IX.
(1) GOD BLESSED NOAH. — The blessing bestowed upon Noah, the second
father of mankind, is exactly parallel to that given to our first
father in Genesis 1:28; Genesis 2:16, with a significant addition
growing out of the history of the past. There is the same command to
fill the world with human l... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT FLESH.... — The words are remarkable. “Only flesh in its soul,
its blood, ye shall not eat.” The Authorised Version is probably
right in taking _blood_ as in apposition to _soul,_ which word means
here the principle of animation, or that which causes an animal to
live. This is God’s especial gif... [ Continue Reading ]
YOUR BLOOD OF YOUR LIVES.... — This verse should be translated:
“And surely your blood, _which is_ for your souls, will I require
(_i.e.,_ avenge); from every beast will I require it, and from man:
even from a man’s brother will I require the soul of man,” as from
Cain. “Your blood, which is for you... [ Continue Reading ]
BY MAN... — This penalty of life for life is not to be left to
natural law, but man himself, in such a manner and under such
safeguards as the civil law in each country shall order, is to execute
the Divine command. And thus protected from violence, both of man and
beast, and with all such terrible... [ Continue Reading ]
I, BEHOLD, I ESTABLISH MY COVENANT... The covenant between God and man
is thus solemnly introduced as Elohim’s personal act. No covenant is
mentioned as existing between Elohim and the antediluvian world; but
distinctly now there is a step onward in all respects, and man, in the
renovated earth afte... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS THE TOKEN OF THE COVENANT. — The word rendered “token”
really means _sign,_ and is a term that has met with very unfortunate
treatment in our Version, especially in the New Testament, where —
as, for instance, in St. John’s Gospel — it is too frequently
translated _miracle._ Its meaning will... [ Continue Reading ]
HAM IS THE FATHER OF CANAAN. — Though human life had thus begun
again upon a firmer footing, yet evil and discord were soon to
reappear, though in a milder form. No brother sheds a brother’s
blood, but in the next generation sin breaks forth afresh, and the
human family is disunited thereby, the des... [ Continue Reading ]
NOAH BEGAN TO BE AN HUSBANDMAN. — Rather, _Noah, being a husbandman_
(Heb., _a man of the adâmâh_)_, began to plant a vineyard._ Noah had
always been a husbandman: it was the cultivation of the vine, still
abundant in Armenia, that was new. Scarcely aware, perhaps, of the
intoxicating qualities of t... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WAS UNCOVERED is, literally, _he uncovered himself._ It was no
accident, but a wilful breach of modesty.... [ Continue Reading ]
HAM... SAW... AND TOLD. — The sin lay not in seeing, which might be
unintentional, but in telling, especially if his purpose was to
ridicule his father. His brothers, with filial piety, “take a
garment,” the loose outer robe or cloak enveloping the whole body,
and with reverent delicacy walk backwar... [ Continue Reading ]
NOAH... KNEW WHAT HIS YOUNGER SON HAD DONE UNTO HIM. — Heb., _his
son, the little one._ This can only mean his youngest son. So it is
applied to Benjamin in Genesis 42:34; Genesis 43:29, and to David in 1
Samuel 16:11, where the words literally are, _there re- maineth yet
the little one._ Now Ham wa... [ Continue Reading ]
CURSED BE CANAAN. — The prophecy of Noah takes the form of a poem,
like Lamech’s boast in Genesis 4. In it Ham is passed over in
silence, as though his unfilial conduct, recorded in Genesis 9:22,
made him unworthy of a blessing, while it was not so wicked as to
bring on him a curse. The whole weight... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED BE JEHOVAH. — The greatness of Shem’s blessing is shown by
its taking the form of a hymn of praise to Jehovah, the personal God;
and the patriarch’s fervent outburst of thanksgiving was a presage
of the hallelujahs that were to arise unto God from all mankind for
the birth of that son of She... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD SHALL ENLARGE JAPHETH. — First, the Deity is here _Elohim,_
following upon _Jehovah_ in the preceding verse, and that with
extraordinary exactness. Jehovah has never been the special name of
the Deity worshipped by the race of Japheth, though doubtless it is
the Greek _Zeus_ and the Latin _Jove.... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE DAYS OF NOAH. — While Noah attained to the same age as the
antediluvian patriarchs, 950 years, human life was fast diminishing.
The whole life-time of Shem was 600 years; that of Peleg, a few
generations afterwards, only 239. After him only one man, Terah, is
described as living more than 20... [ Continue Reading ]