Bible Strands
Genesis 9:1
And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — God addresses Noah and his sons immediately after the flood narrative. He pronounces a blessing that establishes a new directive for post-diluvian humanity.
The words — The Hebrew verb פְּרוּ (pe.Ru) translates literally as "be fruitful," while וַיְבָרֶךְ (va.yi.Va.rekh) means "and he blessed." These terms frame the command as a divinely granted capacity rather than a mere human initiative.
The thread — This reproductive mandate reappears in Genesis 1:28 and is restated in Genesis 9:7. It also links to the preceding ark departure command in Genesis 8:17.
Why it lands — The text explicitly commands Noah’s family to reproduce and populate the earth without adding territorial or dominion claims. It requires readers to obey a clear directive to spread across the land as a direct response to divine blessing.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
Cross-references
- Genesis 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.”
- Genesis 9:7 But as for you, be fruitful and multiply; spread out across the earth and multiply upon it.”
- Genesis 8:17 Bring out all the living creatures that are with you—birds, livestock, and everything that crawls upon the ground—so that they can spread out over the earth and be fruitful and multiply upon it.”
- Genesis 1:22 Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters of the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”
- Psalms 128:3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine flourishing within your house, your sons like olive shoots sitting around your table.
- Isaiah 51:2 Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who gave you birth. When I called him, he was but one; then I blessed him and multiplied him.
- Genesis 2:3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished.
- Genesis 10:32 All these are the clans of Noah’s sons, according to their generations and nations. From these the nations of the earth spread out after the flood.
- Genesis 24:60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands upon thousands. May your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.”
- Genesis 9:19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from them the whole earth was populated.