Genesis 9:5

And surely I will require the life of any man or beast by whose hand your lifeblood is shed. I will demand an accounting from anyone who takes the life of his fellow man:

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God addresses Noah and his sons immediately after the flood, establishing post-diluvian order.

The words — אֶדְרֹשׁ ('ed.Rosh) means "I will seek," denoting a formal demand for accountability. מִ/יַּ֥ד (mi./Yad) translates as "from the hand of," specifying direct human or animal agency in shedding blood.

The thread — The demand for blood accountability appears in Exodus 21:12 for intentional homicide and Exodus 21:28 for lethal animal actions, while mirroring the divine inquiry pattern in Genesis 4:9.

Why it lands — The text states that God will require a life from any human or beast that sheds blood, requiring readers to acknowledge that violence triggers divine accounting rather than escaping human jurisdiction.

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

וְאַ֨ךְve./'Akhand/ nevertheless אֶת־'et-<obj.>דִּמְכֶ֤םdim./Khemblood of/ your לְנַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶם֙le./naf.sho.tei./Khemof/ lives/ you אֶדְרֹ֔שׁ'ed.RoshI will seek מִיַּ֥דmi./Yadfrom/ [the] hand of כָּל־kol-every חַיָּ֖הchai.Yahanimal אֶדְרְשֶׁ֑נּוּ'ed.re.She./nuI will seek/ it וּמִיַּ֣דu./mi./Yadand/ from/ [the] hand of הָֽאָדָ֗םha./'a.Dam<the>/ humankind מִיַּד֙mi./Yadfrom/ [the] hand of אִ֣ישׁ'isheach אָחִ֔יו'a.Chi/vbrother/ his אֶדְרֹ֖שׁ'ed.RoshI will seek אֶת־'et-<obj.>נֶ֥פֶשׁNe.fesh[the] life of הָֽאָדָֽם׃Ha./'a.Dam<the>/ humankind

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Exodus 21:28 If an ox gores a man or woman to death, the ox must surely be stoned, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the ox shall not be held responsible.
Exodus 21:12 Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death.
Genesis 4:9 And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Numbers 35:31 You are not to accept a ransom for the life of a murderer who deserves to die; he must surely be put to death.
Psalms 9:12 For the Avenger of bloodshed remembers; He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.
Exodus 20:13 You shall not murder.
Leviticus 19:16 You must not go about spreading slander among your people. You must not endanger the life of your neighbor. I am the LORD.
Deuteronomy 21:1 If one is found slain, lying in a field in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess, and it is not known who killed him,
Matthew 23:35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
Acts 17:26 From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.