Genesis 9

1 And God [Elohim, the supreme Being] blessed [bestowed divine favor upon] Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful [produce many offspring, multiply abundantly] and multiply [increase, grow in number] and fill [replenish, make full] the earth [the land, the world]. word study 2 The fear [dread, terror] and dread [being shattered, crushed] of you will fall on every living creature [all beasts, every animal] on the earth [land, ground], every bird [fowl] of the air [heaven, sky], every creature [thing] that crawls [creeps, moves] on the ground [land, earth], and all the fish of the sea [water, ocean]. They are delivered [given, put] into your hand [power, control]. word study 3 Everything [all living creatures, every moving thing] that lives [is alive, has life] and moves [creeps, crawls] will be food [meat, sustenance] for you; just as I gave [delivered, provided] you the green [herb, vegetation, plant] plants [herbs, crops], I now give [deliver, provide] you all things [everything, the whole]. word study 4 But you must not eat meat [flesh, the body of an animal] with its lifeblood [the blood that is its life, soul] still in it [with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof]. word study 5 And surely [certainly, without a doubt] I will require [demand, ask for] the life [soul, living being] of any man [human, individual] or beast [animal, living creature] by whose hand [power, direction] your lifeblood [the blood of your lives, essential for life] is shed [poured out, lost]. I will demand [require, seek] an accounting [a reckoning, a judgment] from anyone who takes [kills, destroys] the life [soul, living being] of his fellow man [brother, close relative]: word study 6 Whoever sheds [pours out, spills] the blood [the liquid that flows through the body] of man [human being, Adam], by man [fellow human, mankind] his blood will be shed [poured out, avenged]; for [because, since] in His own image [likeness, nature] God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] has made [created, formed] mankind [humanity, people]. word study 7 But as for you [the redeemed, God’s people], be fruitful [produce many offspring, teem with life] and multiply [increase abundantly, grow in number]; spread out [fill, inhabit] across the earth [the land, the created world] and multiply [thrive, flourish] upon it [the land, the earth].” word study 8 Then God [Elohim, the supreme Being] said [to speak, to command, to proclaim] to Noah [the patriarch, the righteous one] and his sons [descendants, family members] with [near, alongside, in the presence of] him, word study 9 “Behold [look, take notice], I [emphatically, as the Lord] now establish [set up, confirm, make firm] My covenant [promise, agreement, treaty] with you [as individuals, and with your households] and your descendants [seed, offspring, posterity] after you [following your generation, in the future], word study 10 and with every living creature [soul, being] that was with you—the birds [fowl], the livestock [cattle], and every beast [animal] of the earth [land, ground]—every living thing [all that is alive] that came out of the ark [vessel, ship]. word study 11 And I establish [make a solemn promise, confirm] My covenant [agreement, pact] with you: Never again [not again, no more] will all life [every living thing, all flesh] be cut off [destroyed, severed] by the waters [flood, deluge] of a flood [great inundation, catastrophic overflow]; never again [no more, not again] will there be a flood [devastating deluge, overwhelming waters] to destroy [ruin, lay waste] the earth [land, world, creation].” word study 12 And God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] said, “This [specific, tangible token] is the sign [token, wonder, or miraculous beacon] of the covenant [promise, agreement, or treaty] I am making [establishing, giving] between [in the midst of, among] Me and you and every living creature [soul, being] with [accompanied by, near] you, a covenant [binding agreement] for all [every, entire] generations [periods of time, groups of people] to come [that will follow, in the future]: word study 13 I have set My rainbow [bow, a token of covenant] in the clouds [the visible sky], and it will be a sign [miraculous token, a beacon of God’s faithfulness] of the covenant [a solemn promise, an agreement between God and humanity] between Me and the earth [the land, the physical world, all creation]. word study 14 Whenever [it shall come to pass, when] I form [bring, make to appear] clouds [cloudy] over [upon, above] the earth [land, ground] and [that, so that] the rainbow [bow] appears [is seen, shall be seen] in [within, among] the clouds [cloudy], word study 15 I will remember [to recall, mark, and honor] My covenant [promise, agreement, or treaty] between Me and you and every living creature [soul, being, or flesh] of every kind [all, everything]. Never again [not, no more, still] will the waters [liquid, source of refreshment] become a flood [massive, overwhelming deluge] to destroy [ruin, corrupt] all life [flesh, living things, everything]. word study 16 And whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds [the visible manifestation of God’s presence], I will see it [as a reminder of my faithfulness] and remember [to recall and honor] the everlasting [lasting forever, eternal] covenant [a solemn agreement, a bond] between God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] and every living creature [all flesh, every soul] of every kind [all, everything] that is on the earth [the land, the material world].” word study 17 So God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] said to Noah, “This [the token, sign] is the sign [a miraculous token, wonder] of the covenant [a promise, agreement] that I have established [made to stand, confirmed] between [in the midst of, among] Me and every creature [all flesh, living thing] on the earth [the land, ground].” word study 18 The sons [descendants, offspring] of Noah [the patriarch who built the ark] who came out [went forth, emerged] of the ark [the vessel of salvation] were Shem [the eldest son, ancestor of many Semitic tribes], Ham [the father of Canaan, associated with hot southern lands], and Japheth [the ancestor of many nations]. And Ham [he, the father] was the father [parent, ancestor] of Canaan [the son of Ham, the name of the country]. word study 19 These [specific ones, the following] three [sons of Noah, the patriarch] were the sons [descendants, offspring] of Noah [the one who brought salvation, rest], and from them [these three, as their ancestors] the whole [entire, all-inclusive] earth [land, world] was populated [overspread, filled with people, peopled]. word study 20 Now Noah [a farmer, husbandman], a man [male person, individual] of the soil [land, earth], proceeded to plant [establish, fix] a vineyard [garden for vines]. word study 21 But when he drank [from the cup, partook of] some of its wine [fermented grape juice, intoxicating beverage], he became drunk [intoxicated, under the influence] and uncovered [revealed, laid bare] himself [his nakedness, his shame] inside [in the midst of, within] his tent [nomadic dwelling, place of rest]. word study 22 And Ham [the father of the Canaanites], the father of Canaan, saw [perceived, gazed upon] his father’s nakedness [shame, exposure] and told [declared, made known] his two [a pair, dual] brothers outside [in the open, beyond the tent]. word study 23 Then Shem [the son of Noah, ancestor of many Semitic tribes] and Japheth [son of Noah, father of many nations] took a garment [a cloak, a robe] and placed it across their shoulders [upon their backs, as a burden], and walking backward [in reverse, with their faces turned away], they covered their father’s nakedness [exposure, shame]. Their faces [countenances, presences] were turned away [backwards, in reverse] so that they did not see [look upon, gaze at] their father’s nakedness [unclothed state, vulnerability]. word study 24 When Noah [the patriarch, Noe] awoke [from his wine, became sober] from his drunkenness [intoxication, wine’s effects] and learned [knew, ascertained] what his youngest [small, lesser] son [descendant, child] had done [made, acted] to him, word study 25 he said [to declare or speak], “Cursed [to execrate or wish harm upon] be Canaan [son of Ham, the ancestor of the Canaanites]! A servant [slave or bondservant] of servants [those in bondage or subjection] shall he be [exist or come into being] to his brothers [relatives, kin, or fellow descendants].” word study 26 He also declared: “Blessed [praised, honored] be the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], the God [Elohim, the supreme deity] of Shem [the ancestor of many Semitic tribes]! May Canaan [the son of Ham, and the name of the country] be the servant [slave, bondservant] of Shem [having a subservient role]. word study 27 May God [Elohim, the supreme deity] expand [enlarge, give beauty to] the territory of Japheth [to open wide, a son of Noah]; may he dwell [live, stay] in the tents [nomadic homes, tabernacle] of Shem [the ancestor of many Semitic tribes], and may Canaan [a son of Ham, the name of the country] be his servant [slave, one who serves].” word study 28 After [following, subsequent to] the flood [deluge, great flow of waters], Noah [the patriarch, righteous one] lived [to have life, be quickened] 350 [three hundred and fifty, a multitude of] years [periods of time, seasons]. word study 29 So Noah [the patriarch, namesake of a new beginning] lived a total of 950 [nine hundred and fifty, a long and full life] years, and then he died [came to his end, passed away, breathed his last]. word study