The Covenant of the Rainbow 1 UST Then God caused Noah and his sons to prosper by saying to them,“Have many children so that you{ and your descendants} will become numerous and live all over the earth. BSB BSB: And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.
2 UST Every living creature on the earth will be afraid and terrified of you, including every bird{ that flies} in the sky,{ along} with every creature that moves on land, and all the fish in the ocean. I have put them{ all} under your authority. BSB BSB: The fear and dread of you will fall on every living creature on the earth, every bird of the air, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are delivered into your hand.
3 UST { From now on} every creature that is alive and moves is yours{ to eat} as food. In the same way that{ I provided you} green plants{ for food},{ now} I provide you everything{ for food}. BSB BSB: Everything that lives and moves will be food for you; just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you all things.
4 UST However, you must never eat meat that still has its blood{ in it}, which made it live. BSB BSB: But you must not eat meat with its lifeblood still in it.
5 UST Also, I definitely require that anyone who murders someone must die.{ In fact,} if any animal{ kills a human being}, I require that it must die.{ That is also true} for human beings: If anyone{ murders} another person, I require that he must die. BSB BSB: And surely I will require the life of any man or beast by whose hand your lifeblood is shed. I will demand an accounting from anyone who takes the life of his fellow man:
6 UST { That’ s right,} you must put to death anyone who murders a human being, because God made human beings to be like himself. BSB BSB: Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood will be shed; for in His own image God has made mankind.
7 UST Now{ as for} you, have many children so that you{ and your descendants} will become numerous. Spread out all over the earth and become numerous everywhere.” BSB BSB: But as for you, be fruitful and multiply; spread out across the earth and multiply upon it.”
9 UST “Listen{ carefully} to me: I am making my agreement with you and your descendants. BSB BSB: “Behold, I now establish My covenant with you and your descendants after you,
10 UST { It is} also with all the living creatures that{ are} with you, including the birds, the livestock, and all the{ other} living creatures on the earth{ that are} with you.{ That includes} all{ those} that came out of the ark and all the living creatures{ that will ever live} on the earth. BSB BSB: and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth—every living thing that came out of the ark.
11 UST My agreement that I am making with you is that never again will all living things die from a flood. I will not use a flood ever again to destroy{ everything on} the earth.” BSB BSB: And I establish My covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
12 UST Then God continued,“This{ is} how I will show{ everyone} that I have made this agreement with you and with all the living creatures that{ are} with you, as well as with all the people and animals that will ever live: BSB BSB: 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 generations to come:
13 UST I will put my rainbow among the clouds{ in the sky} to remind{ everyone} that I have made this agreement with{ every creature that lives on} the earth. BSB BSB: I have set My rainbow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.
14 UST So whenever I cause clouds to form{ in the sky} above the earth and a rainbow appears in the clouds, BSB BSB: Whenever I form clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds,
15 UST then I will not forget{ to keep} my agreement that I have established with you and with all living creatures of every kind.{ I promise} that I will never again use a flood to destroy all living creatures. BSB BSB: I will remember My covenant between Me and you and every living creature of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.
16 UST Yes, whenever a rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and keep{ my} permanent agreement which I have established with all people and all animals that{ live} on the earth.” BSB BSB: And whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of every kind that is on the earth.”
17 UST Then God{ concluded} by saying to Noah,“A rainbow{ is} what I will use to remind{ everyone} that I have made this agreement with all the people and animals that{ live} on the earth.” 9:18-29 BSB BSB: So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between Me and every creature on the earth.”
Noah’s Shame and Canaan’s Curse 18 UST Noah’ s sons who came out of the boat{ after the flood} were Shem, Ham, and Japheth; it was Ham who{ was} Canaan’ s father. BSB BSB: The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And Ham was the father of Canaan.
19 UST It was the descendants of Noah’ s three sons who populated the entire earth{ again}. BSB BSB: These three were the sons of Noah, and from them the whole earth was populated.
21 UST Then{ one day} he drank{ too much of} the wine, so that he became drunk and was{ lying} naked inside his tent. BSB BSB: But when he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and uncovered himself inside his tent.
22 UST Ham,{ who was} Canaan’ s father, saw that his father was naked, and he went outside and told his two brothers{ about it}. BSB BSB: And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside.
23 UST However, Shem and Japheth took a robe, and held it{ between them} at shoulder level and walked backward{ into the tent} and covered their father’ s naked body{ with it}.{ As they did that,} they kept their faces turned away{ from him} so that they would not see him naked. BSB BSB: Then Shem and Japheth took a garment and placed it across their shoulders, and walking backward, they covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned away so that they did not see their father’s nakedness.
24 UST Later Noah woke up from being drunk, and he found out that his youngest son{ Ham} had dishonored him. BSB BSB: When Noah awoke from his drunkenness and learned what his youngest son had done to him,
25 UST So he exclaimed{ about him},“I{ ask God to} curse{ Ham’ s son} Canaan! Canaan will be the lowest servant for his relatives.” BSB BSB: he said, “Cursed be Canaan! A servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”
Shem’s Blessing and Noah’s Death 26 UST Then Noah said,“Praise Yahweh,{ who is} the God{ who takes care} of Shem! May God cause Canaan to be Shem’ s servant. BSB BSB: He also declared: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the servant of Shem.
27 UST I{ also} ask God to give Japheth much{ land} and enable him to live together{ in peace} with Shem. May God{ also} cause Canaan to be Japheth’ s servant.” BSB BSB: May God expand the territory of Japheth; may he dwell in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his servant.”
28 UST From{ the time that} the flood{ began}, Noah lived{ another} 350 years, BSB BSB: After the flood, Noah lived 350 years.
29 UST so that he lived a total of 950 years before he died. BSB BSB: So Noah lived a total of 950 years, and then he died.