Genesis 9:7

KJV

And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.

KJV (with Strong's)

And you, be ye fruitful {H6509}, and multiply {H7235}; bring forth abundantly {H8317} in the earth {H776}, and multiply {H7235} therein.

Complete Jewish Bible

And you people, be fruitful, multiply, swarm on the earth and multiply on it.”

Berean Standard Bible

But as for you, be fruitful and multiply; spread out across the earth and multiply upon it.”

American Standard Version

And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Genesis 9:7, a profound divine utterance to Noah and his sons following the cataclysmic Great Flood, serves as a powerful reiteration of God's foundational command for humanity to "be fruitful, and multiply" and "bring forth abundantly in the earth." This renewed mandate underscores God's enduring covenantal faithfulness and His sovereign plan for the comprehensive repopulation, restoration, and flourishing of the post-diluvian world through humanity, establishing a new epoch and emphasizing His desire for a vibrant, widespread, and abundant human presence across the renewed creation.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Genesis 9:7 is situated immediately after the Great Flood, as Noah and his family emerge from the ark onto a cleansed earth. It forms a crucial part of God's post-Flood covenant with Noah and all living creatures, detailed in [Genesis 9:1-17](/genesis/9-1-17 "The Noahic Covenant"). The preceding verses (Genesis 9:1-6) establish a new order, granting humanity permission to eat meat (with the prohibition against consuming blood) and instituting capital punishment for murder, emphasizing the sanctity of human life. This specific verse, therefore, is not an isolated command but the climax of God's blessing and commissioning of humanity for a new beginning, re-establishing the original creation mandate within a renewed covenantal framework. It directly follows the blessing in [Genesis 9:1](/genesis/9-1 "God's Blessing and Command to Noah"), reinforcing the imperative for multiplication.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The historical context is that of a world devastated by a global flood, with only Noah's family surviving. Humanity had been reduced to eight individuals, making the command to "be fruitful and multiply" not merely a general principle but an immediate, existential necessity for the continuation of the human race. Culturally, ancient Near Eastern societies highly valued fertility and large families as signs of blessing and prosperity, often associating them with divine favor. The command in [Genesis 9:7](/genesis/9-7 "Genesis 9:7 - The Post-Flood Mandate") would have resonated deeply with these cultural values, but here it is presented as a direct divine imperative, establishing God's active role in the repopulation of the earth. Geographically, the command implies a future spread across the entire globe from the initial landing point of the ark, preparing for the eventual dispersion described later in [Genesis 10](/genesis/10 "The Table of Nations").
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Genesis and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it reiterates the theme of **God's ongoing creative purpose** and His desire for life to flourish, echoing the original creation mandate given in [Genesis 1:28](/genesis/1-28 "God's Original Command to Adam and Eve"). Secondly, it highlights **God's covenantal faithfulness**, demonstrating His commitment to humanity and His creation even after judgment, providing a fresh start under the terms of the Noahic Covenant (cf. [Genesis 9:9-17](/genesis/9-9-17 "The Sign of the Covenant - The Rainbow")). Thirdly, it underscores **humanity's unique role as God's image-bearers**, entrusted with the stewardship and repopulation of the earth, reflecting God's own creative abundance and order. Finally, the theme of **restoration and new beginnings** is prominent, as God actively orchestrates the re-establishment of life and order in a world cleansed from corruption.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Fruitful (Hebrew, _pârâh'_):** This primitive root signifies to bear fruit, to be productive, or to show fertility, whether literally in terms of biological reproduction or figuratively in terms of general increase and flourishing. Its usage here emphasizes the inherent capacity for life and growth that God has instilled in humanity, enabling the continuation and expansion of the human race.
* **Multiply (Hebrew, _râbâh'_):** This root carries the meaning of increasing in number, becoming numerous, or abounding in any respect. It denotes extensive growth, expansion, and abundance. In conjunction with "fruitful," it emphasizes not just the act of reproduction but the resultant vast increase in population, ensuring the earth would be filled.
* **Bring forth abundantly (Hebrew, _shârats'_):** This primitive root means to wriggle, swarm, or abound. It often describes the teeming abundance of living creatures, particularly smaller ones, but here it is applied to humanity, conveying the idea of a vigorous, prolific, and widespread increase. It suggests a rapid and pervasive filling of the earth with human life, akin to a swarm.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And you, be ye fruitful,"**: This clause is a direct, imperative command from God to Noah and his sons, representing all of humanity. It is a divine blessing and a directive for procreation, emphasizing the inherent capacity and responsibility to bear offspring. It establishes the foundational act of reproduction as divinely ordained.
* **"and multiply;"**: Following the command to be fruitful, this clause reinforces the idea of numerical increase. It's not just about having children, but about having many children and subsequent generations, leading to a significant growth in population. This ensures the rapid repopulation of the earth after the flood.
* **"bring forth abundantly in the earth,"**: This phrase emphasizes the prolific nature of the desired increase. The word "abundantly" (Hebrew: _shârats_) conveys a sense of teeming, swarming, or rapidly spreading life. It implies that humanity is to not merely exist but to flourish and spread out vigorously across the entire globe, filling it with their presence.
* **"and multiply therein."**: This final clause reiterates the command to "multiply," providing a strong emphasis on the comprehensive nature of the divine mandate. The repetition serves to underscore the urgency and importance of the command, ensuring that humanity not only increases in number but also spreads throughout the earth, inhabiting and developing it.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices. **Repetition** is prominently used with the double occurrence of "multiply" ("and multiply; ... and multiply therein"). This repetition serves to intensify the command, emphasizing its critical importance and the comprehensive nature of God's desire for humanity's numerical increase and spatial dispersion. The phrase "be ye fruitful, and multiply" itself is a **divine mandate** or **imperative**, a direct command from God, signifying His authority and sovereign will for creation. The language is also rich in **blessing**, as the ability to be fruitful and multiply is presented as a divine gift and a sign of favor, enabling the continuation of life. Furthermore, the verse functions as a **reiteration** of the original creation mandate in [Genesis 1:28](/genesis/1-28 "God's Original Command to Adam and Eve"), establishing a thematic link across different epochs of salvation history and highlighting God's consistent purpose for humanity.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Genesis 9:7 stands as a powerful testament to God's unwavering commitment to His creation and His redemptive plan for humanity. It is not merely a biological instruction but a theological statement about God's desire for life, order, and the flourishing of His image-bearers on earth. This command reaffirms the sanctity of human life and God's intention for humanity to fill and steward the earth, reflecting His own creative abundance. It highlights that even after judgment, God's purposes remain steadfast, offering grace and a new beginning.

* [Genesis 1:28](/genesis/1-28 "God's Original Command to Adam and Eve to Be Fruitful")
* [Genesis 17:6](/genesis/17-6 "God's Promise of Fruitfulness to Abraham")
* [Psalm 127:3-5](/psalms/127-3-5 "Children as a Heritage from the Lord")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While the literal command in Genesis 9:7 for physical procreation was crucial for the repopulation of the earth after the Flood, its underlying principles hold profound spiritual and practical applications for believers today. It underscores the biblical value of family, marriage, and the raising of children within a godly household, contributing to the continuation of human society and the transmission of faith across generations. Beyond physical multiplication, Christians are called to embody a spiritual fruitfulness, manifesting the character of Christ—the "fruit of the Spirit" as described in [Galatians 5:22-23](/galatians/5-22-23 "The Fruit of the Spirit"). This mandate also extends to actively participating in the growth of God's kingdom, fulfilling the [Great Commission](/matthew/28-19-20 "The Great Commission to Make Disciples") by sharing the Gospel and making disciples, thereby multiplying the number of those who know and follow Christ. Furthermore, the command to "bring forth abundantly in the earth" implies a profound responsibility for wise and loving stewardship of God's creation, ensuring its health and sustainability for future generations, reflecting God's desire for abundance and order in all aspects of life.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the command to "be fruitful and multiply" extend beyond physical procreation to spiritual fruitfulness in a believer's life today?**
* **In what ways can we, as individuals and as the Church, "bring forth abundantly in the earth" in a manner that reflects God's kingdom values?**
* **What are our responsibilities as stewards of creation, given God's desire for humanity to "multiply therein" and flourish on the earth?**

### FAQ
**Is the command to "be fruitful and multiply" still binding on all people today?**

Answer: While the literal command to procreate remains a general principle for humanity, its primary significance in [Genesis 9:7](/genesis/9-7 "Genesis 9:7 - The Post-Flood Mandate") is within the specific context of repopulating the earth after the global flood. For believers today, the principle extends beyond mere physical procreation to encompass spiritual fruitfulness, the multiplication of disciples, and responsible stewardship of God's creation, reflecting the broader scope of God's kingdom work and the call to spread the Gospel across the globe (cf. [Matthew 28:19](/matthew/28-19 "The Great Commission")).

**How does this verse relate to environmental stewardship?**

Answer: The command to "bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein" implies that humanity is intended to fill and manage the earth. This inherently includes a profound responsibility for wise stewardship of God's creation. For humanity to "bring forth abundantly" and thrive, the earth must be capable of sustaining life, which necessitates careful management of its resources and ecosystems. This mandate calls for humanity to cultivate, protect, and preserve the environment, ensuring its health and fruitfulness for current and future generations, aligning with the original call to "work and keep" the garden in [Genesis 2:15](/genesis/2-15 "Adam's Role in the Garden of Eden").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Genesis 9:7 is a command given in the pre-Mosaic era, it finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, who inaugurates a new creation and a spiritual multiplication that transcends mere physical lineage. Just as Noah's family was tasked with physically repopulating the earth, Christ's followers are commissioned to spiritually "multiply" by making disciples of all nations, filling the earth with the knowledge of God's glory through the Gospel (cf. [Matthew 28:19-20](/matthew/28-19-20 "The Great Commission")). The "fruitfulness" God desires is supremely demonstrated in the life of Christ, the true vine (cf. [John 15:5](/john/15-5 "Jesus, the True Vine")), and then manifested in believers through the indwelling Holy Spirit, producing the "fruit of the Spirit" (cf. [Galatians 5:22-23](/galatians/5-22-23 "The Fruit of the Spirit")). This spiritual fruitfulness, which is the character of Christ formed within us, represents a deeper and eternal fulfillment of God's desire for abundant life, transformed and renewed through union with Him. Christ is the ultimate "seed" through whom God's promises of blessing and multiplication are realized, not just for a physical lineage, but for a spiritual family spanning every tribe, tongue, people, and nation (cf. [Revelation 7:9](/revelation/7-9 "A Multitude from Every Nation")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Genesis 1:28

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, 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.

Genesis 9:1

¶ And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

Genesis 9:19

These [are] the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.

Genesis 8:17

Bring forth with thee every living thing that [is] with thee, of all flesh, [both] of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.