Genesis 9:2 kjv
And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.
Genesis 9:2 nkjv
And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand.
Genesis 9:2 niv
The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands.
Genesis 9:2 esv
The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered.
Genesis 9:2 nlt
All the animals of the earth, all the birds of the sky, all the small animals that scurry along the ground, and all the fish in the sea will look on you with fear and terror. I have placed them in your power.
Genesis 9 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 1:28 | God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living... | Initial mandate for human dominion/stewardship over creation. |
| Gen 9:1 | God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth." | Repeats the command for procreation and filling the earth after the flood. |
| Gen 9:3 | "Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things." | Connects to permission for meat, requiring control over animals. |
| Ps 8:6 | "You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet..." | Reaffirms human dominion over creation. |
| Ps 8:7-8 | "...all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea..." | Specifies the scope of human rule, echoing Gen 9:2's animal list. |
| Jas 3:7 | "All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind..." | Acknowledges the reality of human ability to tame wild creatures. |
| Lev 26:6 | "I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid; I will remove wild beasts from the land..." | Implies animals can pose a threat, but God provides security. |
| Ezek 34:25 | "I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of savage beasts, so that they may live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests in safety." | Prophecy of a future state of security, where fear from beasts is removed. |
| Isa 11:6-9 | "The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat... They will not harm or destroy on all my holy mountain..." | Eschatological vision of creation peace where fear and predation cease. |
| Hos 2:18 | "In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the creatures that move along the ground..." | Future reversal of human-animal relations, peace, absence of fear. |
| 1 Cor 15:27 | "For he 'has put everything under his feet.'" | Ultimate fulfillment of dominion through Christ, referencing Ps 8. |
| Eph 1:22 | "And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church..." | Christ's ultimate authority over all creation. |
| Heb 2:8 | "...you put everything under their feet. In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them." | Highlights God's plan for dominion through humanity, even with present limitations. |
| Rom 8:20-21 | "For the creation was subjected to frustration... that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay..." | Creation groans due to humanity's sin, awaits full redemption, suggesting its current state is not ideal. |
| Gen 1:26 | "Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky..." | Basis for humanity's unique position and authority in creation. |
| Gen 2:19-20 | Adam naming the animals demonstrates his authority and classification of them. | Practical exercise of early human dominion and understanding of creation. |
| Jer 8:17 | "See, I will send venomous snakes among you... and they will bite you," declares the Lord. | Illustrates how fear and danger from animals can be instruments of divine judgment. |
| Job 5:23 | "For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the wild animals will be at peace with you." | God's protective covenant includes harmonious relationships even with animals. |
| Ps 104:21 | "The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God." | Animals naturally fear humans, but still derive sustenance from God. |
| Ecc 3:19 | "For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so does the other. They all have the same breath..." | Acknowledges shared mortality but implies distinction in spiritual roles. |
Genesis 9 verses
Genesis 9 2 Meaning
Genesis 9:2 signifies God's re-establishment of human dominion over the animal kingdom following the Flood. This dominion, however, is now manifested through an innate "fear" and "dread" instilled in animals towards humanity. This divine act serves as a protective measure for humanity, enabling their survival and facilitating their God-given role as stewards over creation in a post-Fall world. It also implies the provision of animals for human sustenance and use.
Genesis 9 2 Context
Genesis chapter 9 follows immediately after the Great Flood, signifying a new beginning for humanity and all living creatures. God has preserved Noah and his family, along with a remnant of animals, in the ark. This chapter details God's covenant with Noah, often referred to as the Noahic Covenant. Verse 2 is part of God's blessing and re-commissioning of humanity (Gen 9:1-7), specifically addressing their relationship with the natural world. It comes before the allowance of eating meat (Gen 9:3) and the institution of capital punishment (Gen 9:5-6). The immediate historical context is a world reset, one scarred by sin and judgment, yet renewed by God's grace and a promise never to destroy all life by flood again. The verses lay the groundwork for a new world order where humanity is protected and provided for, given a means to survive and manage the vastly more numerous and potentially dangerous animal populations.
Genesis 9 2 Word analysis
- And the fear (וּמוֹרָא - u·mora): The Hebrew word mora denotes dread, terror, or awe. Here, it refers to an innate, God-instilled apprehension that animals feel towards humans. This is not fear born from human physical strength, but a divine imprint establishing hierarchy. It acts as a protective measure for humanity.
- of you and the dread (וְחִתַּתְכֶם - və·ḥit·tat·ḵem): ḥittah means terror, dismay, or a striking down. Paired with mora, it intensifies the idea of an involuntary, deep-seated sense of awe and apprehension animals experience. It highlights God's supernatural establishment of human dominance.
- shall be upon every beast of the earth: This indicates the universality of this new reality. "Every beast" underscores that this divine endowment applies to all terrestrial mammals.
- and upon every fowl of the air: Extends the scope of this God-given dominion to all birds, irrespective of their size or habitat.
- upon all that moveth upon the earth: This inclusive phrase, kol remes ha’aretz (every creeping thing/swarming thing of the earth), likely covers a broader category including reptiles, amphibians, and smaller creatures. It emphasizes the comprehensive nature of this divine decree over the land.
- and upon all the fishes of the sea: Includes marine life, ensuring humanity's sway extends over creatures in the water. This completes the trifecta of air, land, and sea, signifying total, global dominion.
- into your hand (בְּיֶדְכֶם - bə·yed·ḵem): This is a common Hebrew idiom signifying power, authority, or possession. It means "under your control" or "within your power."
- are they delivered (נִתָּנוּ - nit·ta·nū): From the root natan, meaning "to give" or "to place." In the niphal stem (passive voice), it means "they are given," "they are placed," or "they are delivered." It unequivocally states that this authority is a divine bestowal, not something humanity achieved by its own strength. It's an act of God's sovereign will and provision.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "And the fear of you and the dread of you": This phrase highlights a supernaturally endowed disposition. It is not something humans cultivated, but a protective instinct implanted by God into the animals. This prevents animals from indiscriminately preying on humans, crucial for the fragile re-establishment of humanity after the Flood.
- "shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea": This comprehensive listing demonstrates the universality and completeness of human dominion. It encompasses all classes of animals across all habitats, signifying that no creature is outside this divinely established hierarchy. It is a reassertion of the Gen 1:28 mandate in a post-Fall context.
- "into your hand are they delivered": This signifies the transfer of divine authority and stewardship. It means God has given humanity power over animals for their use and management. This power is not absolute, implying responsibility and a proper relationship as stewards under God, rather than unrestrained exploitation. It is a foundational statement for the future allowance of eating meat.
Genesis 9 2 Bonus section
- Ethical Implications: While granting dominion and acknowledging fear, this verse does not condone cruelty to animals. The "fear and dread" are a divine provision for safety and sustenance, not an excuse for abuse. Proper human stewardship, which reflects God's own care for creation, is always implied.
- Contrast with Paganism: In many ancient cultures, animals were worshipped or seen as deities. This verse implicitly pushes back against such notions by clearly asserting humanity's divinely ordained authority over all creatures, emphasizing their position as servants of God's plan rather than objects of worship themselves.
- Nature of the Fear: The fear is supernatural, not simply behavioral. Even animals in the wild, prior to human intervention, demonstrate this inherent apprehension. This points to God's active, ongoing decree rather than a passive observation of animal behavior.
- Anticipation of Future Redemption: While current human-animal relations involve fear, prophetic passages (like Isa 11:6-9, Hos 2:18) envision a future eschatological state where this fear will be removed, and peaceful coexistence will be restored, reflecting a return to an Edenic ideal. This highlights that the current state is a result of the fallen world, and not the ultimate or perfect ideal.
Genesis 9 2 Commentary
Genesis 9:2 is a profound statement regarding God's continued order in a world fundamentally altered by sin and judgment. It reaffirms humanity's unique position as God's vice-regents over creation, first declared in Gen 1:28. However, this re-establishment of dominion introduces a new nuance: an inherent fear and dread in animals towards humans. This isn't merely a consequence of human power or a response to predation; it's a divine, supernatural imprint on the animal kingdom, ensuring human safety and enabling their ability to thrive and replenish the earth after the Flood.
This fear safeguards humanity from being overwhelmed by the vastly more numerous and often physically superior animal population. It serves as a necessary component of God's covenant with Noah, which provides for human existence in a post-Edenic world where the relationship between humanity and creation has been strained. It's a provision for survival and sustenance, laying the groundwork for the allowance of meat consumption (Gen 9:3). While providing humanity with a practical advantage, this divine gift also implicitly carries the responsibility of good stewardship, reflecting God's order and not a license for wanton cruelty. The verse positions humanity at the head of earthly creation, accountable to God alone for how they exercise this immense, God-given power.