Genesis 9

Genesis 9:2

2. — Japheth.] He seems to have been the same with Japetus, whom the Greeks own to have been their father. Bp. Patrick.

Genesis 9:3

3. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you.] Here the first grant made to mankind concerning food is enlarged. The first legislation granted them the use of fruits; but now they are permitted to eat of all living creatures as freely, as formerly of all the fruits of the garden. This is the general sense of the Jews, and of the Christian Fathers, and of the first Reformers. Bp. Patrick.

Genesis 9:4

4. But flesh with the life thereof, &c.] As the criterion of judging of the aptitude of animals for food was declared to be their moving and having life, a danger appeared of misinterpretation, and that these creatures should be used living; a thing, which God by no means intended: and therefore immediately after, it is said, “But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat;” or, as it is explained by the best interpreters, Flesh, or members torn from living animals, having the blood in them, thou shalt not eat. We see by this prohibition, that the abuse of eating living meat, or part of animals while yet alive, was known in the days of Noah, and forbidden after being known: and it is precisely what is practised in Abyssinia to this day. This law then was prior to that of Moses, but it came from the same Legislator. It was given to Noah, and consequently obligatory upon the whole world. Moses, however, insists upon it throughout his law. He positively prohibits it four times in one chapter of Deuteronomy, chap. xii., and thrice in one of the chapters of Leviticus, chap. xvii. Bruce.

Another reason perhaps was, that God intending in other times to reserve the blood for the expiation of sin, required this early abstinence from it, that men might be the better prepared to submit to that law, and understand the reason of it: which was, that God accepted the life of the beast instead of their life, when they had forfeited it by their sins.

Another plain reason is immediately added, that they might be the more fearful of shedding the blood one of another, when it was not lawful so much as to taste the blood of a beast. Bp. Patrick.

— which is the blood thereof.] That blood is the seat of life could not be known to Moses, but by revelation: it being a secret in nature never discovered till of life, and that by many experiments and observations,

Genesis 9:5

5. — at the hand of every beast will I require it.] That is, Any beast, that kills a man, shall itself be killed: not as if beasts were to blame if they killed a man; for they are capable of neither vice nor virtue: but this was ordained with respect to men, for whose use beasts were created. For 1st, such owners, as were not careful to prevent such mischief, were hereby punished. 2dly, Others were admonished by their example to be cautious. 3dly, God hereby instructed them that murder was a most grievous crime, the punishment of which extended even to beasts. And 4thly, the lives of men were hereby much secured by killing such beasts as might otherwise have done the like mischief again. Bp. Patrick.

— at the hand of every man’s brother] And therefore “if at the hand of every beast, much more will I require it at the hand of every man:” whom He calls brother, to shew that murder is the more heinous on this account, because we are all brethren. Bp. Patrick.

5. By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided] The Hebrews (as Mr. Mede observes) use the word isles to signify all those countries divided from them by the sea, Isai. xi. 10, 11; xl. 15; Jer. ii. 10: or the word may be used generally for a region, country, or province, Job xxii. 30; Isai. xx. 6. And the word, here rendered “Gentiles,” may signify a multitude of people, or “nations,” as it is translated in the last verse of this chapter. The phrase then may be thus interpreted: By these, or among these, were divided the regions of the people, or nations, (descended from Japheth,) in their lands; in the several countries which they possessed. Bp. Patrick.

“The isles of the Gentiles” mean many of the maritime countries washed by the Mediterranean sea. Gisborne.

— divided] It appears by the following words, according to his language, family, and nations, this great division of the earth was made in an orderly manner, and not by a confused irregular dispersion, wherein every one went and seated himself where he thought good. Jos. Mede.

This distribution was by the immediate appointment of God. We have full evidence of this in that sublime and pathetick hymn of Moses, where he addresses himself to the people of Israel, “Remember the days of old, &c.” Deut. xxxii. 7—9. From this we may see that the whole was by God’s appointment; and that there was a reserve for a people who were to come after. St. Paul likewise speaks of it expressly as a Divine ordinance, Acts xvii. 26. This is taken notice of by many of the Fathers. Eusebius in particular mentions “the distribution of the earth:” and adds, that it happened in “the 2672d year of the creation, and in the 930th year of the Patriarch’s life. Then it was that Noah, by Divine appointment, divided the world between his three sons.” The Grecians had some traditions of this partition of the earth, which they supposed to have been by lot, and between Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto. The tradition probably came to Greece from Egypt. Bryant.

— after his tongue.] Not distinct languages, but different dialects. Bp. Patrick, Pyle. Many dialects, even now spoken, may be traced to one common language, which, as the primitive stock, has been the original of them all. Sir William Jones has demonstrated, that three great branches of language are sufficient to

Genesis 9:6

6. — by man shall his blood be shed:] That is, by the magistrate or judges. Bp. Patrick.

Against murder the Lord thus provided by an early law, enacted and published before him, out of whose loins the whole world after the flood was to be re-people: to shew that it was not meant for a national and temporary ordinance, but for an universal and perpetual law. Bp. Sanderson.

— for in the image of God made he man.] This is a farther aggravation of the sin of murder. It is a great trespass upon God, as it destroys His likeness. And self-murder upon this account is forbidden, as well as the killing of others. Bp. Kidder.

God having stamped his own image upon every man, and withal signified His blessed pleasure, how precious He would have him to be in our eyes and esteem, according to the tenour of the edict in this verse, and the reason of it; we must expect to answer it as an high contempt of that Sacred Majesty, if we set any man at nought, or make less account of him than God would have us. Bp. Sanderson.

Before CHRIST 2848. f Ibid. 54. 9. The rainbow. Noah replenished the earth, Before CHRIST 2346. Ezekiel. 43. 11, 12.

Genesis 9:13

13. I do set my bow in the cloud.] It was now that the rainbow was appointed by God to be a memorial both of His justice upon the whole world, and of His mercy to the new. Let us, when we look upon it, bless God for being mindful of His covenant, and securing to us the blessing of His promised Seed. Bp. Wilson.

When the Jews behold the rainbow, they bless God, who remembers His covenant, and is faithful to His promise. And the tradition of this its designation to proclaim comfort to mankind was strong among the heathen; for according to the mythology of the Greeks, the rainbow was the daughter of wonder, “a sign to mortal men,” and regarded, upon its appearance, as the messenger of the celestial deities. Bp. Horne.

It is not at all necessary to inquire whether there was, or was not, any rainbow before the flood. Upon either supposition the Divine Wisdom is very apparent, in appointing the rainbow for a token of His covenant, and a memorial of His promise: that as often as men should see it, they might remember that God had given them such a promise, and that His infallible word should be their sufficient security. Dr. Waterland.

Genesis 9:14

14. — the bow shall be seen in the cloud.] Not always, but at certain times: often enough to remind men of the promise, and stir up their belief of it. Bp. Patrick.

Genesis 9:16

16. — I will look upon it, that I may remember &c.] God did not “set this bow in the clouds” for His own sake, to engage His attention, and revive His memory whenever “He looked on it;” though that be the expression, which the Holy Spirit, speaking after the manner of men, has thought fit to make use of: but for our sakes was it placed there, as an illustrious symbol of the Divine Mercy and Goodness, and to confirm our belief and confidence in God. And therefore, whenever we “look upon the rainbow,” we should do well to “praise Him that made it; very beautiful it is in the brightness thereof. It compasseth the heaven about with a glorious circle, and the hands of the Most High have bended it.” Ecclus. xliii. 11, 12. Stackhouse.

Genesis 9:18

18. — Ham is the father of Canaan.] He had other sons besides, chap. x. 6. But Canaan is here mentioned, as the head of a cursed race, whose country God gave to the Israelites; and in order to the ensuing relation, ver. 22. Bps. Patrick and Kidder.

Genesis 9:19

19. — of them was the whole earth overspread.] We see then, that all mankind are of one blood and original; being descended of one common ancestor; and therefore are all brethren, and, as it were, but one fa-

is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.

Genesis 9:21

21. And he drank of the wine, and was drunken.] Being unacquainted with the strength of the liquor; or else being old, and unable to bear its strength. This happened a great while after the flood. Bp. Patrick. Bp. Wilson, after Bedford’s Scrip. Chronol., says 100 years.

It is a strong argument of the veracity of Moses, that throughout his history he has drawn no character to fair, as not to leave some blemishes, some instances of human frailty, still abiding on it. And indeed it is an act of singular kindness and benefit to us, that God has ordered the faults and miscarriages of His saints so constantly to be recorded in Scripture; since “they are written for our admonition,” to remind us of our frailty, and to alarm our caution and fear. The example of Noah, who had escaped the pollutions of the old world, and was now overcome in a time of security and peace, calls perpetually upon “him that thinketh he standeth, to take heed lest he fall.” Stackhouse.

Before CHRIST 2346. 2347. Canaan. curseth Canaan, blesseth Shem, and prayeth for Japheth.

garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.

Genesis 9:25

25. — Cursed be Canaan.] The ancient prophecies must be understood, not of single persons, but of whole nations. The curse of servitude pronounced upon Canaan, and the promise of blessing and enlargement made to Shem and Japheth, extend to their whole race; as afterwards the prophecies concerning Ishmael, and those concerning Esau and Jacob, and those relating to the Twelve Patriarchs. The curse therefore upon Canaan was properly a curse upon the Canaanites. God foreseeing the wickedness of this people, which began in their father Ham, and greatly increased in this branch of his family, commissioned Noah to pronounce a curse upon them, and to devote them to the servitude and misery, which their more common vices and iniquities would deserve. And this account was plainly written by Moses for the encouragement of the Israelites in their expedition against a people, who by their sins had forfeited the Divine Protection, and were destined to slavery from the days of Noah. Bp. Newton.

This curse did not affect individuals, nor even nations, so long as they continued righteous. In Abraham’s days, before the iniquity of the Canaanites came to the fall, in the fourth generation afterwards, Melchizedek, whose name was expressive of his character, “king of righteousness,” was a worthy “priest of the Most High God:” and Abimelech, whose name denotes “parental king,” pleaded the integrity of his heart, and the righteousness of his nation before God, and his plea was admitted. Yet they appear both to have been Canaanites, chap. xiv. 18—20; xv. 16; xx. 4—9. Dr. Hales.

— a servant of servants shall be be unto his brethren.] The word brethren, in Hebrew, comprehends more distant relations. The descendants therefore of Canaan were to be subject to the descendants of both Shem and Japheth: and the natural consequence of vice in communion, as well as in single persons, is slavery.

Several centuries, 800 years, after the delivery of this prophecy, the Israelites, who were descendants of Shem, under the command of Joshua, invaded the Canaanites, made about thirty of their kings, took possession of their land, slew several of the inhabitants, made the Gheonites and others servants and tributaries; and Solomon afterwards subdued the rest, 2 Chron. viii. 7—9.

The Greeks and Romans too, who were descendants of Japheth, not only subdued Syria and Palestine, but also pursued and conquered such of the Canaanites as were any where remaining; as for instance, the Tyrisms and Carthaginians, the former of whom were ruined by Alexander and the Grecians, and the latter by Sequo and the Romans. And ever since the miserable remainder of this people have been slaves to a foreign yoke; first to the Saracens, who descended from Shem; and afterwards to the Turks, who descended from Japheth; and they groan under their dominion at this day. Bp. Newton.

Genesis 9:26

26. — Blessed be the Lord God of Shem.] The old Patriarch doth not say, “Blessed be Shem,” as he said, “Cursed be Canaan:” for men’s evil springeth of themselves, but their good from God: and therefore in

a strain of devotion he breaks forth into thanksgiving to God as the Author of all good to Shem. Neither doth he say the same to Japheth; for God certainly may dispense His particular favours according to His good pleasure, and salvation was to be derived to mankind through Shem and his posterity. God prefers Shem to his elder brother Japheth, as Jacob was afterwards preferred to Esau, and David to his elder brothers, to shew that the order of grace is not always the same as the order of nature. The Lord being called “the God of Shem” particularly, it is plainly intimated that the Lord would be his God in a particular manner. And accordingly the Church of God was among the posterity of Shem for several generations, “of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came.” Bp. Newton.

Genesis 9:27

27. God shall enlarge Japheth.] In the Hebrew there is a plain allusion to Japheth’s name, which signifies enlargement; as there is to many others in Scripture; Noah, chap. v. 20; Judah, Dan, Gael, &c. chap. xlix. 6, 16, 19. Japheth was enlarged both in territory and in children. As to territory, his posterity possessed, besides all Europe, the lesser Asia, Media, part of Armenia, Iberia, Albania, and those vast regions to the north, which anciently the Scythians inhabited, and now the Tartars; and it is not improbable that the new world was peopled by some of his northern descendants going thither by the straits of Anian. As to progeny, from the next chapter it appears that Japheth had seven sons, whereas Ham had only four, and Shem only five: and the northern hive was always remarkable for its fecundity, and hath been continually sending out colonies southward, both in Europe and in Asia, both in former and in later times. Bp. Newton.

— and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem.] By this may be meant either that God or that Japheth shall dwell in the tents of Shem. In either sense it has been fulfilled. In the former sense literally, when the Shechinah or Divine Presence rested on the ark, and dwelt in the tabernacle and temple of the Jews; and when “the Word, who was with God and was God,” pitched His tent, and “dwelt among us.” In the latter sense it was fulfilled, first, when the Greeks and Romans, who sprung originally from Japheth, subdued and possessed Judea and other countries of Asia, belonging to Shem: and again spiritually, when they were proselyted to the true religion; and they, who were not Israelites by birth, became Israelites by faith, and lived, as we and many others of Japheth’s posterity live at this day, within the pale of the Church of Christ. Bp. Newton.

How just a regard is here shewn both to piety and disobedience! Because Ham sinned against his father, therefore he shall be plagued in his children. Japheth is dutiful to his father, and finds the reward of it in his posterity. Because Ham was an ill son to his father, therefore his sons shall be servants to his brethren; because Japheth assisted Shem to bear the cloke of shame, therefore shall Japheth dwell in the tents of Shem, partaking with him in blessing, as in duty. When we do but what we ought, yet God is gracious

The generations of Noah. The sons of Japheth, and of Ham.

Genesis 9:29

29. — and he died.] Not above two and thirty years before Abram was born. Bp. Patrick.

Chap. X. ver. 1. Now these are the generations &c.] The tenth chapter of Genesis is one of the most valuable and the most venerable records of antiquity. It explains what all profane historians were ignorant of—the origin of nations. Instead of telling us, as other books do, that one nation had sprung out of the earth they inhabited; another from a cricket or a grasshopper; another from an oak; another from a mushroom; another from a dragon’s tooth; instead of these absurdities, it gives such an account of the peopling of the earth after the deluge, as no other book in the world ever did give; and the truth of which all other books in the world, which contain any thing on the subject, confirm. The last verse of the chapter says, “These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.” It would require great learning to trace out precisely, either the actual situation of all the countries, in which these founders of empires settled, or to ascertain the extent of their dominions. This however has been done by various authors, to the satisfaction of all competent judges; so much at least to my satisfaction, that had I no other proof of the authenticity of Genesis, I should consider this as sufficient. But without the aid of learning, any man who can barely read his Bible, and has but heard of such people as the Assyrians, the Elamites, the Lydians, the Medes, the Ionians, the Thracians, will readily acknowledge that they had Assur, and Elam, and Lud, and Madai, and Javan, and Tiras, grandsons of Noah, for their respective founders. Bp. Watson.

The following curious and valuable commentary on the 10th chapter of Genesis, which records the primitive settlements of the three families, is furnished by Abulfaragi, in his History of the Dynasties. “In the 140th year of Phaleg, the earth was divided, by a second division, among the sons of Noah. To the sons of Shem was allotted the middle of the earth; namely, Palestine, Syria, Assyria, Samarra, (a town of Babylonian, or Chaldean Irac.) Babel, Persia, and Hegiaz, (or Arabia Petrea.) To the sons of Ham, Teman, (or Idumea, Jer. xlix. 7.) Africa, Nigritia, Egypt, Nubia, Ethiopia, Scindia, and India, (or Western and Eastern India,) on both sides of the Indus. To the sons of Japheth also, Garbia, (the North.) Spain, France, the countries of the Greeks, Sclavonians, Bulgarians, Turks, and Armenians.” Dr. Hales.