Urban Word Bible
Genesis 9
Read Genesis 9 in clear, relatable modern language.
God’s Covenant with Noah
1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons and said, ‘You all be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth.’
2 ‘All the animals, birds, and creatures on the ground will fear you. They are under your control now.’
3 ‘Everything that moves, every animal, is food for you. Just like the plants, now you can eat meat too.’
4 ‘But do not eat meat with the blood still in it, because that is its life.’
5 ‘If anyone takes a human life, man or animal, I will hold them accountable.’
6 ‘Whoever sheds human blood, by humans their blood will be shed, because humans are made in God’s image.’
7 ‘Now, you all go out there, be fruitful, and multiply. Fill the earth.’
God’s Promise to Never Flood the Earth Again
8 Then God told Noah and his sons,
9 ‘I am making a covenant with you all and your descendants,’
10 ‘and with every living thing, the birds, livestock, and wild animals, all that came out of the ark with you.’
11 ‘Here is My promise: Never again will a flood wipe out all life or destroy the earth.’
12 God said, ‘This is the sign of the promise I am making with you and every living thing for all generations to come.’
13 ‘I am putting My rainbow in the clouds. That is the sign of My promise with the earth.’
14 ‘Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and a rainbow appears,’
15 ‘I will remember My promise that never again will floodwaters destroy all life.’
16 ‘When the rainbow shows up, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between Me and every living thing on earth.’
17 God said to Noah, ‘That rainbow is the sign of the promise I have made with all life on earth.’
Noah’s Sons and the Nations
18 Noah’s sons who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham later became the father of Canaan.
19 These three sons of Noah became the ancestors of everyone on earth.
20 Noah became a farmer and planted a vineyard.
21 One day, he got drunk off his wine and passed out naked in his tent.
22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his dad naked and went to tell his brothers.
23 But Shem and Japheth grabbed a robe, walked backward into the tent, and covered their dad without looking at him.
24 When Noah woke up and found out what Ham had done,
25 he said, ‘Cursed be Canaan! He will be the lowest servant to his brothers.’
26 ‘Praise the Lord, the God of Shem! May Canaan serve Shem.’
27 ‘May God expand Japheth’s territory and let him live in Shem’s tents, and may Canaan serve them both.’
28 Noah lived 350 years after the flood.
29 He lived a total of 950 years, and then he died.