◄ Genesis 9:5 ►
And surely I will require the life of any man or beast by whose hand your lifeblood is shed. I will demand an accounting from anyone who takes the life of his fellow man:
Study Bible
And surely I will require
The phrase "And surely I will require" underscores the certainty and seriousness of God's decree. The Hebrew word for "require" is "דָּרַשׁ" (darash), which conveys a sense of seeking or demanding accountability. This reflects God's justice and His sovereign authority to hold creation accountable for the sanctity of life. It emphasizes that life is precious and that God, as the Creator, has the ultimate authority to demand an account for it.

the life of your lifeblood
The term "lifeblood" is translated from the Hebrew word "נֶפֶשׁ" (nephesh), which often refers to the soul or life essence. This phrase highlights the intrinsic value of life, as blood is seen as the life force within a being. In the ancient Near Eastern context, blood was considered sacred and symbolic of life itself. This underscores the theological principle that life is a divine gift and must be treated with reverence and respect.

from every beast I will require it
This part of the verse indicates that God's covenant extends beyond humanity to include animals. The Hebrew word for "beast" is "חַיָּה" (chayyah), which refers to living creatures. This reflects the biblical worldview that all of creation is under God's moral order. It suggests that even animals are part of the divine accountability structure, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all life and the responsibility to protect and preserve it.

and from every man
The repetition of "from every man" reinforces the universality of this command. The Hebrew word "אָדָם" (adam) is used here, which can mean both "man" and "humanity." This indicates that every individual, regardless of status or relationship, is accountable to God for the sanctity of life. It underscores the personal responsibility each person has in upholding God's moral law.

from every man’s brother
The phrase "from every man’s brother" highlights the relational aspect of humanity. The Hebrew word "אָח" (ach) means "brother" and signifies kinship and community. This suggests that the responsibility to protect life is not just individual but communal. It calls for a collective commitment to uphold the value of life within the human family, reflecting the biblical principle of loving one's neighbor.

I will require the life of man
The closing phrase reiterates the divine mandate for justice concerning the taking of human life. The Hebrew word "חַי" (chai) for "life" emphasizes the vitality and sacredness of human existence. This serves as a reminder of the inherent dignity bestowed upon humanity by God. It calls believers to a higher standard of respect for life, aligning with the broader biblical narrative that humanity is made in the image of God and thus holds intrinsic worth.

Persons / Places / Events
1. God
The speaker in this verse, establishing a covenant with Noah and his descendants after the flood.

2. Noah
The recipient of God's covenant, representing humanity in this new post-flood world.

3. Animals
Included in the accountability for shedding human blood, highlighting the sanctity of human life.

4. Mankind
The broader human race, which is held accountable for the shedding of human blood.

5. The Flood
The preceding event that led to the establishment of this covenant, marking a new beginning for creation.
Teaching Points
Sanctity of Human Life
Human life is sacred because it is made in the image of God. This verse emphasizes the value God places on life and the seriousness of taking it.

Divine Justice
God is just and requires accountability for actions, especially those that harm others. This principle should guide our interactions and respect for life.

Moral Responsibility
As stewards of God's creation, humans have a responsibility to protect and preserve life, reflecting God's care and justice.

Community and Accountability
This verse highlights the importance of community accountability, where both individuals and groups are responsible for upholding the sanctity of life.

Role of Authority
The verse implies a structure where justice is maintained, pointing to the role of authorities in upholding God's standards.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Genesis 9:5 reflect the value God places on human life, and how should this influence our view of others?

2. In what ways does the concept of accountability in Genesis 9:5 apply to our personal and communal lives today?

3. How can we reconcile the call for justice in Genesis 9:5 with the teachings of Jesus on forgiveness and mercy?

4. What role do governing authorities play in upholding the principles found in Genesis 9:5, and how should Christians engage with these authorities?

5. How does understanding the sanctity of life in Genesis 9:5 impact our approach to contemporary issues such as capital punishment, war, and self-defense?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 1:26-27
Connects to the creation of man in God's image, underscoring the sanctity of human life.

Exodus 20:13
The commandment "You shall not murder" aligns with the principle of accountability for shedding blood.

Matthew 5:21-22
Jesus expands on the commandment against murder, emphasizing the heart's intent.

Romans 13:4
Discusses the role of governing authorities in executing justice, which can relate to the accountability mentioned in Genesis 9:5.

Revelation 6:10
The souls of the martyrs cry out for justice, reflecting the divine requirement for accountability.
Sermons
Noah a Representative PersonW. Adamson.Genesis 9:1-7
The Divine Benediction on the New HumanityT. H. Leale.Genesis 9:1-7
The New Life of Man on the EarthR.A. Redford Genesis 9:1-7
The New World and its Inheritors -- the Men of FaithP. Fairbairn, D. D.Genesis 9:1-7
People
Ham, Japheth, Noah, Shem
Places
Tigris-Euphrates Region
Topics
Accounting, Animal, Beast, Blood, Brother, Brother-man, Demand, Fellow, Indeed, Lifeblood, Man's, Payment, Reckoning, Require, Surely
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Genesis 9:5

     5698   guardian

Genesis 9:1-5

     4029   world, human beings in

Genesis 9:1-17

     7203   ark, Noah's

Genesis 9:4-5

     7422   ritual

Genesis 9:4-6

     7315   blood, basis of life

Genesis 9:5-6

     4016   life, human
     5025   killing
     5219   authority, human institutions
     5295   destruction
     5326   government
     7318   blood, symbol of guilt
     8471   respect, for human beings

Library
Capital Punishment
Eversley. Quinquagesima Sunday, 1872. Genesis ix. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6. "And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. . . . Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you . . . But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. And surely your blood of your lives will I require: at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require …
Charles Kingsley—All Saints' Day and Other Sermons

Noah's Flood
(Quinquagesima Sunday.) GENESIS ix. 13. I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. We all know the history of Noah's flood. What have we learnt from that history? What were we intended to learn from it? What thoughts should we have about it? There are many thoughts which we may have. We may think how the flood came to pass; what means God used to make it rain forty days; what is meant by breaking up the fountains of the great deep. We may …
Charles Kingsley—The Gospel of the Pentateuch

Death.
PSALM CIV. 20, 21. Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. The lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. Let me say a few words on this text. It is one which has been a comfort to me again and again. It is one which, if rightly understood, ought to give comfort to pitiful and tender-hearted persons. Have you never been touched by, never been even shocked by, the mystery of pain and death? I do not speak now of pain and death …
Charles Kingsley—Westminster Sermons

Covenanting Enforced by the Grant of Covenant Signs and Seals.
To declare emphatically that the people of God are a covenant people, various signs were in sovereignty vouchsafed. The lights in the firmament of heaven were appointed to be for signs, affording direction to the mariner, the husbandman, and others. Miracles wrought on memorable occasions, were constituted signs or tokens of God's universal government. The gracious grant of covenant signs was made in order to proclaim the truth of the existence of God's covenant with his people, to urge the performance …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

That the Ruler Should Be, through Humility, a Companion of Good Livers, But, through the Zeal of Righteousness, Rigid against the vices of Evildoers.
The ruler should be, through humility, a companion of good livers, and, through the zeal of righteousness, rigid against the vices of evil-doers; so that in nothing he prefer himself to the good, and yet, when the fault of the bad requires it, he be at once conscious of the power of his priority; to the end that, while among his subordinates who live well he waives his rank and accounts them as his equals, he may not fear to execute the laws of rectitude towards the perverse. For, as I remember to …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

The Doctrine of Non-Resistance to Evil by Force Has Been Professed by a Minority of Men from the Very Foundation of Christianity. Of the Book "What
CHAPTER I. THE DOCTRINE OF NON-RESISTANCE TO EVIL BY FORCE HAS BEEN PROFESSED BY A MINORITY OF MEN FROM THE VERY FOUNDATION OF CHRISTIANITY. Of the Book "What I Believe"--The Correspondence Evoked by it-- Letters from Quakers--Garrison's Declaration--Adin Ballou, his Works, his Catechism--Helchitsky's "Net of Faith"--The Attitude of the World to Works Elucidating Christ's Teaching--Dymond's Book "On War"--Musser's "Non-resistance Asserted"--Attitude of the Government in 1818 to Men who Refused to …
Leo Tolstoy—The Kingdom of God is within you

Original Righteousness.
"For in Him we live and move, and have our being: as certain also of your own poets have said. For we are also His offspring." --Acts xvii. 28. It is the peculiar characteristic of the Reformed Confession that more than any other it humbles the sinner and exalts the sinless man. To disparage man is unscriptural. Being a sinner, fallen and no longer a real man, he must be humbled, rebuked, and inwardly broken. But the divinely created man, realizing the divine purpose or restored by omnipotent grace …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

The Sixth Commandment
Thou shalt not kill.' Exod 20: 13. In this commandment is a sin forbidden, which is murder, Thou shalt not kill,' and a duty implied, which is, to preserve our own life, and the life of others. The sin forbidden is murder: Thou shalt not kill.' Here two things are to be understood, the not injuring another, nor ourselves. I. The not injuring another. [1] We must not injure another in his name. A good name is a precious balsam.' It is a great cruelty to murder a man in his name. We injure others in …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Being Made Archbishop of Armagh, He Suffers Many Troubles. Peace Being Made, from Being Archbishop of Armagh He Becomes Bishop of Down.
[Sidenote: 1129] 19. (12). Meanwhile[365] it happened that Archbishop Cellach[366] fell sick: he it was who ordained Malachy deacon, presbyter and bishop: and knowing that he was dying he made a sort of testament[367] to the effect that Malachy ought to succeed him,[368] because none seemed worthier to be bishop of the first see. This he gave in charge to those who were present, this he commanded to the absent, this to the two kings of Munster[369] and to the magnates of the land he specially enjoined …
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh

Mosaic Cosmogony.
ON the revival of science in the 16th century, some of the earliest conclusions at which philosophers arrived were found to be at variance with popular and long-established belief. The Ptolemaic system of astronomy, which had then full possession of the minds of men, contemplated the whole visible universe from the earth as the immovable centre of things. Copernicus changed the point of view, and placing the beholder in the sun, at once reduced the earth to an inconspicuous globule, a merely subordinate …
Frederick Temple—Essays and Reviews: The Education of the World

Mount Zion.
"For ye are not come unto a mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that no word more should be spoken unto them: for they could not endure that which was enjoined, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned; and so fearful was the appearance, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake: but ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto …
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

Covenanting According to the Purposes of God.
Since every revealed purpose of God, implying that obedience to his law will be given, is a demand of that obedience, the announcement of his Covenant, as in his sovereignty decreed, claims, not less effectively than an explicit law, the fulfilment of its duties. A representation of a system of things pre-determined in order that the obligations of the Covenant might be discharged; various exhibitions of the Covenant as ordained; and a description of the children of the Covenant as predestinated …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Covenanting Predicted in Prophecy.
The fact of Covenanting, under the Old Testament dispensations, being approved of God, gives a proof that it was proper then, which is accompanied by the voice of prophecy, affording evidence that even in periods then future it should no less be proper. The argument for the service that is afforded by prophecy is peculiar, and, though corresponding with evidence from other sources, is independent. Because that God willed to make known truth through his servants the prophets, we should receive it …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

The Promise to the Patriarchs.
A great epoch is, in Genesis, ushered in with the history of the time of the Patriarchs. Luther says: "This is the third period in which Holy Scripture begins the history of the Church with a new family." In a befitting manner, the representation is opened in Gen. xii. 1-3 by an account of the first revelation of God, given to Abraham at Haran, in which the way is opened up for all that follows, and in which the dispensations of God are brought before us in a rapid survey. Abraham is to forsake …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Discourse on Spiritual Food and True Discipleship. Peter's Confession.
(at the Synagogue in Capernaum.) ^D John VI. 22-71. ^d 22 On the morrow [the morrow after Jesus fed the five thousand] the multitude that stood on the other side of the sea [on the east side, opposite Capernaum] saw that there was no other boat there, save one, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples went away alone 23 (howbeit there came boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they ate the bread after that the Lord had given thanks): 24 when the multitude …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Genesis
The Old Testament opens very impressively. In measured and dignified language it introduces the story of Israel's origin and settlement upon the land of Canaan (Gen.--Josh.) by the story of creation, i.-ii. 4a, and thus suggests, at the very beginning, the far-reaching purpose and the world-wide significance of the people and religion of Israel. The narrative has not travelled far till it becomes apparent that its dominant interests are to be religious and moral; for, after a pictorial sketch of …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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