THE BOOK OF GENESIS CHAPTER # 9 (ESV) _9:1__4 While God's speech here clearly parallels 1:28__30, two important changes are introduced. First, the positive instruction to exercise dominion over the living creatures is replaced by the negative comment that they will FEAR and DREAD human beings. Second, whereas the emphasis was previously on people's eating from plants, humans are now given permission to be carmivorous. While God now permits the taking of animal life for food, the animals's blood remains sacred and is not to be consumed, as an acknowledgement that all life is from God (See LEVITICUS 17:12__14).
9:5__6 _Following his comments about the killing of animals, God addresses the issue of homicide. Violence by "all flesh" (verse 11), by man and animals, prompted God to send the flood (6:11, 13). If human nature has not impoved after the flood (6:5; 8:21), how is violence to be prevented in the future? This legal enactment is the answer: FROM HIS FELLOW MAN I WILL REQUIRE A RECKONING FOR THE LIFE OF MAN. This means that any animal or person that takes a human life will be held accountable by God, working through human repesentatives (EXODUS 20:13; 21:28). WHOEVER SHEDS THE BLOOD OF MAN, BY MAN SHALL HIS BLOOD BE SHED. Here the principle of talion, a life for life, is applied (See EXODUS 21:23). This measured response is preferable to Lamech's seventy-sevenfold vengeance (GENEIS 4:24). Human life is to be valued so highly that it is protected by this system of punishment because GOD MADE MAN IN HIS IMAGE, and so to murder another human being is to murder what is most like God, and thus implicitly an attack on God himself
9:5__6 _Many would see this statement as establishing the moral principle permitting the death penalty in cases of murder__with the understanding that the person charged would have been justly tried and his guilt established beyond any reasonable doubt (the OT requirement of two or three witnesses, DEUTERONOMY 19:15; repeated in the NT, MATTHEW 18:16; HEBREWS 10:28). A further requirement is that such a death-penalty verdict must always be carried out under the jurisdiction of the established authorities (DEUTERONOMY 19:15__21; ROMANS 13:1__5). The difficulty of establishing guilt beyond any reasonable doubt and the difficulty of ensuring justice in a modern, complex urban society (as compared to an ancient village-based society) underscore the great care and caution that must be taken in applying this principle today.
9:7 _God's speech ends as it began in verse 1, repeating what was said in 8:17 and echoing 1:28. God wants humanity to flourish and not to be destroyed by violence or another flood. This positive view of population growth (See 1:28) stands in sharp contrast to the Babylonian flood story, which ends with the gods taking measure to inhibit mankind from filling the earth.
9:9__11 _God outlines the COVENANT he is now establishing with all living creatures, having mentioned it briefly before the flood in 6:18. This is the first covenant explicitily named in Genesis (See 2:17); a similar covenant is later established with Abraham and his descendants in chapter 17. A covenant formally binds two parties together in a relationship, on the basis of mutual personal commitment, which consequences for keeping or breaking the commitment. God makes this kind of covenant with a group people by covenanting with one who represents them: everyone else then experience the covenant by viture of being included "in" the representative (See 12:3); here, the animals are included as well as Noah's descendants, showing Noah to be a kind of new Adam. Emphasizing that the covenant is for all living creatures, God states that there will never again be A FLOOD TO DESTROY THE EARTH (9:11).
9:12__17 _Different covenants have appropriate signs or symbols linked to them. Cirumcision is the sign of the covenant with Abraham (chapter 17), and the Sabbath is the of the covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai (EXODUS 31:12__17). On this occasion God's designated SIGN is the rainbow (GENESIS 9:13). Its presence, when rain clouds are in the sky, will be a visible reminder of God's EVERLASTING COVENANT (verse 16). It is not necessary to think that rainbows first began to exist at this time; in any case, God says that he will now use rainbowsas a sign of this covenant. This sign should not be interpreted as symbolizing that God has hung up his warrior's BOW, since there is no hint of that meaning in the text.
9:18__19 _These verses, which bring the flood story to an end, anticipate the next two episodes. The reference to Ham's son CANAAN (verse 18) perhaps for the events of verses 20__29. The mention of people's being DISPERSED over the WHOLE EARTH (verse 19) is developed in chapter 10.
9:20__29 _The Cursing of Canaan. This unusual episode provides an unexpected sequel to the flood story. After the flood and the "new creation" comes another fall, by Noah__a sort of second Adam, in that he (Like Adam) is father of the whole human race. It also anticpates similar activity by Lot's daughters after the destruction of Sodom (19:20__38). Noah's drunkenness and Ham's indiscretion result in contrasting announcements regarding the futures of Shem, Japheth, and Ham's son Canaan.
9:20 _The reference to Noah as a MAN OF THE SOIL and success in growing vines points to a fresh start after the flood (See 28:31).
9:21__23 _BECAME DRUNK. The brevity of the description of Noah's drunkenness is an indication of sisapproval. Ham's sctions, however, are the object of serious criticism because Ham unashamedly looks on the NAKEDNESS OF HIS FATHER in the tent then reports this to his broters (verse 22). There is no indication, however, that perverse sexual behavior was involved in addition to Ham seeing his father drunk and naked. Though the text does not explicitly state what happened, it is clearthat Ham humiliated and dishonored his father and that he apparently sought to make his brother a party to that humiliation. Instead, Ham's brothers make every effort to avoild seeing Noah's naked body, as readers are told twice that they approached him BACKWARD (verse 23). The response of Shem and Japheth in sharp contrast to Ham's actions, as the brothers honor their father despite his foolish behavior. (EXODUS 20:12).
9:24__27 _The designation of Ham as the YOUNGEST SON (verse 24) is peculiar, given that he is always listed after Shem and before Japheth. Possibly, for some unexplained reason, the traditional order of names does not reflect the birth sequence of the boys. CURSED BE CANAAN. Noah's reaction to Ham's action is to curse Canaan, Ham's son. This outcome has dearly been anticipated in the narration, for twice previously has been mentioned, in each context unnecessarily, that Ham is the father of Canaan (verses 18, 22). A SERVANT OF SERVANTS SHALL HE BE. This passage was wrongly appealed to in past centuries to justify the enslavement of African people, resulting in grievous abuse, injustice, and humanity to people created in the image of God. Noah's curse of Canaan, which focuses on his being a servant, anticipates the judgment that will later befall the Canaanites (DEUTERONOMY 7;1--3 with GENESIS 10:15__19). This coupled with the fact that the curse falls on Canaan alone and not on Ham's other children (who settled in northern Africa), shows how illegitimate it was to use this text to justify enslaving African people. (For more on the overall biblical position on slavery, see 1 CORINTHIANS 7:21; EPHESIANS 6:5; COLOSSIANS 3:22__25; 1 TIMOTHY 1:10) Shem, however, is given pride of place, as is implied by Noah's remark that Japheth will DWELL IN THE TENTS OF SHEM (GENESIS 9:27).
9:28 _The report of Noah's death continues the pattern used throughout Genesis 5 to describe the total age and death of Adam and his descendants.
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