Genesis 9:2-4 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 9:1-7

In general, God blessed Noah and his sons (Gen. 9:1), that is, he assured them of his good-will to them and his gracious intentions concerning them. This follows from what he said in his heart. Note, All God's promises of good flow from his purposes of love and the counsels of his own will. See Eph. 1:11; 3:11. and compare Jer. 29:11. I know the thoughts that I think towards you. We read (Gen. 8:20) how Noah blessed God, by his altar and sacrifice. Now here we find God blessing Noah. Note, God... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 9:2

And the fear or you, and the dread of you, shall be upon every beast of the earth ,.... This is a renewal, at least in part, of the grant of dominion to Adam over all the creatures; these obeyed him cheerfully, and from love, but sinning, he in a good measure lost his power over them, they rebelled against him; but now though the charter of power over them is renewed, they do not serve man freely, but are in dread of him, and flee from him; some are more easily brought into subjection to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 9:3

Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you ,.... That is, every beast, fowl, and fish, without exception; for though there was a difference at this time of clean and unclean creatures with respect to sacrifice, yet not with respect to food; every creature of God was good then, as it is now, and it was left to man's reason and judgment what to make use of, as would be most conducive to his health, and agreeable to his taste: and though there was a distinction afterwards made under... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 9:4

But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall you not eat. This is the only exception to the eating of flesh; it was not to be eaten with the blood in it, which is said to be its life; not that the blood is of itself the life, but because it is a means of life, and that being exhausted, the creature must die, and because the animal and vital spirits appear to us most vigorous in it; yea, it is the ailment and support of them, and which furnishes out the greatest... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 9:2

The fear of you and the dread, etc. - Prior to the fall, man ruled the inferior animals by love and kindness, for then gentleness and docility were their principal characteristics. After the fall, untractableness, with savage ferocity, prevailed among almost all orders of the brute creation; enmity to man seems particularly to prevail; and had not God in his mercy impressed their minds with the fear and terror of man, so that some submit to his will while others flee from his residence, the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 9:3

Every moving thing - shall be meat - There is no positive evidence that animal food was ever used before the flood. Noah had the first grant of this kind, and it has been continued to all his posterity ever since. It is not likely that this grant would have been now made if some extraordinary alteration had not taken place in the vegetable world, so as to render its productions less nutritive than they were before; and probably such a change in the constitution of man as to render a grosser... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 9:4

But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood - Though animal food was granted, yet the blood was most solemnly forbidden, because it was the life of the beast, and this life was to be offered to God as an atonement for sin. Hence the blood was ever held sacred, because it was the grand instrument of expiation, and because it was typical of that blood by which we enter into the holiest. 1. Before the deluge it was not eaten, because animal food was not in use. 2. After the deluge it... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 9:2

Verse 2 2.And the fear of you. This also has chiefly respect to the restoration of the world, in order that the sovereignty over the rest of animals might remain with men. And although after the fall of man, the beasts were endued with new ferocity, yet some remains of that dominion over them, which God had conferred on him in the beginning, were still left. He now also promises that the same dominion shall continue. We see indeed that wild beasts rush violently upon men, and rend and tear many... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 9:3

Verse 3 3.Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you. The Lord proceeds further, and grants animals for food to men, that they may eat their flesh. And because Moses now first relates that this right was given to men, nearly all commentators infer, that it was not lawful for man to eat flesh before the deluge, but that the natural fruits of the earth were his only food. But the argument is not sufficiently firm. For I hold to this principle; that God here does not bestow on men more... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 9:4

Verse 4 4.But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof Some thus explain this passages ‘Ye may not eat a member cut off from a living animal,’ which is too trifling. However, since there is no copulative conjunction between the two words, blood and life, I do not doubt that Moses, speaking of the life, added the word blood exegetically, (288) as if he would say, that flesh is in some sense devoured with its life, when it is eaten imbued with its own blood. Wherefore, the life and... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 9:1-7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 9:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 9:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 9:4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 9:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 9:3

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 9:4

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 9:2

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 9:3

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 9:4

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