Genesis 9:5 kjv

And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.

Genesis 9:5 nkjv

Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man's brother I will require the life of man.

Genesis 9:5 niv

And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.

Genesis 9:5 esv

And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.

Genesis 9:5 nlt

"And I will require the blood of anyone who takes another person's life. If a wild animal kills a person, it must die. And anyone who murders a fellow human must die.

Genesis 9 verses

Genesis 9 5 Meaning

God here declares a profound principle: He holds every living being accountable for the shedding of human life. This declaration specifically details that life (the soul, nefesh) is inherently tied to blood (dam) and its unlawful shedding will require a divine reckoning. This reckoning applies to both animals that take human life and, most emphatically, to humans who take the life of their fellow man. It underscores the sanctity of human life by establishing the divine justice system, anticipating future covenantal laws.

Genesis 9 5 Context

Genesis 9:5 occurs immediately after the universal flood, within the context of God's covenant with Noah and all living creatures (the Noahic Covenant). Following a devastated world where "the earth was filled with violence" (Gen 6:11, 13) leading to its destruction, God now establishes new guidelines for human interaction and the preservation of life in the post-Flood era. He grants permission to eat meat for the first time but prohibits consuming blood, linking it directly to the life principle (Gen 9:3-4). This verse (9:5) then lays the foundational legal and moral framework for respecting human life, preceding the institution of capital punishment for homicide in verse 6, and is anchored in the concept of humanity being made in God's image (Gen 9:6). It reflects God's renewed ordering of creation and a commitment to maintain order through divine and, later, human accountability.

Genesis 9 5 Word analysis

• And for your lifeblood (וְאַךְ אֶת־דִּמְכֶם לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם - ve'akh et-dim'khem le'nafshoteikhem):

  • וְאַךְ (ve'akh): "And indeed," "but surely." An emphatic particle signifying certainty and a strong declaration, setting a solemn tone. It highlights the divine resolve.
  • דִּמְכֶם (dim'khem): "Your blood." Refers to human blood. In Hebrew thought, blood is the essence of life itself, the very principle animating the body.
  • לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם (le'nafshoteikhem): "For your lives" or "for your souls." Nefesh (נֶפֶשׁ) denotes not just physical life but the living soul, the person, the totality of being. Connecting "blood" with "life/soul" emphasizes that shedding blood means destroying a person, a life, a soul. This phrasing highlights God's demand for restitution specifically because human lives are destroyed.

• I will require a reckoning (אֶדְרֹשׁ - edrosh):

  • אֶדְרֹשׁ (edrosh): From the root darash (דָּרַשׁ), meaning "to seek," "inquire," "require," "demand," "investigate," or "exact an account." Here, it signifies a strong divine demand for justice and accountability. God is actively pursuing the matter. This is not merely an observation but an active determination to impose consequences for bloodshed. It speaks of divine scrutiny and retribution.

• from every beast (מִיַּד כָּל־חַיָּה - miyyad kol-ḥayyah):

  • מִיַּד (miyyad): "From the hand of." Idiomatically signifies "from the responsibility of," or "from the power/agency of." It indicates the source of the accountability.
  • כָּל־חַיָּה (kol-ḥayyah): "Every beast" or "every living creature." This is a unique and significant declaration. Even animals are held accountable by God for taking human life. This does not imply moral culpability for the animal, but highlights the absolute sanctity of human life. The value of the human life is so paramount that even an animal's life is forfeited if it violates a human's life.

• and from man. From his fellow man (וּמִיַּד הָאָדָם מִיַּד אִישׁ אָחִיו - u'miyade ha'adam miyyad ish akhiv):

  • הָאָדָם (ha'adam): "The man," referring to humanity generally. This begins the transition to human accountability.
  • מִיַּד אִישׁ אָחִיו (miyyad ish akhiv): "From the hand of a man, his brother/fellow man." This specific phrasing underscores the personal and familial aspect of homicide. It’s not just any person taking a life, but one human being taking the life of another who shares the same humanity—a brother or kinsman in a broader sense. This intensifies the moral gravity, framing it as an internal betrayal within the human family, reinforcing shared humanity and mutual responsibility.

• I will require a reckoning for the life of man (אֶדְרֹשׁ אֶת־נֶפֶשׁ הָאָדָם - edrosh et-nefesh ha'adam):

  • אֶדְרֹשׁ (edrosh): Repetition of the strong "I will require a reckoning" emphasizes God's unwavering commitment to this principle.
  • אֶת־נֶפֶשׁ הָאָדָם (et-nefesh ha'adam): "The life of the man/humanity." Re-emphasizes nefesh (life/soul/person) as the core element that demands divine justice. The repetition of "the man" (ha'adam) stresses that this principle applies universally to any human life taken.

Genesis 9 5 Bonus section

• This verse, read alongside Genesis 9:6, forms the bedrock of the biblical justification for capital punishment, directly linking it to the sanctity of human life and the imago Dei.
• The phrase "from the hand of" (מִיַּד) implies active agency and therefore, responsibility. God identifies who is actively responsible for the death.
• The twice-repeated "I will require a reckoning" (edrosh) signifies an unbreakable, divine promise of judicial action and implies that divine justice will be pursued without fail, whether immediately or eventually.
• While not explicitly "murder," the shedding of blood (deliberately or accidentally causing death) is under divine scrutiny. This comprehensive language anticipates the distinctions found in later Mosaic Law between intentional murder and accidental killing (e.g., Numbers 35).
• The inclusion of animals in the reckoning highlights the universal scope of this divine decree and emphasizes the profound importance of human life above all other creaturely life, distinct from the animal creation over which humanity was granted dominion.
• This establishes a pre-Mosaic universal law, binding on all humanity, regardless of their participation in later covenants like the Mosaic.

Genesis 9 5 Commentary

Genesis 9:5 marks a pivotal moment in divine law and moral order. God, having reset creation after the flood, explicitly establishes the sacredness of human life and the principle of its divine protection. The primary message is God's ultimate ownership and valuation of human life. This divine valuing is so absolute that even the animal kingdom is made subservient to it, demanding a reckoning from beasts for human bloodshed. The most significant declaration, however, is for human perpetrators of homicide: God will specifically and certainly demand an account for a man taking his fellow man's life. This solemn divine declaration sets the stage for the institution of capital punishment in the following verse (Gen 9:6), which serves as a human mechanism reflecting God's ultimate justice. It demonstrates that life's shedding defiles creation and calls for an act of divine re-ordering through judgment, underlining the unparalleled value God places on humans, uniquely made in His image. This law underscores that bloodshed is not just a crime against an individual or society but, fundamentally, a grievous offense against God Himself.