Genesis 9:1 - Exposition

And God — Elohim , not because belonging to the Elohistic document (Block, Tuch, Colcnso); but rather because throughout this section the Deity is exhibited in his relations to his creatures— blessed —a repetition of the primal blessing rendered necessary by the devastation of the Flood (cf. Genesis 1:28 )— Noah and his sons ,—as the new heads of the race,— and said unto them ,—audibly, in contrast to Genesis 8:21 , Genesis 8:22 , which was not addressed to the patriarch, but spoken by God to himself in his heart, as if internally resolving on his subsequent course of action,— Be fruitful, and multiply . A favorite expression of the Elohist (cf. Genesis 1:28 ; Genesis 8:17 ; Genesis 9:1 , Genesis 9:7 ; Genesis 17:20 ; Genesis 28:3 ; Genesis 35:11 ; Genesis 47:27 ; Genesis 48:14 ), (Tuch); but

And replenish the earth . The words, "and subdue it, which had a place in the Adamic blessing, and which the LXX . insert here in the Noachic ( και Ì κατακυριευ ì σατε αυ ̓ τη ͂ ς ) , are omitted for the obvious reason that the world dominion originally assigned to man in Adam had been forfeited by sin, and could only be restored through the ideal Man, the woman's seed, to whom it had been transferred at the fail Hence says Paul, speaking of Christ: " και Ì πα ì ντα υ ̔ πε ì ταξεν υ ̔ πο Ì του Ì ς πο ì δας αυ ̓ του ͂ ( Ephesians 1:22 ); and the writer to the Hebrews: νυ ͂ ν δε Ì ου ̓ ì πω ο ̓ ρω ͂ μεν αυ ̓ τω ͂ͅ ( i.e. man) τα Ì πα ì ντα υ ̔ ποτεταγμε ì να , το Ì ν δε Ì βραχυ ì τι παρ α ̓ γγε ì λους η ̓ λαττομε ì νον βλε ì πομεν ι ̓ ησου ͂ ν δια Ì το Ì πα ì θημα του ͂ θανα ì του δο ì ξη και Ì τιμη ͂ ε ̓ στεφανωμε ì νον ( i.e . the world dominion which David, Psalms 8:6 , recognized as belonging to God's ideal man) ο ̔ ì πως χα ì ριτι θεου ͂ υ ̔ πε Ì ρ παντο Ì ς γευ ì σηται θανα ì του ( Genesis 2:8 , Genesis 2:9 ). The original relationship which God had established between man and the lower creatures having been disturbed by sin, the inferior animals, as it were, gradually broke loose from their condition of subjection. As corruption deepened in the human race it was only natural to anticipate that man's lordship over the animal creation would become feebler and feebler. Nor, perhaps, is it an altogether violent hypothesis that, had the Deluge not intervened, in the course of time the beast would have become the master and man the slave. To prevent any such apprehensions in the future, as there was to be no second deluge, the relations of man and the lower creatures were to be placed on a new footing. Ultimately, in the palingenesia, they would be completely restored (cf. Isaiah 11:6 ); in the mean time, till that glorious consummation should arrive, the otherwise inevitable encroachments of the creatures upon the human family in its sin-created weakness should be restrained by a principle of fear. That was the first important modification made upon the original Adamic blessing.