while Noah was inebriated and passed out, his son Ham had sex with his mother, while she was passed out, and Canaan was the offspring of this incestuous relationship.
50. If this is not the case then why does Noah curse Ham’s son Canaan and not Ham?
51. Ham did not need to tell his brothers the whole story; only that he saw his parents nude in the tent.
52. The action on the part of Shem and Japheth mentioned in verse 23 was designed to somehow to make amends for the situation.
53. They showed respect for their parents and discreetly covered up their nude parents.
54. Unlike Ham who sins and talks they seek to protect their parents in this compromising situation.
55. Noah awakes and finds out what Ham had done (v. 24 Qal perf ashah).
56. How he found out we are not told.
57. He probably found out that things were amiss though his wife.
58. Certainly the other two sons would not divulge anything seeking to protect their parents from embarrassment.
59. In v. 24 we have the sign of the direct object followed by the relative pronoun "what" followed by the Qal perfect of "had done" followed by the preposition lamedh with the 3^rd masculine suffix ("to him").
60. Ham did the evil deed and the child in his mother’s womb was cursed.
61. We also learn from this verse that Ham was the youngest son of Noah.
62. The youngest son of Ham is cursed.

 

VERSE 25 So he said, "Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brothers (wyx'a,l. hy<h.yI ~ydIb'[] db,[, ![;n"K. rWra' rm,aYOw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. amar say + Qal pass.part.m.s. arar to curse + proper noun Canaan + noun m.s.abs. ebedh slave, servant + noun m.p.abs. ebedh servant + Qal impf.3m.s. hayah be + prep w/noun m.p.constr.w/3m.s.suff. ach brother])."

VERSE 26 He also said, "Blessed be the LORD, The God of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant (Aml' db,[, ![;n:k. yhiywI ~ve yhel{a/ hA'hy> %WrB' rm,aYOw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. amar say + Qal pass.part.m.s.abs. barak bless + proper noun Yahweh + noun m.p.constr. Elohim + proper noun Shem + waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. hayah be + proper noun Canaan + noun m.s.abs. ebedh servant + prep lamedh w/3m.s.suff. "his"]).

VERSE 27 "May God enlarge Japheth, And let him dwell in the tents of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant (Aml' db,[, ![;n:k. yhiywI ~ve-yleh\a'B. !Kov.yIw> tp,y<l. ~yhil{a/ T.p.y: [Hiphil impf.3m.s. pathah enlarge + noun m.p.abs. Elohim + prep lamedh w/proper noun Japheth + waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. shakan dwell + prep beth w/noun m.p.constr. ohel tent + proper noun Shem + waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. hayah be + proper noun Canaan + noun m.s.abs. ebedh servant + prep lamedh w/3m.s.suff.])."

ANALYSIS: VERSES 25-27

1. At the birth of Canaan or shortly thereafter Noah was divinely inspired to utter this prophecy regarding Canaan, Shem and Japheth.
2. Noah did not curse his grandson based out of spite for Ham’s evil deed.
3. What Noah says about his descendants in these three verse is strictly beyond his human ability to foresee.
4. Noah names Canaan at this birth.
5. He also reports the historical destiny of Shemites and Japhethites.
6. Noah functioned as a prophet during his lifetime (cf. 2Pet. 2:5).
7. This is not the first curse mentioned in Genesis.
8. There is the curse on the woman, the man, the serpent, and Satan (Gen. 3; cp. 5:29).
9. Then there is the curse on Cain in Genesis 4:11.
10. Also, there is the curse on the ground in the form of the great flood (cf. 8:21).
11. This is the first time a curse is issued by a man.
12. Noah prophesizes over his descendants in the same fashion as Jacob did over his sons (Gen. 49).
13. What he affirms under divine inspiration is realized in the course of post-diluvian times.
14. The passive participle "Cursed" employs the strong verb for cursing something or someone (arar).
15. This curse extends beyond the patriarch Canaan (merchant) to his descendants throughout their history.
16. Interestingly Noah did not curse Ham the perpetrator of the sin of incest with his mother.
17. The fact Noah cursed Canaan and not Ham has baffled commentators through the centuries.
18. The answer: Noah inspired by God foresees that the descendants of this union (e.g., Canaanites) would be of such a character as to mimic his father’s perversion.
19. We know that Canaan was Ham’s youngest and final son, so the curse upon Canaan came after their birth.
20. So this incident in the tent came sometime after the flood.
21. The Canaanite curse is that these peoples would experience periodic subjugation at the hands of "his brothers."
22. "His brothers" are listed in 10:6 as Cush (Ethiopians), Mizraim (Egyptians) and Put (Lybians).
23. All these peoples to this day reside in North Africa.
24. The biblical Canaanites were renowned for their gross sexual practices above and beyond that of other peoples.
25. One of the primary places they migrated to after the dispersion was the future land of promise.
26. In fact, the land was designated as early as Abraham as "the land of Canaan" (11:31).
27. The borders of their land are noted in Gen. 10:19.
28. Canaanites proper lived in proximity to other tribes mentioned in 15:21: "the Amorite…the Girgashite and the Jebusite."
29. In this association there is also "the Hittite…the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite" (Ex. 3:8, 17).
30. Again, the Canaanites were notorious for their deviant sexual practices and are linked with the Egyptians in Lev. 18:3 (a chapter dealing with deviant sexual taboos) as peoples who habits are abominable: "You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt….and…as they do in the land of Canaan."
31. Ham’s perversion can be seen as a type of the latter behavior of the Canaanites and their cousins.
32. So Noah’s prophecy looks beyond the horizon of Noah’s time to the subsequent interaction of his son’s descendants.
33. The phrase "servants of servants" is comparable to "leader of leaders" (Num. 3:32), "King of kings and Lord of lords" (Rev. 19:16).
34. The phrase specifies that in the post-flood era the descendants of Canaan would experience subjugation and domination by others.
35. The second part of Noah’s prophecy has to do with his son Shem, or more to the point with the God of Shem.
36. "Blessed is Yahweh, the God of Shem" is an unusual way to express blessing, in that it makes the LORD rather than Shem the object of the blessing.
37. The text stands as a doxology to God.
38. Normally with these doxologies there follows an explanation of what the LORD has done which elicits praise or thanks, e.g. 24:27 "Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His loyal love…toward my master."
39. Here the omission of any specific explanation must mean that Noah is blessing the LORD for being the God of Shem.
40. This anticipates many similar expressions in latter texts, e.g., "the LORD, the God of Abraham [your fathers, Israel, etc.]" (24:27; Ex. 3:15; 32:27; 34:23).
41. Shem is rightly the family to which the Hebrews reckoned themselves.
42. Shem carries on the line of Christ down to Abraham the first Hebrew.
43. The phrase (literally) "Let Canaan be a servant to him" carries the notion of Canaanite subjugation to Shem.
44. The servitude of Canaan to Shem is seen at least in the subjugation of Canaan in the days of the conquest and the latter monarchy.
45. The third part of Noah’s prophecy is noted in v. 27 which has to do with Japheth.
46. The prophetic words "May God enlarge Japheth" are an obvious play on the name Japheth.
47. In biblical times, Japheth was probably pronounced yapt, the same as the Hebrew yapath (to expand/enlarge).
48. The only other example of this root meaning "to open" is Prov. 20:19, "Do not associate with one who opens his lips wide (e.g. a gossip)."
49. The first thing spoken of the descendants of Japheth is a positive hope that Japheth will grow (cf. 26:22).
50. And grow his descendants did accounting for the great Gentile world powers that spread to the north and west and east.
51. Babylon (Caldeans) Persia, Greece and Rome constitute examples of this expansion and growth.
52. Assyria descends from Shem and Egypt from Ham.
53. In the mythology of the ancient world Japheth was regarded as the father of many peoples, particularly the Indo-European nations.
54. The Greeks perpetuated his name as Iapetos, the son of heaven and earth and the father of many nations.
55. We find his name in Vedas of India where it appears in Sanskrit as Pra-Japati, Father Japheth, who was deemed the sun and lord of creation.
56. Later, the Romans perpetuate his name as that of Ju-Pater, Father Jove, later Jupiter.
57. The early Irish Celts, Britons and other European races traced the descent of their royal houses from Japheth including the Saxons who knew him as Sceaf (pronounced shaif).
58. All these peoples were pagans whose knowledge of the book of Genesis was non-existent.
59. The second part of the prophecy regarding Japheth has him dwelling in "the tents of Shem."
60. Attempts to find historical situations in which Shem and Japheth were in league against Canaan are many.
61. History has many examples of open warfare between the descendants of Shem and Japheth.
62. There is the possibility that this part of the prophecy has to do with the incorporation of the Gentiles into the Jewish fold.
63. Canaan’s servitude is mentioned for a third and final time in v. 27c.
64. Japheth like his brother Shem would make servants of the descendants of Canaan.

Noah’s Lifespan After the Flood (vv. 28-29)

VERSE 28 Noah lived three hundred and fifty years after the flood (hn"v' ~yVimix]w: hn"v' tAame vl{v. lWBM;h; rx;a; x;nO-yxiy>w: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. chayah live + proper noun Noah + adv achar after + def.art.w/noun m.s.abs. mabbul flood + adj.f.s shalosh three + adj.f.p.abs. me-ah hundred + noun f.s.abs. shanah year + waw w/adj. both p.abs. chamishshim fifty +noun f.s.abs. shanah year]).

VERSE 29 So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years, and he died (tmoY"w: hn"v' ~yVimix]w: hn"v' tAame [v;T. x;nO-ymey>-lK' Wyh.YIw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.p. hayah be + noun m.s.constr. kol all + noun m.p.constr. yom day + proper noun Noah + adj.f.s.constr. tesha nine + adj.f.p.abs. me-ah hundred + noun f.s.abs. shanah year + waw w/adj. both p.abs. chamishshim fifty + noun f.s.abs. shanah year + waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. muth die]).

ANALYSIS: VERSES 28-29

1. The record of Noah’s life is here completed in the style of the genealogy of 5:3-32.
2. The usual phrase "he fathered sons and daughters" is omitted here to make it clear that all mankind after the flood descended from Ham, Shem and Japheth.
3. "After the flood" refers to Noah’s post-diluvian life on earth.
4. By the time the Flood was over Noah had turned 601 (8:13).
5. That year is counted as Y + 1 of the final 350 years of Noah’s life.
6. Noah died in 1947; the Flood taking place in 2302/01 BC.
7. Noah lived to hear of the Tower of Babel and the dispersion of the nations.
8. In fact, he was still alive when Abraham was born!