Genesis 9

Genesis 9:2

And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, and upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.

The outward privileges of your first creation, I do now, though imperfectly, renew to you; let the fear and dread of you be planted naturally in every beast of the earth, whether tame or wild, and in every fowl of the air, and generally in all that tradeth upon the earth, and in all the fishes of the sea: all these, my will is, shall be subject to your pleasure and command; and that, as by you and for you, they were preserved, so they shall accordingly serve to your use.

Genesis 9:3

Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

Yea, in respect of your diet, I do now, whether give or renew unto you, more ample privileges; for now, since that the strength of all herbs and plants is decreased with the deluge, I allow you every thing that moveth and liveth, to be meat for you; of all which, you will wisely make choice for yourselves, of those creatures which are wholesome and fit: even as freely do I now allow you to eat thereof, as I formerly did allow the green herb for them and you: so do I now allow them unto you.

Genesis 9:4

But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall you not eat.

But so do I give you the liberty to eat of the flesh of all other creatures, as that you abstain from eating the blood of them; whether with the flesh, or severed from it; whether they be alive or dead; for in the blood is the seat of life, which cannot without cruelty be devoured.

Genesis 9:5

And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man.

Further, know ye, that I have great respect, as to the eating, so to the spilling of blood, wherein the vital spirits are seated; but especially of man, which is my principal creature; and so do detest cruelty in shedding his blood, that if a very brute beast shall be guilty of this fact, I will have his blood shed again for it; much more will I have this satisfaction from a neighbour or brother, for the life of a man.

Genesis 9:6

Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

Whosoever sheddeth man’s blood, unless by lawful authority from God, his blood shall be shed again; for in his own image

Genesis 9:13

I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

I will and ordain, that the rainbow, which you have seen appear in the watery cloud, shall be, from henceforth, set apart for the sign of a covenant, made on my part betwixt me and the earth, of never drowning it again; which may the more fitly represent thus much unto you, for that it naturally is wont to foresignify the ceasing of the rain, by the appearance thereof.

Genesis 9:15

And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

You shall then know, by this sign, that I remember my purpose of never drowning the world, &c.

Genesis 9:20

And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard.

And Noah began again, according to his former trade, to exercise himself in tilling the earth; and of those vines which were found here and there, sprouting out of the earth, he, with much industry, planted a whole vineyard; and by this means devised the use of wine.

Genesis 9:21

And he drank of the wine, and was drunken, and he was uncovered within his tent.

And he drank of that his wine; and whether through ignorance or weakness, was drunk therewith; insomuch that, forgetting himself and all shame and comeliness, he lay immodestly uncovered, and that openly in the floor of his tent.

Genesis 9:22

And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.

And when Cham, the youngest son of Noah, had unnaturally sported himself in gazing upon his father’s nakedness, he told his two brethren, without, that they might also take part with him, in this wicked derision of their father.

Genesis 9:24

And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had done unto him.

Then Noah awoke from his wine; and, by inquiry upon occasion of his sons’ garment which he found upon him, knew what his youngest son had done unto him.

Genesis 9:25

And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants he shall be unto his brethren.

And in the spirit of prophecy said; The sin of Cham is so great, that the punishment of it shall not rest in him alone, but shall be derived to his posterity: even Canaan’s son, amongst the rest, shall be accursed; he shall be in most slavish servitude, even to his own brethren.

Genesis 9:27

God shall enlarge (or persuade) Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

God shall persuade the posterity of Japheth, by the voice of his word, to come home into the bosom of the true Church; and Canaan’s issue shall be servants unto theirs.