Genesis 9:1
¶ And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
And God {H430} blessed {H1288} Noah {H5146} and his sons {H1121}, and said {H559} unto them, Be fruitful {H6509}, and multiply {H7235}, and replenish {H4390} the earth {H776}.
God blessed Noach and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth.
And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.
And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
Cross-References
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Genesis 9:7 (9 votes)
And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein. -
Genesis 1:28 (8 votes)
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 8:17 (5 votes)
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. -
Genesis 1:22 (4 votes)
And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. -
Psalms 128:3 (3 votes)
Thy wife [shall be] as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. -
Psalms 128:4 (3 votes)
Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD. -
Isaiah 51:2 (2 votes)
Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah [that] bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.
Commentary
Genesis 9:1 KJV Commentary
Context of Genesis 9:1
Following the devastating Great Flood, Noah and his family, along with the animals in the ark, emerge onto a cleansed earth. This verse marks a pivotal moment: God's direct interaction with the sole survivors of humanity, signifying a fresh start for creation. It immediately precedes the establishment of the Noahic covenant, a promise never again to destroy the earth with a flood. This passage sets the stage for the repopulation of the world and God's renewed relationship with humanity.
Key Themes and Messages
Linguistic Insights
The KJV phrase "replenish the earth" often leads to misunderstanding, as it might imply a need to *re-fill* a previously populated earth. However, the Hebrew word for "replenish" here is male (מָלֵא), which simply means "to fill" or "to make full." It carries the sense of completing or making abundant, not necessarily refilling something that was once full and then emptied. This command is about filling the newly cleansed earth. Similarly, "blessed" (barak) conveys divine empowerment for prosperity and fruitfulness, while "be fruitful" (parah) and "multiply" (rabah) emphasize fertility and increase in numbers, highlighting God's desire for human flourishing.
Practical Application
Genesis 9:1 reminds us of God's enduring faithfulness and His desire for life and growth even after periods of judgment or difficulty. It highlights the divine importance of family and the continuation of humanity. For believers, it reinforces the concept that God's blessings often come with a purpose – in this case, to participate in His ongoing plan for the world. It also subtly speaks to our role as stewards of the earth, entrusted with its care and the propagation of life within it, reflecting God's original design for creation and demonstrating His sovereign will for humanity to thrive.
Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.