Genesis 9:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Consider the profound kindness that God displayed towards him in the subsequent words: ‘And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. Let all the beasts of the earth, and all the fowls of the air, and all that move upon the earth, and all the fish of the sea, be afraid, and let them tremble at you: into your hands are they given: all that moveth, that liveth, shall be for your food: as the green herb I give you all things: only the flesh with its soul, with its blood, ye shall not eat’ (Gen. 9:1-4). One cannot help but be astonished by the boundless goodness of the Lord.

We are favored in Christ, in whom and with whom we offer glory to God the Father, alongside the Holy Spirit, for eternity. Amen.

God blessed Noah and his descendants, instructing them to be fruitful and multiply, establishing that all living beings should be in awe of them, both in the waters and on the earth.

However, since we have lost our reverence for God, who commands respect from all creation, we now find ourselves in fear of the creatures that we are meant to manage, those whom our Creator originally entrusted to our care. Instead of having dominion over them, as intended, we have allowed ourselves to be overcome by fear. As God declared to humanity from the outset, “your fear and trembling shall be upon all creatures.”

God has instructed you, the Jewish people, to refrain from certain foods, so that you can remain aware of the Almighty even while you partake of nourishment, as you have a tendency to stray from His knowledge. As Moses stated, The people sat down to eat and drink, and afterwards rose up to play (Exodus 32:6). In another passage, it is written that Israel became dull and obstinate; filled with excess and forsook the God who had formed him (Deuteronomy 32:15). However, it is noted in the Book of Genesis that God permitted Noah, the righteous man, to consume any animal that had died naturally, except for meat with blood.

Upon disembarking from the ark, Noah promptly constructed an altar for the Lord and presented sacrifices of clean animals and birds in gratitude for his rescue from the flood. This offering was acceptable to God. In response, the Lord restored to Noah the original blessings bestowed upon Adam, commanding him to "be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth" (Gen. 9:1-2). Moreover, Noah received the additional blessing to consume meat and fish, which had not been customary in the line of Seth prior to the flood (except among the descendants of Cain and the giants, as recounted in Chaldean tradition, if it holds any truth).

After illustrating God's intention to rejuvenate the world post-flood and safeguard it from calamities, the sacred writer introduces two additional revelations that share similar themes. However, since this prolific nature cannot be seen as excessive, it is evident that these final accounts serve a distinct purpose from the first. The messages of these revelations are not directed solely to Noah, as previously, but encompass all living beings, as warranted by their content, and is not unusual in the Holy Scriptures. While Noah and his sons are addressed, the focus broadens to include the entire human race.

The divine mandate to be fruitful and multiply, to fill the earth and take dominion over it was bestowed upon humanity at the time of creation, as noted in Genesis 1:28. This same divine instruction is reiterated to Noah and his sons, indicating that from them the human race would once again flourish on the earth, which had been renewed following the deluge. It seems that Noah did not father any children after the flood; thus, when the blessing is granted to Noah, it is also understood to encompass his sons, signifying that they are blessed through their father.