Genesis 9:1-17

From P. The links between Genesis 9:1 and P's creation story are very close; the command to multiply, the dominion of man over the animals, the regulations as to food may be specially mentioned, as well as identities and similarities of phrase and style. A change, however, is made in recognition of the innate qualities of creation which have come to light in the interval. It had not been God's original intention that food should be obtained by slaughter; there is no provision in Genesis 1:29 f. for carnivorous men or beasts. But in the light of history the failure of this ideal is recognised, and now slaughter is permitted for food and the animal creation is inspired with a new dread of man. And at this stage no selection is made of those who are eligible for the purpose; in the widest way every moving thing that has life is permitted as freely as the greenness of herbs in Genesis 1:30. According to P's theory as already noted (Genesis 7:1 *) the distinction between clean and unclean was first introduced in the Sinaitic legislation. But he did not regard the sanctity of blood as one of the novelties of the Mosaic Law. While all animals and fish, and all winged and all crawling things were permitted for food, Noah was strictly enjoined that flesh must not be eaten with the blood still in it (Genesis 9:4). It is not definitely stated, but a fortiori implied, that blood must not be drunk. The reason for this prohibition is given in the words the life thereof. The life or vital principle (Heb. nephesh) was supposed to be resident in the blood. When a victim was killed the blood drained from its veins still held within it the life of which it was the vehicle, the blood soul. The blood might be quick after the body was dead. This created in some cases a disposition to partake of it. By drinking the blood of an animal (or man) its qualities, most intensely present in the blood, might be acquired. A covenant was often formed by mutual participation of the parties in each other's blood (Exodus 24:6 *). There was accordingly a tendency to partake of blood, especially that of a sacrificial victim, since the communion between man and the deity seemed thus best to be secured. The feeling grew up, however, that the blood was too sacred a thing to be drunk, too instinct with mysterious potencies, too dangerous since invasion by a parasitic soul of undesirable qualities was possible. And along with this there grew up the feeling that it belonged exclusively to God. Hence it was considered a grave sin to partake of it. In Israel this feeling was present probably from the first. We find it in the time of Saul (1 Samuel 14:32) and frequently in the later legislation (Leviticus 3:17; Leviticus 7:26 f; Leviticus 17:10 *, Leviticus 19:26; Deuteronomy 12:16; Deuteronomy 12:23 f., Deuteronomy 15:23). Ezekiel classes this offence with moral transgressions (Ezekiel 33:25 and probably Ezekiel 18:6; Ezekiel 18:11; Ezekiel 18:15 in original text). Hence the blood was given to God at the altar, or after the centralisation of worship, when the only legitimate sanctuary was too far away, poured upon the ground. As a second prohibition, the shedding of human blood is forbidden. Man is made in God's image, human life is therefore sacred; the violation of its sanctity will be punished by death, be the offender man or beast, and is also opposed to the Divine purpose that man should multiply in the earth.

God then makes a covenant with all living creatures that He will not repeat the destruction by water. The covenant is not in this instance an agreement between God and man but a promise, and therefore the sign of it is not, as in the case of the covenant with Abraham, something to be performed by man; God sets His bow in the cloud; when He brings clouds over the earth and the bow appears in the clouds, then He will remember His covenant. The rainbow is the battle-bow of God, just as the lightning flashes are His arrows (Habakkuk 3:9; Psalms 7:13; Psalms 18:14); when the clouds become threatening, God looks and sees the bow He has laid aside and hung there, and is reminded of His pledge. The passage naturally, though not necessarily, implies that the bow is now, for the first time, hung in the clouds. P was hardly aware of the physical laws which determine its appearance. It is not certain whether J contained an account of the rainbow; if it did, we are the losers by the omission of a treatment doubtless much more poetical. It is absent from the Babylonian story.

Genesis 9:5. The Heb. is difficult and rather obscure, but the general sense is clear.

Genesis 9:15 f. Translate, and the bow. that I will remember.