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 ]