Genesis 9

God's Covenant with Noah

1 God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. 2 The fear and terror of you will be in every living creature on the earth, every bird of the sky, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are placed under your authority. 3 Every living creature will be food for you; as [I gave] the green plants, I have given you everything. 4 However, you must not eat meat with its lifeblood in it.

5 I will require the life of every animal and every man for your life and your blood. I will require the life of each man's brother for a man's life.

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

7 But you, be fruitful and multiply; spread out over the earth and multiply on it."
8 Then God said to Noah and his sons with him, 9 "Understand that I am confirming My covenant with you and your descendants after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you-birds, livestock, and all wildlife of the earth that are with you-all the animals of the earth that came out of the ark.

11 I confirm My covenant with you that never again will every creature be wiped out by the waters of a flood; there will never again 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 future generations: 13 I have placed My bow 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 bow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember My covenant between Me and you and all the living creatures: water will never again become a flood to destroy every creature. 16 The bow will be in the clouds, and I will look at it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all the living creatures on earth."

17 God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant that I have confirmed between Me and every creature on earth."

Prophecies about Noah's Family

18 Noah's sons who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham was the father of Canaan.

19 These three were Noah's sons, and from them the whole earth was populated.
20 Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard. 21 He drank some of the wine, became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside.

23 Then Shem and Japheth took a cloak and placed it over both their shoulders, and walking backward, they covered their father's nakedness. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father naked.
24 When Noah awoke from his drinking and learned what his youngest son had done to him,

25 he said:

Canaan will be cursed.
He will be the lowest of slaves to his brothers.

26 He also said:

Praise the Lord, the God of Shem;
Canaan will be his slave.

27 God will extend Japheth;
he will dwell in the tents of Shem;
Canaan will be his slave.
28 Now Noah lived 350 years after the flood.

29 So Noah's life lasted 950 years; then he died.

Genesis 9

God's promise to Noah

1 God said to Noah and his sons:t
I am giving you my blessing. Have a lot of children and grandchildren, so people will live everywhere on this earth. 2 All animals, birds, reptiles, and fish will be afraid of you. I have placed them under your control, 3 and I have given them to you for food. From now on, you may eat them, as well as the green plants that you have always eaten. 4 But life is in the blood, and you must not eat any meat that still has blood in it.t

5-6 I created humans to be like me, and I will punish any animal or person that takes a human life. If an animal kills someone, that animal must die. And if a person takes the life of another, that person must be put to death.t

7 I want you and your descendants to have many children, so people will live everywhere on earth.t

8 Again, God said to Noah and his sons:
9 I am going to make a solemn promise to you and to everyone who will live after you. 10 This includes the birds and the animals that came out of the boat.

11 I promise every living creature that the earth and those living on it will never again be destroyed by a flood.
12-13 The rainbow that I have put in the sky will be my sign to you and to every living creature on earth. It will remind you that I will keep this promise for ever. 14 When I send clouds over the earth, and a rainbow appears in the sky, 15 I will remember my promise to you and to all other living creatures. Never again will I let flood waters destroy all life. 16 When I see the rainbow in the sky, I will always remember the promise that I have made to every living creature.

17 The rainbow will be the sign of that solemn promise.

Noah and his family

19 All people on earth are descendants of Noah's three sons.
20 Noah farmed the land and was the first to plant a vineyard. 21 One day he got drunk and was lying naked in his tent. 22 Ham entered the tent and saw him naked, then went back outside and told his brothers.

23 Shem and Japheth put a robe over their shoulders and walked backwards into the tent. Without looking at their father, they placed it over his body.
24 When Noah woke up and learnt what his youngest son Ham had done,

25 he said,
“I now put a curse on Canaan!
He will be the lowest slave
of his brothers.

26 I ask the Lord my God
to bless Shem
and make Canaan his slave.

27 I pray that the Lord
will give Japheth
more and moret land
and let him take over
the territory of Shem.
May Canaan be his slave.”
28 Noah lived three hundred and fifty years after the flood 29 and died at the age of nine hundred and fifty.