CPCC Bible Study: Genesis 9

      The quote for chapter nine is from the 1611 KJV: "And God spake vnto Noah, and to his sonnes with him..."

Verse 1
      "barak" (bless(ed)) 'Elohim Noah and his sons, "way yomer" (and said) to them....
      Again, it is a restatement from Genesis 1, see verses 22 and 28, as was also said in 8 : 17. And we'll see it again in a moment.
      Per the text of the previous chapters, this is the first time God has spoken to Noah And the boys. Before and during the boat building process, and the rain, then when it was time to go ashore, "God spoke to Noah saying..."

2
     ... and the "mora" (terror / fear (includes a respect of power)) 'of you', and the "chath" (dismay / dread (includes the idea of 'breaking the spirit' (as in- 'saddle-breaking' a horse)) 'of you' "hayah" (be / is / was (same word from Genesis 1 : 2 for how the earth was and in 3 "let there be light")) on "kol" (every) "chay" (living thing) "erets" (earth), and on every "oph shamayim" (flying in the sky), and all "ramas adamah" (creeps on ground), and all "dag" (fish) "hay yam" (in sea). 'to your hand are given'.

3
      and every "remes" ((related term) creeping / moving) that lives, for you "hayah" (become / be) "oklah" (food), just as "yereq" (green) "eseb" (grass / 'plants' (the term indicates everything that "isn't a tree", remember the passage in Genesis 1?)) "nathan" (given) you "kol" (all).

4
      "ak" (only / surely) "basar" (flesh) "nephesh" (creature / living being / soul / life / etc) "dam" (blood), "lo" (not) "akal" (eat).
      So boudin noir is off the menu. See link below.

5 and 6 the - long way -
Direct Quotes from a couple of different translations, then word analysis, a discussion, a tangent, and... other stuff, you'll be OK, it's an interesting passage.

"5 And surely your blood of your liues will I require: at the hand of euery beast will I require it, & at the hand of man, at the hand of euery mans brother will I require the life of man. 6 Who so sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man." (KJV 1611)

"5 And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.
6 Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image." (ESV)

      So what is going on here? Let's work at it from the quote from Genesis Chapter One. There may still be damp spots around from the Great Flood, and now GOD is saying that if one man sheds the blood of another, his own blood will be shed. One thing we have to remember when considering these sorts of concepts is that Mankind, as a species, is a created being, with their life force installed by The Almighty GOD (YHWH Elohim), and it is that Creator that is making the rules. Period. Remember as we saw in chapter 4, there was no encoded law about one man killing another, only that man was "in the image of God", which you think would be good enough. But as noted later in that chapter about Lamech, evidently vengeance is the only real law of the land. And we've seen how that goes.
      Now, God is saying, 'wait a minute' you are accountable for your actions. And he's starting with a big one on the interpersonal side of things in verse 6. There are still no statements about humanity's relationship with GOD, only that section at the end of chapter 8 about Noah's relationship with God.

      Moving backward a little further there seems to be a bit of fog on the glass as we're peering in at verse five from this far down the highway. Is HE talking about a beast that kills a man, or humans that kill animals? From the Hebrew, it could be either, or both. What it does make clear is that the LIFE is in the Blood, and Life is from GOD, and, well, it shouldn't be wasted and killing shouldn't be taken lightly. We'll come back to the brothers in a moment, stay tuned.
      Humans hunting animals for food is seen throughout the Bible, see example in Proverbs 12 : 27. And also including fishing for food, which is a type of hunting, which was used by Christ as both object lessons and metaphors and both were also used in passages like in Jeremiah 16 as the methods which judgment, and reward, would be meted out to Israel, see section beginning in verse 14.
      But hunting simply for the pleasure of the hunt and the challenge of the kill is another matter all together. Trophy hunting was known in ancient times, and there is a famous relief of a "royal lion hunt" (with captured lions in an arena being let out of cages) from Nineveh. See link from the British Museum for an overview of these.
      As we'll see in chapter 10 of Genesis, hunting was practiced, from the text, one gets the impression that it wasn't all to provide for the table. And although the individual in question had some other interesting personality quirks, he wasn't condemned for being a hunter. Other OT verses, such as Proverbs 12 : 10 suggests that mercy is to be showed to the animals, which means that the animal being killed shouldn't suffer any more than necessary, which would imply that things such as the old steel jaw leg traps would be frowned on. Then you come across passages like Job 12 : 7 - 12 that remind us that the life in animals was given to them by GOD. But even as it says that, it does not prohibit hunting, but instead talks about tasting meat.

      So at best, the the overall text is inconclusive, and anybody that claims that the Bible either bans or encourages hunting is reading more into the Scripture than is actually there.
      Back when we were looking at blood in verse five, we said we'd come back to "the brothers". Here we are, and while it may have begun with Cain and Abel, there's a lot more Biblical History with brothers that you could shake a stick at. (which goes back to stories about the first murder, usually depicting Cain using a big stick to dispatch his brother, which is not supported by the text, but is supported by the 1966 epic movie by Dino De Laurentiis. See link below.)
      Other Biblical Brothers who had more drama than they probably wanted include Esau and Jacob, and Joseph and his baseball team's count of brothers, and those are just from Genesis. Then there was some sore feelings between David and his brothers, then some 'impropriety' between a couple of David's own kids, and we shouldn't discount the later drama in the royal house (one son and one high ranking official / family friend) that ended up in a civil war and the division of the kingdom after Solomon's passing. On the good side of things stand those brothers called "Sons of Thunder" in the New Testament, but we're getting way ahead of ourselves there.
Quick Summary:
      The Life from GOD that is in every Living Thing, is in the Blood. End of Discussion. ... if it has blood that is... we'll touch on that in a second. We see this later in the blood that is sprinkled on the Altar in the Temple, and later in the Blood that is shed on the cross. When we are taking the life of an animal for food, we need to thank the Creator for it.
      As for doing so solely for sport, or to hang a trophy on the wall, that's another matter beyond the scope of this study.

A starring tangent
      Just to keep the world interesting, there are some complex creatures that are very much alive, not viruses or bacteria or some funny looking flatworm, that do not have blood. The example we're going to pick is the animals that are found in the oceans world wide, and come in an astonishing array of forms: starfish.
      More properly known as Sea Stars, they are not fish. They have no bones, no scales, no blood, and no brain. The more than 2000 known species of the things also breathe underwater without gills, think about that for a minute. They use sea water to circulate nutrients and oxygen throughout their body, and to operate their remarkable 'tube feet', without a brain. While the majority have five arms, some have many more, up to forty have been seen, and some can weigh up to eleven pounds (5 kilos). There's a couple of pages linked below with more on these fascinating creatures. And a 'bloody' Media Desk article as well.
end tangent and 'weird' section.

7
      Comment: We've seen this statement a couple of times before. In Genesis chapters 1 : 22 and 28 and then in 8 : 17. And then earlier in this chapter, And now here it is again. The only difference is what is supposed to do the multiplication.

8 - 9
      and spoke 'Elohim to Noah and to 'his' "ben" (sons) saying...
      I will "qum" (raise up/ confirm / establish) "berith" (covenant / treaty) with you and your "zera" (descendants) "achar" (after / following)...

      In the last chapter all that was said was that GOD would make His covenant with Noah. It didn't go any further than that. Now in the following verses it is fleshed out a bit, but we are still left with some questions about some of the details, including that this one does not include mention of the Messiah. However, the Promise from the Garden is still there.
      Remember, prior to this passage, before it started raining, GOD had only spoken to 'the old man', now, HE is addressing 'the kids' as well.

10
      and with every "nephesh" (life / living thing / anyone / etc) "chay" (alive...) that is with you.....
      "chay" is back, and with the modifier "nephesh" is is even more inclusive. This Covenant isn't just for Noah and his family, it is for everything alive that needs air, and this is confirmed shortly, and then repeated.... But then the author goes through a partial list now to make sure we get the point.
      .... "oph" (flying creatures (includes bats and insects!)), "behemah" (usually denotes farm animals) and every "chay" (living) "erets" (earth 'thing' (everything from lizards to squirrels to elephants) 'creeping thing') with you that went out of the ark, (repeats) "every living animal of the earth"

11
      I "qum" (raise up....) "berith" (covenant...) with you, and "lo" (not / never)...
      Let's read this verse in a modern English translation and then think about what it is saying. OK?

"Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth."
The New King James Version, 1975

12
      "way yomer 'Elohim" (and said God (remember in chapter one we mentioned that this phrase occurs A Lot in the opening of Genesis)) this is the "oth" (sign) of the covenant, which I "nathan" (give / set / make) "bayin" (between / among - 'me' (implied)) (form of 'bayin' is repeated) and "kem" (you) and "kal" (every) "nepesh" (creature) "chay" (alive) with you, "dor" (generations) "olam" (forever).

13
      'my' "qesheth" (bow (the Hebrew word for 'rain' is not part of this term)) I "nathan" (put / set / etc) in the "anan" ('cloud mass'), shall be "oth" (sign) of the covenant between me and the "erets" (earth).

14
      "way" (and) "hayah" (become / come to pass) I "anan" (bring (implies a prophecy)) a cloud mass over the earth, "raah" (appear / to see) "qesheth" (bow) in the cloud.

15
      "way" (and) "zakar" (remember (same as in 8:1)) my "berith" (covenant)...
Let's just read it in English beginning with 14...
"When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life."
- New Living Translation, see link below.

      Again, as in the other verse, the modifier "rain" (which may be some form of "matat" or other 'water word') is not included with the word "haqqeset" (the bow). The exact same word is used in Amos 2 : 15 where it discusses bows used as a weapon of war, and in Ezekiel 1 : 28 where it means the 'bow in the clouds' as it does here in Genesis. Does it matter that many translations add the rain? no, not really. But it is interesting (and then one has to wonder: what else have they added?).

16
      This verse repeats most of what has been said before in one statement.

17
      Make that two statements.

18
      and were "ben" (children / sons) of Noah "yatsa" (went out (same word from chapter 8)) of the "tebah" (ark), "Shem / Sem" (Shem), "Cham / Ham" (Ham), and "Yepheth" (Japheth) - and Ham was the father of Kna'an (Canaan).
      Canaan is the first named Grandchild of Noah in the text, and is apparently already on the scene. And, from here on in, Ham is identified as his father more often then not. We'll revisit that again later.

19
      "Three were the sons of Noah, and from these was populated all the Earth."
      You may notice a certain lack of information about their wives. And, for the record, we've already had that discussion in Chapter Six, which you can find at the Genesis Index page linked below.

20
      And "chalal" (began / etc (this is the same word we tripped over in 4 : 26, in that in the majority of cases, the whatever happens following the use of this word is never good. stay tuned)) Noah "enosh" (man) "adamah" (land / ground / etc), and "nata" (planted) a "kerem" (vineyard).
      It is worth noting that we have no idea how much time has passed. One thing is for certain, it was more than a week or two. You cannot plant a grapevine and then harvest anything worthwhile off it in the first season. Most take about three years, sometimes more, to produce significant fruit from which you can make booze. See links below for more.

21
      And he "shathah" (drank) "yayin" (wine), 'he became' "shakar" (intoxicated), 'and he was' "galah" (uncovered) 'in the' "tavek" (middle / midst / 'inside') 'his' "ohel" (tent).
3       This is the first verse many who state that drinking is a sin point at. Except, they aren't reading, and thinking, about what the passage actually says. We'll come back to some of that in a moment.

22
      And "raah" (saw) Ham, the father of Canaan- "ervah" (nakedness (also implies a state of defenselessness, as is used in 42:9 - 12)) of his father, and "nagad" (reported / told / informed) his two "ach" (brothers) outside.

23
      Summary: the two good brothers took a cloak and walked in backward to cover him, without seeing him.

24
      Summary: Noah slept it off and when he woke up he knew what Ham had done. Exactly how that is, is not explained in the text. Perhaps it is EXACTLY how he knew which animals were 'clean' and 'unclean' before the rainstorm.

25
      and Noah said, "arar" (cursed) Kna'an - "ebed" (slave / servent) of "ebed" (slave (term is repeated)) "hayah" (become / come to pass) "ach" (brothers).
      Canaan is the innocent victim in the story, and it is as his father that Ham is identified. But Ham himself was not the subject of the curse.
      It is possible that this has more to do with the Hebrew / Jewish history being relayed explaining why the Canaanites were "persona non grata" (unwelcome or unacceptable person) to the Children of Israel who were of the line of Shem, whom Noah specially blesses in the next verse.

26
      ... "barak" (bless / blessed) YHWH 'the' 'Elohim of Sem - and may Kna'an "ebed" (slave...) to.

27
      "pathah" (spacious / enlarge) 'Elohim Yepheth "shakak" (settle / dwell) in the tents of Sem, become Kna'an "ebed" (slave) of him.

28 - 29
      and "chayah" (lived) Noah "achar" (following) "mabbul" (flood) 350 years.
      ... and all Noah's days were 950 years.... "way muth" (and he died).

      This is the end of Noah's Toledoth division of Genesis.

References and links: Outside links will open in new tab/window.
The Interlinear: Hebrew - English https://biblehub.com/interlinear/genesis/9.htm

New Living Translation https://biblehub.com/nlt/genesis/9.htm

English Standard Version https://biblia.com/bible/esv/genesis/9

KJV https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/1611_Genesis-Chapter-9/

Boudin Noir Sausage https://www.gourmetfoodworld.com/fabrique-delices-boudin-noir-sausage-1672

"Lion hunting: the sport of kings" https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/lion-hunting-sport-kings

Bible: In the Beginning... https://archive.org/details/The_Bible_In_The_Beginning
Includes the Cain and Abel scene, at about the 30 minute mark, showing Cain with a stick!

A little about "starfish": https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/starfish.html

A LOT about "starfish": https://www.britannica.com/animal/sea-star

From The Old Farmer's Almanac: "How to Grow Grapes: The Complete Guide" https://www.almanac.com/plant/grapes

Articles from TheMediaDesk.com

blood: History, Legend, and the "five W's" http://themediadesk.com/newfiles6/blood.htm

Vampires http://themediadesk.com/newfiles6/vamps.htm

Genesis Study Index Page

NOTE: The Bible Study Lesson presented above is posted as a reference document to begin a conversation of the topic. And that's it. Please accept it at such.

http://centralparkchurchofchrist.org