Genesis Chapter 9

The Covenant of the Rainbow

(Genesis 6:13-22)

1And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. 2And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. 3Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. 4But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. 5And 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.

6Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

7And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.

8And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, 9And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; 10And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. 11And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. 12And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. 14And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: 15And 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. 16And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. 17And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.

Noah's Sons

18And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan. 19These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.

Noah's Shame and Canaan's Curse

20And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: 21And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. 22And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. 23And Shem and Japheth took a 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. 24And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.

25And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

Shem's Blessing and Noah's Death

26And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

27God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

28And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. 29And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.

The Covenant of the Rainbow

1 God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. 2 The fear of you and the dread of you will be on every animal of the earth, and on every bird of the sky. Everything that the ground teems with, and all the fish of the sea are delivered into your hand. 3 Every moving thing that lives will be food for you. As the green herb, I have given everything to you. 4 But flesh with its life, its blood, you shall not eat. 5 I will surely require your blood of your lives. At the hand of every animal I will require it. At the hand of man, even at the hand of every man’s brother, I will require the life of man.

6 Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in his own image.

7 Be fruitful and multiply. Increase abundantly in the earth, and multiply in it.”

8 God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying, 9 “As for me, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your offspring after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the livestock, and every animal of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ship, even every animal of the earth. 11 I will establish my covenant with you: all flesh will not be cut off any more by the waters of the flood, neither will there ever again be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 God said, “This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13 I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be for a sign of a covenant between me and the earth. 14 It will happen, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow will be seen in the cloud, 15 and I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh, and the waters will no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 The rainbow will be in the cloud. I will look at it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 God said to Noah, “This is the token of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

Noah’s Shame and Canaan’s Curse

18 The sons of Noah who went out from the ship were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham is the father of Canaan. 19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these, the whole earth was populated.

20 Noah began to be a farmer, and planted a vineyard. 21 He drank of the wine and got drunk. He was uncovered within his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. 23 Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it on both their shoulders, went in backwards, and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were backwards, and they didn’t see their father’s nakedness. 24 Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had done to him.

25 He said, “Canaan is cursed. He will be servant of servants to his brothers.”

Shem’s Blessing and Noah’s Death

26 He said, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Shem. Let Canaan be his servant.

27 May God enlarge Japheth. Let him dwell in the tents of Shem. Let Canaan be his servant.”

28 Noah lived three hundred fifty years after the flood. 29 All the days of Noah were nine hundred fifty years, then he died.

The Covenant of the Rainbow

1 And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall on every living creature on the earth, every bird of the air, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are delivered into your hand. 3 Everything that lives and moves will be food for you; just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you all things. 4 But you must not eat meat with its lifeblood still in it. 5 And surely I will require the life of any man or beast by whose hand your lifeblood is shed. I will demand an accounting from anyone who takes the life of his fellow man:

6 Whoever sheds the blood of man,

by man his blood will be shed;

for in His own image

God has made mankind.

7 But as for you,

be fruitful and multiply;

spread out across the earth

and multiply upon it.”

8 Then God said to Noah and his sons with him, 9 “Behold, I now establish My covenant with you and your descendants after you, 10 and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth—every living thing that came out of the ark. 11 And I establish My covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between Me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set My rainbow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.

14 Whenever I form clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember My covenant between Me and you and every living creature of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16 And whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of every kind that is on the earth.”

17 So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between Me and every creature on the earth.”

Noah’s Shame and Canaan’s Curse

18 The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And Ham was the father of Canaan. 19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from them the whole earth was populated.

20 Now Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded a to plant a vineyard. 21 But when he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and uncovered himself inside his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside.

23 Then Shem and Japheth took a garment and placed it across their shoulders, and walking backward, they covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned away so that they did not see their father’s nakedness.

24 When Noah awoke from his drunkenness and learned what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,

“Cursed be Canaan!

A servant of servants

shall he be to his brothers.”

Shem’s Blessing and Noah’s Death

26 He also declared:

“Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem!

May Canaan be the servant of Shem.

27 May God expand the territory of Japheth; b

may he dwell in the tents of Shem,

and may Canaan be his servant.”

28 After the flood, Noah lived 350 years. 29 So Noah lived a total of 950 years, and then he died.

Footnotes:

20 a Or was the first
27 b Japheth  sounds like the Hebrew for expand .

The Covenant of the Rainbow

(Genesis 6:13-22)

1And God blesseth Noah, and his sons, and saith to them, 'Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth; 2and your fear and your dread is on every beast of the earth, and on every fowl of the heavens, on all that creepeth on the ground, and on all fishes of the sea -- into your hand they have been given. 3Every creeping thing that is alive, to you it is for food; as the green herb I have given to you the whole; 4only flesh in its life -- its blood -- ye do not eat. 5'And only your blood for your lives do I require; from the hand of every living thing I require it, and from the hand of man, from the hand of every man's brother I require the life of man;

6whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man is his blood shed: for in the image of God hath He made man.

7And ye, be fruitful and multiply, teem in the earth, and multiply in it.'

8And God speaketh unto Noah, and unto his sons with him, saying, 9'And I, lo, I am establishing My covenant with you, and with your seed after you, 10and with every living creature which is with you, among fowl, among cattle, and among every beast of the earth with you, from all who are going out of the ark -- to every beast of the earth. 11And I have established My covenant with you, and all flesh is not any more cut off by waters of a deluge, and there is not any more a deluge to destroy the earth.' 12And God saith, 'This is a token of the covenant which I am giving between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, to generations age-during; 13My bow I have given in the cloud, and it hath been for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth; 14and it hath come to pass (in My sending a cloud over the earth) that the bow hath been seen in the cloud, 15and I have remembered My covenant which is between Me and you, and every living creature among all flesh, and the waters become no more a deluge to destroy all flesh; 16and the bow hath been in the cloud, and I have seen it -- to remember the covenant age-during between God and every living creature among all flesh which is on the earth.' 17And God saith unto Noah, 'This is a token of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is upon the earth.'

Noah's Sons

18And the sons of Noah who are going out of the ark are Shem, and Ham, and Japheth; and Ham is father of Canaan. 19These three are sons of Noah, and from these hath all the earth been overspread.

Noah's Shame and Canaan's Curse

20And Noah remaineth a man of the ground, and planteth a vineyard, 21and drinketh of the wine, and is drunken, and uncovereth himself in the midst of the tent. 22And Ham, father of Canaan, seeth the nakedness of his father, and declareth to his two brethren without. 23And Shem taketh -- Japheth also -- the garment, and they place on the shoulder of them both, and go backward, and cover the nakedness of their father; and their faces are backward, and their father's nakedness they have not seen. 24And Noah awaketh from his wine, and knoweth that which his young son hath done to him,

25and saith: 'Cursed is Canaan, Servant of servants he is to his brethren.'

Shem's Blessing and Noah's Death

26And he saith: 'Blessed of Jehovah my God is Shem, And Canaan is servant to him.

27God doth give beauty to Japheth, And he dwelleth in tents of Shem, And Canaan is servant to him.'

28And Noah liveth after the deluge three hundred and fifty years; 29and all the days of Noah are nine hundred and fifty years, and he dieth.

The F.O.G Commentary:

1What is the meaning of Genesis 9?

1.1Introduction to Genesis 9

1.2Context of Genesis 9

1.3Ancient Key Word Study

1.4Compare & Contrast

1.5Genesis 9 Unique Insights

1.6Genesis 9 Connections to Yeshua

1.7Genesis 9 Scriptural Echoes

1.8Genesis 9 Devotional

1.9Did You Know

What is the meaning of Genesis 9?

Introduction to Genesis 9

Genesis 9 marks a pivotal moment in human history as God establishes His covenant with Noah and all living creatures after the flood. This chapter introduces fundamental principles about the sanctity of human life, divine promises, and the relationship between humanity and creation. The dramatic narrative unfolds against the backdrop of a world renewed by water, presenting both divine blessings and human failings.

Context of Genesis 9

This chapter serves as a bridge between the pre-flood and post-flood worlds, following immediately after the waters recede and Noah’s family emerges from the ark. It represents a fresh start for humanity, with God establishing new parameters for human civilization. The chapter contains three main sections: God’s covenant with Noah (verses 1-17), Noah’s fall (verses 18-23), and Noah’s prophecy concerning his sons (verses 24-29).

Within the larger biblical narrative, Genesis 9 echoes the creation mandate of Genesis 1:28 while introducing significant modifications for the post-flood world. It establishes foundational principles that reverberate throughout Scripture, including themes of covenant, divine faithfulness, human responsibility, and the consequences of sin. This chapter also foreshadows future covenants God would make with Abraham, Moses, and ultimately through the Messiah.

Ancient Key Word Study

Covenant (בְּרִית, berith): More than a mere agreement, this term represents a binding relationship initiated by God. In Genesis 9, it’s the first explicit covenant in Scripture, establishing God’s commitment to preserve creation. The word appears seven times in this chapter, emphasizing its significance.
Rainbow (קֶשֶׁת, qesheth): Literally meaning “bow,” as in weapon, this word transforms a symbol of warfare into one of peace. The rainbow becomes God’s warrior bow hung in the clouds, pointing away from earth, signifying His promise to never again destroy the world by flood.
Fear and Dread (מוֹרָא, mora): These terms introduce a new dynamic between humans and animals, reflecting the broken harmony of Eden. The Hebrew implies a divinely instituted order of authority rather than mere terror.
Blood (דָּם, dam): Appears multiple times in the chapter, emphasizing both the sanctity of life and the prohibition against murder. The Hebrew concept connects blood with life itself, making it sacred.
Image (צֶלֶם, tzelem): Reaffirming humanity’s creation in God’s image, this term carries profound theological significance regarding human dignity and value. It’s used to justify capital punishment for murder.
Be Fruitful (פְּרוּ, peru): This command echoes the original creation blessing but now carries additional weight in repopulating a cleansed earth. The Hebrew implies both numerical increase and spiritual flourishing.
Establish (הֲקִמֹתִי, haqimoti): This specific form indicates God’s unilateral action in establishing the covenant, emphasizing divine initiative rather than mutual agreement.
Curse (אָרוּר, arur): Used in Noah’s prophecy, this word carries judicial weight, connecting to the original curse in Eden while foreshadowing future biblical curses and blessings.

Compare & Contrast

Genesis 9:4’s prohibition against eating blood (“But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it”) uses specific Hebrew phrasing “בְּנַפְשׁוֹ דָמוֹ” (benafsho damo), literally “in its life its blood.” This precise construction was chosen over simpler alternatives to emphasize the intimate connection between life and blood, laying groundwork for later sacrificial laws.
The covenant promise in verse 11 employs a double negative in Hebrew (“never again will all life be cut off… never again will there be a flood”) for emphasis, rather than a simple positive statement. This construction underscores the absolute nature of God’s promise.
The description of Noah’s drunkenness (verse 21) uses the phrase “וַיִּתְגַּל” (vayitgal), meaning “he uncovered himself,” rather than simply stating he was naked. This specific term suggests voluntary action, highlighting moral culpability.
The blessing of Shem (verse 26) uniquely refers to “יהוה אֱלֹהֵי שֵׁם” (Yahweh Elohei Shem), “Yahweh, God of Shem,” rather than a direct blessing, prophetically pointing to Shem’s line as the bearers of divine revelation.
The rainbow covenant sign uses the term “נָתַתִּי” (natatti), “I have set,” in the perfect tense, suggesting this was not the first rainbow but rather a new significance given to an existing phenomenon.

Genesis 9 Unique Insights

The ancient Jewish commentary Bereshit Rabbah notes that the seven Noahide laws, fundamental universal moral principles, are derived from this chapter. These laws include prohibitions against idolatry, blasphemy, murder, sexual immorality, theft, eating from a living animal, and the requirement to establish courts of justice. This understanding influenced early Christian views on natural law and morality for Gentiles.

Can a Bible Come to Life over a Coffee?

This biblical entry has a unique origin story. Find out how it came to be—and why your visit today is about so much more than words. Get your coffee ready—God’s about to visit. But will you open the door for Him?

I’m ready

The early church father Origen saw the rainbow covenant as a type of the new covenant in the Messiah, noting that just as the rainbow appears when light shines through water, so divine glory shines through the waters of baptism. This interpretation gained widespread acceptance in patristic literature.

The chapter contains a fascinating numerical pattern: the word covenant appears exactly seven times, matching the seven colors of the rainbow. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch suggested this parallelism indicates the completeness and perfection of God’s promise.

The curse and blessing prophecy concerning Noah’s sons has been tragically misused historically to justify racism. However, the original Hebrew text focuses on moral and spiritual conditions rather than ethnic distinctions. The prophecy primarily concerns the roles these ancestral lines would play in salvation history.

Genesis 9 Connections to Yeshua

The Noahic covenant prefigures the new covenant in the Messiah Yeshua. Just as God promised never again to destroy the earth by water, establishing a covenant with all creation, so through Yeshua, God establishes a covenant offering salvation to all peoples. The universal scope of both covenants is significant, though the new covenant in Yeshua’s blood brings complete restoration rather than merely restraining evil.

The rainbow sign parallels the cup of the new covenant, both serving as visible reminders of God’s faithfulness. Just as the rainbow appears in the clouds after rain, so Yeshua will return in the clouds (Revelation 1:7). The blood prohibition in this chapter points forward to the ultimate significance of blood in redemption, fulfilled in Yeshua’s sacrifice.

Genesis 9 Scriptural Echoes

The covenant structure established here becomes a pattern for later biblical covenants, particularly visible in God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15) and the Sinai covenant (Exodus 24). The theme of divine faithfulness despite human failure echoes throughout Scripture, notably in Jeremiah 33:20-21.

The prohibition against murder based on humanity’s creation in God’s image finds expression in later biblical law and prophetic writings. The concept of blood requiring accountability foreshadows the entire sacrificial system and ultimately points to the blood of the Messiah (Hebrews 9:22).

Noah’s prophecy concerning his sons has significant echoes in later biblical history, particularly regarding the role of Shem’s descendants in carrying divine revelation. This connects to the calling of Abraham and ultimately to the Messiah’s lineage through Shem.

Genesis 9 Devotional

This chapter challenges us to recognize both our dignity as image-bearers of God and our responsibility as stewards of creation. The Noahic covenant reminds us that God’s faithfulness transcends human failure. When we see a rainbow, it should prompt us to reflect on God’s mercy and commitment to His creation.

The account of Noah’s fall teaches humility and the reality that even the most righteous can stumble. This story encourages us to walk in reverence and dependence on God’s grace rather than presuming upon our own righteousness.

Did You Know

The rainbow mentioned in Genesis 9 is the first recorded covenant sign in Scripture, preceding circumcision by several centuries.
The Hebrew word for “covenant” (berith) appears exactly seven times in this chapter, matching the traditional seven colors of the rainbow.
The command to be fruitful and multiply in Genesis 9 is one of only three direct divine blessings in the Torah given to all humanity (the others being in Genesis 1 and 5).
Ancient Near Eastern flood accounts also sometimes mention rainbows, but only in Genesis is it given covenant significance.
The prohibition against eating blood in this chapter became foundational for Jewish dietary laws (kashrut) and influenced early Christian food regulations (Acts 15:20).
Noah’s prophecy about his sons is the last recorded speech in the Bible by someone who lived before the flood.
The chapter contains the first biblical mention of wine and its effects, serving as a cautionary tale about its potential dangers.
The phrase “everlasting covenant” appears here for the first time in Scripture, emphasizing the permanent nature of God’s promise.

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Bible Themes

Jean Paul Joseph

After a dramatic early morning encounter with King Jesus, I just couldn’t put my Bible down. The F.O.G took a hold of me and this website was born. What is the F.O.G?

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