Translations
F.O.G.MPrimary
F.O.G MessageNoah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard.
F.O.GSecondary
The F.O.GNoach — a man of the soil — was the first to make a start, and he planted a vineyard.
KJV
King James VersionAnd Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:
BSB
Berean Standard BibleNow Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard.
Footnotes
The verb וַיָּחֶל (vayachel) carries deliberate ambiguity: from the root חָלַל (halal), it can mean either "he began" or "he profaned/defiled himself." Many scholars detect an intentional double meaning — Noah began, yes, but also set himself on a path of self-defilement. The description "man of the soil/adamah" echoes Adam, who was formed from that same adamah (Genesis 2:7), inviting a typological parallel: as Adam's first act in the garden led to exposure and shame, so Noah's first act in the new creation mirrors the same arc. The F.O.G renders "was the first to make a start" to keep "begin" primary while retaining the ironic undertone; the F.O.G Message uses "was the first to plant a vineyard" for narrative clarity.
