Genesis 9

2 all that moveth upon the earth. Literally, “all wherewith the ground teemeth,” or, “creepeth,” R.V.

4 the blood. Lev. xvii. 10, 11, 12, shows that this prohibition was intended to give a peculiar sacredness to life, especially in connexion with the idea of atonement. Even the blood of beasts, being appointed as an expiatory substitute for man’s forfeited life, was not to be treated as common.

5 life of man. God having spared man’s forfeited life, that he may have time to repent, sacredly guards it against injury (Exod. xxi. 12, 28).

6 blood be shed. This may be simply an announcement that God in His providence will requite blood with blood; cp. Matt. xxvi. 52. Or it may refer to legal retribution. Some suppose that it warrants the punishment of death for murder only. But there is no such restriction in the Mosaic laws.

13 my bow. It is not said here that God first formed the rainbow after the flood: the words may be translated, “I do appoint My bow in the cloud to be a token (or, testimony) of the covenant,” etc. The rainbow is the chosen symbol of grace returning after wrath (Ezek. i. 27, 28; Rev. iv. 3; x. 1).

25. Canaan. Canaan is the only one of Ham’s children here mentioned, perhaps because he had instigated or shared in his father’s misconduct; or perhaps with reference to the subsequent history which records the sins of his descendants, and their expulsion from the land destined for the Israelites; so in vers. 18, 27.—brethren. That is, his descendants should be slaves of the lowest class to the posterity of Shem and Japheth.

26. Shem. This benediction on Shem includes the peculiar religious distinction of the family of Shem, and especially the promised Messiah. The covenant name JAHVEH is here used in connexion with Shem, but not with Japheth.

27 ha. The word “he” may refer to God or to Japheth. “Let him (Japheth) dwell in the tents of Shem,” R.V., or “may he be welcome” (Moffatt).—servant. The future family of mankind is, in this prophecy concerning the three sons of Noah, viewed as distributed into three great divisions; and the curse laid on Canaan, the blessing associated with Shem, and the power and enlargement assigned to Japheth, have all been realised in the history of the world.