What does Genesis Chapter 9 Verse 4 mean?

Answer 1

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The superficial meaning of Genesis 9:18 is simply a list of the sons of Noah who, having been listed as embarking, now came off the Ark: Shem, Ham and Japheth. An anomaly is that Ham's future son is mentioned by name, but not so the sons of Shem and Japheth. Because this passage really begins a new narrative, there may be some time-shifting, but Genesis has made it clear that Canaan did not go onto the Ark and he was not among those coming off the boat.

The Hebrews of the first millennium BCE despised their neighbours, the Canaanites, whom they regarded as descended from the legendary Canaan. In the passage that follows Genesis 9:18, we see Ham, "the father of Canaan", homosexually rape his own father, Noah, while he is asleep in a drunken stupour. When Noah realises what has happened, he curses not Ham but Ham's future son Canaan, saying that he (his descendants) will forever be slaves for his brethren. Genesis 9:18 can be seen as part of a passage that seeks to justify future ill-treatment of the Canaanites.

Answer 2

Genesis 9:4 says: "Only flesh with it's life-its blood-you must not eat.

God's command to Noah to avoid consumption of blood was given so that humans could be considered holy to Jehovah. Obedience to this law is vital for an approved relationship with God. Blood was to be used for a special purpose. By means of the poured blood, God could forgive the sins of the Israelites. Later, the Apostle Paul explained that blood had the power to cleanse when he wrote: "According to the Law nearly all things are cleansed with blood, and unless blood is poured out no forgiveness can take place." (Hebrew 9:22) Blood represents life.

Answer 3

It means that God made a covenant with Noah, using him as a representative for the human race. The covenant contained a promise that God would never again destroy all flesh by means of a flood. Because the rainbow was given as a visual symbol and reminder of it, the covenant came to be known as the rainbow covenant. (Genesis 9:12-13)

Answer 4

Genesis 9:4 must be taken in it's context ; 4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.5 And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.

6 "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.

From the Benson Commentary:

Genesis 9:4. But flesh with the blood thereof shall ye not eat — One meaning of this may be, Ye shall not cut off, tear away, or take any member or part of any creature for your food, while it is yet alive; but ye shall first spill its blood, and thereby put it to death in the way most easy to it. This is the sense which the Jews give the words, and, thus understood, they contain a prohibition of all cruelty toward those animals which are killed for food. And the prohibition, in this point of view, was not unnecessary, the practice here condemned being not unusual in ancient nor even in modern times, in many parts of the East.

http://biblehub.com/commentaries/genesis/9-4.htm

Answer 5

God gives humankind a sign of never again destroying all physical matter by water again, as well as giving Himself a reminder of this worldwide release of His wrath. This 'covenant' has no limits upon humankind but only upon the power of God:


Genesis 9:8-11New International Version (NIV)8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 9 “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”