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The Noahic Covenant

The world after the flood is not the same as before it. God establishes a new order: humans may now eat meat, but not blood. Murder is prohibited on the basis of the image of God. And God makes a covenant — not just with Noah and his family, but with every living creature on earth — sealed with a rainbow. The word "covenant" appears seven times in ten verses. Then Noah plants a vineyard, gets drunk, and his son's behavior triggers a curse that will echo through the entire Old Testament.

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New Commands for a New World

1And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

2And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.

3Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

4But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood of it, shall ye not eat.

5And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.

6Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

7And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.

The Covenant of the Rainbow

8And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,

9And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;

10And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.

11And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.

12And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

13I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

14And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:

15And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

16And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.

17And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.

18And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.

19These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.

Noah's Vineyard and Ham's Sin

20And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:

21And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.

22And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.

23And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness.

24And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.

25And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

26And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

27God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

28And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years.

29And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.

New Commands for a New World

1God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth.

2The fear of you and the dread of you will be on every animal of the earth, and on every bird of the sky. Everything that the ground teems with, and all the fish of the sea are delivered into your hand.

3Every moving thing that lives will be food for you. As the green herb, I have given everything to you.

4But flesh with its life, that is, its blood, you shall not eat.

5I will surely require your blood of your lives. At the hand of every animal I will require it. At the hand of man, even at the hand of every man's brother, I will require the life of man.

6Whoever sheds man's blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in his own image.

7Be fruitful and multiply. Increase abundantly in the earth, and multiply in it."

The Covenant of the Rainbow

8God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying,

9"As for me, I establish my covenant with you, and with your offspring after you;

10and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the livestock, and every animal of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ship, even every animal of the earth.

11I will establish my covenant with you: all flesh will not be cut off any more by the waters of the flood. There will never again be a flood to destroy the earth."

12God said, "This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

13I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be a sign of a covenant between me and the earth.

14When I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow will be seen in the cloud;

15and I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh, and the waters will no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

16The rainbow will be in the cloud. I will look at it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."

17God said to Noah, "This is the token of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth."

Noah's Vineyard and Ham's Sin

18The sons of Noah who went out from the ship were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham is the father of Canaan.

19These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated.

20Noah began to be a farmer, and planted a vineyard.

21He drank of the wine and got drunk. He was uncovered within his tent.

22Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.

23Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it on both their shoulders, went in backwards, and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were backwards, and they didn't see their father's nakedness.

24Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had done to him.

25He said, "Canaan is cursed. He will be a servant of servants to his brothers."

26He said, "Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Shem. Let Canaan be his servant.

27May God enlarge Japheth. Let him dwell in the tents of Shem. Let Canaan be his servant."

28Noah lived three hundred fifty years after the flood.

29All the days of Noah were nine hundred fifty years, then he died.

New Commands for a New World

1And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

2And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every bird of the heavens; with all wherewith the ground teemeth, and all the fishes of the sea, into your hand are they delivered.

3Every moving thing that liveth shall be food for you; as the green herb have I given you all.

4But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.

5And surely your blood, the blood of your lives, will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it: and at the hand of man, even at the hand of every man’s brother, will I require the life of man.

6Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

7And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.

8And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,

The Covenant of the Rainbow

9And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;

10and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you; of all that go out of the ark, even every beast of the earth.

11and I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of the flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.

12And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

13I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

14And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud,

15and I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

16And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.

17And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.

18And the sons of Noah, that went forth from the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.

19These three were the sons of Noah: and of these was the whole earth overspread.

Noah's Vineyard and Ham's Sin

20And Noah began to be a husbandman, and planted a vineyard.

21And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.

22And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.

23And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness.

24And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had done unto him.

25And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

26And he said, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant.

27God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant.

28And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years.

29And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.

New Commands for a New World

1And God blesseth Noah and his sons, and saith to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.

2And your fear and your dread is on every beast of the earth, and on every fowl of the heavens, on all that creepeth on the ground, and on all fishes of the sea — into your hand they have been given.

3Every creeping thing that is alive, to you it is for food; as the green herb I have given to you the whole.

4Only flesh in its life — its blood — ye do not eat.

5`And only your blood for your lives do I require; from the hand of every living thing I require it, and from the hand of man, from the hand of every man's brother I require the life of man;

6Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man is his blood shed: for in the image of God hath He made man.

7And ye, be fruitful and multiply, teem in the earth, and multiply in it.'

8And God speaketh unto Noah, and unto his sons with him, saying,

The Covenant of the Rainbow

9and I — lo, I am establishing My covenant with you, and with your seed after you.

10and with every living creature which is with you, among fowl, among cattle, and among every beast of the earth with you, from all who are going out of the ark--to every beast of the earth.

11and I have established My covenant with you, and all flesh is not any more cut off by waters of a deluge, and there is not any more a deluge to destroy the earth.

12And God saith, `This is a token of the covenant which I am giving between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, to generations age-during;

13My bow I have given in the cloud, and it hath been for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth.

14and it hath come to pass (in My sending a cloud over the earth) that the bow hath been seen in the cloud,

15and I have remembered My covenant which is between Me and you, and every living creature among all flesh, and the waters become no more a deluge to destroy all flesh.

16And the bow hath been in the cloud, and I have seen it, to remember the covenant age-during between God and every living creature among all flesh that is on the earth.

17And God saith unto Noah, `This is a token of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is upon the earth.'

18And the sons of Noah who are going out of the ark are Shem, and Ham, and Japheth; and Ham is father of Canaan.

19These three are sons of Noah, and from these hath all the earth been overspread.

Noah's Vineyard and Ham's Sin

20And Noah beginneth — a man of the ground — and planteth a vineyard;

21and he drinketh of the wine, and is drunken, and uncovereth himself in the midst of his tent.

22And Ham, father of Canaan, seeth the nakedness of his father, and declareth to his two brethren without.

23And Shem taketh — Japheth also — the garment, and they put on the shoulder of them both, and go backward, and cover the nakedness of their father; and their faces are backward, and their father's nakedness they have not seen.

24And Noah awaketh from his wine, and knoweth that which his young son hath done to him,

25And he saith, 'Cursed is Canaan, servant of servants he is to his brethren.'

26And he saith, 'Blessed of Jehovah my God is Shem, and Canaan is servant to him.

27God doth give beauty to Japheth, and he dwelleth in tents of Shem; and Canaan is servant to him.'

28And Noah liveth after the deluge three hundred and fifty years;

29And all the days of Noah are nine hundred and fifty years, and he dieth.

Public domain: KJV (1611) · WEB (2020) · ASV (1901) · YLT (1862). Note: The Curse of Ham has one of the most disturbing histories of misuse in biblical interpretation — it was invoked for centuries to justify African slavery, particularly in American antebellum theology. This is exegetically dishonest: the text curses Canaan (Ham's son), not Ham, and certainly not Africa. The Canaanites were a Semitic people who occupied the Levant. The curse has nothing to do with race or skin colour — those categories do not appear anywhere in the text.

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