ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for Genesis 9

Gen. 9:1–4 The earlier positive instruction that humans should exercise authority over the other living creatures (1:28–30) is replaced by the negative comment that those creatures will fear and dread humans. God now permits the taking of animal life for food (in contrast to 1:30, where man and animals are given “every green plant” for food). However, the animal’s blood remains sacred and is not to be consumed; this is because the blood is the source of life, and all life is from God (see Lev. 17:12–14).

Gen. 9:5–6 From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. Any animal or person that takes a human life will be held accountable by God (see Ex. 20:13; 21:28). Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed. Human life is to be valued so highly because God made man in his own image. To murder another human being is to murder what is most like God, and is thus like an attack on God himself. Many see this as permitting the death penalty for murder—with the understanding that the person’s guilt has been established beyond any reasonable doubt (thus the requirement of two or three witnesses, Deut. 19:15). A further requirement is that such a death sentence must always be carried out by the established authorities (see Deut. 19:15–21; Rom. 13:1–5).

Gen. 9:9–11 This is the first covenant explicitly named in Genesis. A covenant formally binds two parties together in a relationship, with consequences for keeping or breaking the covenant. God makes this kind of covenant with a group of people through one person who represents the entire group. Everyone else then experiences the covenant by being included “in” the representative (see note on 12:3). Emphasizing that this particular covenant is for all living creatures, God states that there will never again be a flood to destroy the earth.

Gen. 9:12–17 The rainbow will be a reminder of God’s everlasting covenant. This does not mean that rainbows did not exist till this time.

Gen. 9:20 The reference to Noah as a man of the soil and his success in growing vines points to a fresh start after the flood (see note on 5:28–31).

Gen. 9:21–23 became drunk. The brevity of the description of Noah’s drunkenness indicates God’s disapproval. Ham’s actions of looking on the nakedness of his father in the tent and then reporting this to his brothers bring serious criticism. There is no indication that perverse sexual behavior was involved. Though the text does not explicitly state what happened, it is clear that Ham humiliated and dishonored his father, and apparently he involved his brothers in that humiliation.

Gen. 9:24–27 The designation of Ham as the youngest son is peculiar, since he is always listed after Shem and before Japheth. Possibly 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. a servant of servants shall he be. This passage was wrongly used in past centuries to justify the enslavement of African people, resulting in grievous abuse, injustice, and inhumanity 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 (compare Deut. 7:1–3 with Gen. 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 about biblical teaching on slavery, see notes on 1 Cor. 7:21; Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22–25; 1 Tim. 1:10.) Shem is highlighted in Noah’s remark that Japheth will dwell in the tents of Shem (Gen. 9:27).