Genesis 9:10 kjv

And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.

Genesis 9:10 nkjv

and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth.

Genesis 9:10 niv

and with every living creature that was with you?the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you?every living creature on earth.

Genesis 9:10 esv

and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth.

Genesis 9:10 nlt

and with all the animals that were on the boat with you ? the birds, the livestock, and all the wild animals ? every living creature on earth.

Genesis 9 verses

Genesis 9 10 Meaning

Genesis 9:10 explicitly defines the recipient of God's post-flood covenant with Noah. It emphasizes that the divine pledge to never again destroy all life by flood extends not only to Noah and his descendants but also universally to "every living creature" that was with him in the ark, encompassing all birds, livestock, and wild animals. This reiterates the cosmic and comprehensive scope of God's faithfulness, guaranteeing the continued existence of all terrestrial life based on its connection to the ark's preservation.

Genesis 9 10 Context

Genesis 9:10 is part of the "Noahic Covenant" (Gen 9:1-17), established immediately after the Great Flood. Chapters 6-8 describe the sinfulness of humanity leading to God's judgment through the flood, and His miraculous preservation of Noah, his family, and representative animal kinds within the ark. With humanity's new beginning on a cleansed earth, God initiates a universal, unconditional covenant. Verse 8 specifies the covenant is with Noah and his offspring, and verse 9 immediately expands it to "every living creature." Verse 10 specifically elaborates on which living creatures are included, explicitly detailing "birds, livestock, and all wild animals of the earth," emphasizing their direct connection to those saved in the ark. This declaration prefaces the introduction of the rainbow as the eternal sign of this divine commitment. Historically, this covenant reassures humanity that while sin remains, God will not use a global flood for judgment again, and life on earth will endure according to established cycles (Gen 8:22). It subtly contrasts with ancient Near Eastern flood myths where deities were often whimsical and their commitments unreliable, asserting the steadfast and moral nature of the God of Israel.

Genesis 9 10 Word analysis

• וְאֵת (ve'et): "And with"

  • This opening conjunction links this verse directly to Gen 9:9, where God establishes the covenant with Noah and his descendants. It signifies an addition or extension of the covenant's beneficiaries.
  • It points to the inclusion of another distinct party in the covenant, indicating its breadth.

• כָּל (kol): "every" or "all"

  • This term is crucial, denoting totality and universality. It underlines that no category of living creature is excluded.
  • It expresses God's comprehensive care and absolute commitment across all biological life.

• נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh) הַחַיָּה (ha-chayyah): "living creature" or "soul of life"

  • Nephesh means "soul," "life," or "being." When paired with hayyah (living), it emphasizes any animated, breathing being.
  • This phrasing underscores the sacredness of life itself and God's intent to preserve it. It confirms the covenant's reach beyond humanity to sentient animal life.

• אֲשֶׁר (asher) אִתְּכֶם (itkhem): "that which is with you" or "that which is by you"

  • This phrase directly links the animals in the covenant to their presence with Noah at that moment, emphasizing their physical proximity and the shared experience of the ark's preservation.
  • It clarifies that the covenant pertains to the "current" animal population which descends from those saved from the flood.

• בָּעוֹף (ba-of): "in the birds" or "among the fowl"

  • Explicitly names the avian species, indicating that the covenant applies to all winged creatures. This covers the air domain.

• בַּבְּהֵמָה (ba-behemah): "in the livestock" or "among the cattle"

  • Specifically mentions domesticated animals. These were typically important for human sustenance and labor, highlighting God's care for those connected to human welfare.

• וּבְכָל (u've'chol) חַיַּת (chayyat) הָאָרֶץ (ha-aretz): "and in all wild animals of the earth" or "and in every living thing of the earth"

  • Refers to untamed, wild creatures. This ensures the covenant's scope covers every corner of the animal kingdom, irrespective of their relationship with humanity. It covers the land domain.

• אִתְּכֶם (itkhem): "with you"

  • This is a significant repetition from earlier in the verse ("that which is with you"). The repeated emphasis highlights the direct, personal connection of all these animal types with Noah at the moment of covenant establishment. It is not an abstract concept but applies to those very animals (and their future progeny) that emerged from the ark alongside Noah's family. It cements the idea that they were recipients because they shared the ark's preservation with Noah.

• מִכֹּל (mikol) יֹצֵא (yotzei) מִן (min) הַתֵּבָה (ha-tevah): "of all that came out from the ark"

  • This phrase serves as the defining characteristic of the covenanted creatures. It confirms the origin of the life being covered by the covenant – specifically those species preserved through the flood.
  • It links the promise to the act of divine salvation and selection in the ark, making the covenant a logical extension of God's prior act of preservation.

• לְכֹל (l'kol) חַיַּת (chayyat) הָאָרֶץ (ha-aretz): "to every living creature of the earth"

  • This concluding phrase is a powerful recapitulation and ultimate clarification of the covenant's reach. It restates the full universality in the broadest possible terms.
  • It functions as a summation, ensuring no ambiguity: God’s pledge of no more global floods applies to all living creatures populating the earth, stemming from the ark. It serves as a comprehensive "to be sure" clause.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "and with every living creature that was with you": This initial grouping immediately expands the scope of the covenant beyond Noah's human lineage (mentioned in v. 9) to all biological life. The phrase "that was with you" emphasizes their shared survival in the ark as the basis for their inclusion in this new divine commitment. It's a unilateral act of grace from God.

• "the birds, the livestock, and all the wild animals of the earth": This tripartite enumeration categorizes and confirms the comprehensive nature of "every living creature." It covers all primary domains of animal life – air (birds), domesticated land animals (livestock), and wild land animals (wild animals) – signifying that the covenant leaves no major class of creature out. It speaks to the holistic restoration God intends for creation.

• "with you—of all that came out of the ark": This section emphasizes the ark as the critical locus of preservation and therefore the specific "generation" of life with whom this covenant is being made. It's not a covenant with abstract animal categories, but with the actual survivors and their subsequent generations who descend from those rescued individuals. This highlights the foundational role of the ark event in God's covenant with creation.

• "every living creature of the earth": This final reinforcing statement powerfully reiterates the universality and permanency of God's commitment. It leaves no room for doubt; the covenant ensures the survival of all life forms on Earth that trace their lineage back to the ark, guaranteeing stable biological existence under divine promise.

Genesis 9 10 Bonus section

The inclusion of animals in the covenant highlights a crucial theological point: creation itself has intrinsic value to God, not just utilitarian value to humans. While humanity is distinct and given dominion, God's promise here is independent of human behavior or faithfulness. This establishes a "creation ethic" that acknowledges God's ongoing relationship with and responsibility for the non-human world. The covenant ensures the stability of the natural order—the regular cycle of seasons, day and night (Gen 8:22)—which provides the stable context for human life and God's unfolding redemptive plan through history. It prefigures New Testament themes where all creation groans for redemption and will ultimately be reconciled to God through Christ (Rom 8:19-22; Col 1:20), indicating God's redemptive work has a cosmic scope beyond humanity alone.

Genesis 9 10 Commentary

Genesis 9:10 stands as a profound testament to God's enduring love and care for His entire creation, not solely humanity. Following the cataclysmic flood, this verse clarifies the recipients of God's unconditional Noahic Covenant. While verse 9 includes Noah and his descendants, verse 10 expands this grace to all terrestrial animal life. The repeated emphasis on "every living creature," specifically categorizing birds, livestock, and wild animals, and linking them directly to "all that came out of the ark," demonstrates a divine commitment that is broad, explicit, and universal. This is a foundational covenant, often referred to as the "Covenant of Common Grace," because it sustains life on Earth for both the righteous and the unrighteous. It showcases God's self-restraint and faithfulness to preserve the cosmic order, ensuring the continued existence of diverse life forms, irrespective of human action or merit. This promise, sealed later by the sign of the rainbow, guarantees that life on Earth will not be extinguished again by a global flood, establishing a baseline stability necessary for future human history and redemption.

• Example 1: When heavy rain falls, knowing God's covenant from Gen 9:10 helps reassure believers that He will not destroy all life with a flood again.
• Example 2: Observing the diversity of animal life, we are reminded that God's plan for creation includes all creatures, not just humanity, prompting gratitude for His care.