Genesis 9:5

your blood The second prohibition is that of manslaughter. The thought of human bloodshed is naturally suggested by the subject of the slaying of animals. Man's life is sacred. Neither man nor beast is to take it.

the blood of your lives A difficult expression. Literally, "for," or "according to, your souls," i.e. the blood of a person for the life of each person, "blood for blood," "life for life," will God require (as Genesis 9:6). That "the blood of your souls" means "the blood of your own selves," as distinguished from "the blood of the animals," is another explanation, but not so probable.

But either of these renderings is to be preferred to that of Tuch, "for the protection of your lives."

will I require This thought that God Himself "will require it," in the case of human bloodshed, appears in Psalms 9:12, "he that maketh inquisition for blood remembereth them," and Psalms 10:13, "wherefore doth the wicked contemn God, and say in his heart, Thou wilt not require it." See also Genesis 42:22, "behold, his blood is required."

of every beast e.g. in Exodus 21:28-29, the ox that gores a person to death is to be stoned.

at the hand of every man's brother "Brother" here denotes the brotherhood of humanity, not of a particular family. He who slays a man slays his own "brother," although technically there is no relationship.

the life of man i.e. "the nephesh, or vital principle, of man." In the first clause God had said He would "require" the blood: here He says He will "require" the life. In Genesis 9:4 "the life" is "the blood."