1God blessed Noach and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth. 2The fear and dread of you will be upon every wild animal, every bird in the air, every creature populating the ground, and all the fish in the sea; they have been handed over to you. 3Every moving thing that lives will be food for you; just as I gave you green plants before, so now I give you everything — 4only flesh with its life, which is its blood, you are not to eat. 5I will certainly demand an accounting for the blood of your lives: I will demand it from every animal and from every human being. I will demand from every human being an accounting for the life of his fellow human being. 6Whoever sheds human blood, by a human being will his own blood be shed; for God made human beings in his image. 7And you people, be fruitful, multiply, swarm on the earth and multiply on it.”

(v) 8God spoke to Noach and his sons with him; he said, 9“As for me — I am herewith establishing my covenant with you, with your descendants after you, 10and with every living creature that is with you — the birds, the livestock and every wild animal with you, all going out of the ark, every animal on earth. 11I will establish my covenant with you that never again will all living beings be destroyed by the waters of a flood, and there will never again be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12God added, “Here is the sign of the covenant I am making between myself and you and every living creature with you, for all generations to come: 13I am putting my rainbow in the cloud — it will be there as a sign of the covenant between myself and the earth. 14Whenever I bring clouds over the earth, and the rainbow is seen in the cloud; 15I will remember my covenant which is between myself and you and every living creature of any kind; and the water will never again become a flood to destroy all living beings. 16The rainbow will be in the cloud; so that when I look at it, I will remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of any kind on the earth.”

17God said to Noach, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between myself and every living creature on the earth.”

(vi) 18The sons of Noach who went out from the ark were Shem, Ham and Yefet. Ham is the father of Kena‘an. 19These three were the sons of Noach, and the whole earth was populated by them.

20Noach, a farmer, was the first to plant a vineyard. 21He drank so much of the wine that he got drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. 22Ham, the father of Kena‘an, saw his father shamefully exposed, went out and told his two brothers. 23Shem and Yefet took a cloak, put it over both their shoulders, and, walking backward, went in and covered their naked father. Their faces were turned away, so that they did not see their father lying there shamefully exposed.

24When Noach awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him. 25He said, “Cursed be Kena‘an; he will be a servant of servants to his brothers.” 26Then he said, “Blessed be Adonai, the God of Shem; Kena‘an will be their servant. 27May God enlarge Yefet; he will live in the tents of Shem, but Kena‘an will be their servant.”

28After the flood Noach lived 350 years. 29In all, Noach lived 950 years; then he died.

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Genesis 9

God’s covenant with all life

1God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fertile, multiply, and fill the earth. 2All of the animals on the earth will fear you and dread you—all the birds in the skies, everything crawling on the ground, and all of the sea’s fish. They are in your power. 3Everything that lives and moves will be your food. Just as I gave you the green grasses, I now give you everything. 4However, you must not eat meat with its life, its blood, in it.

5I will surely demand your blood for a human life,

from every living thing I will demand it.

From humans, from a man for his brother,

I will demand something for a human life.

6Whoever sheds human blood,

by a human his blood will be shed;

for in the divine image

God made human beings.

7As for you, be fertile and multiply. Populate the earth and multiply in it.” 8God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 9“I am now setting up my covenant with you, with your descendants, 10and with every living being with you—with the birds, with the large animals, and with all the animals of the earth, leaving the ark with you.#9.10 LXX; MT includes for all the animals of the earth. 11I will set up my covenant with you so that never again will all life be cut off by floodwaters. There will never again be a flood to destroy the earth.”

12God said, “This is the symbol of the covenant that I am drawing up between me and you and every living thing with you, on behalf of every future generation. 13I have placed my bow in the clouds; it will be the symbol of the covenant between me and the earth. 14When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow appears in the clouds, 15I will remember the covenant between me and you and every living being among all the creatures. Floodwaters will never again destroy all creatures. 16The bow will be in the clouds, and upon seeing it I will remember the enduring covenant between God and every living being of all the earth’s creatures.” 17God said to Noah, “This is the symbol of the covenant that I have set up between me and all creatures on earth.”

Shem’s blessing and Canaan’s curse

18Noah’s sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth came out of the ark. Now Ham was Canaan’s father. 19These were Noah’s three sons, and from them the whole earth was populated. 20Noah, a farmer, made a new start and planted a vineyard. 21He drank some of the wine, became drunk, and took off his clothes in his tent. 22Ham, Canaan’s father, saw his father naked and told his two brothers who were outside. 23Shem and Japheth took a robe, threw it over their shoulders, walked backward, and covered their naked father without looking at him because they turned away. 24When Noah woke up from his wine, he discovered what his youngest son had done to him. 25He said,

“Cursed be Canaan:

the lowest servant

he will be for his brothers.”

26He also said,

“Bless the LORD,

the God of Shem;

Canaan will be his servant.

27May God give space#9.27 Heb sounds like Japheth. to Japheth;

he will live in Shem’s tents,

and Canaan will be his servant.”

28After the flood, Noah lived 350 years. 29In all, Noah lived 950 years; then he died.

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B'resheet (Gen) 9

Genesis 9