Genesis 9:1–3

In its context

Its words in the original

• יְבָרֶךְyevarech· bless, kneel

  Bless. When God blesses, he gives good: life, children, fruit, prosperity. When a person "blesses God", he gives him nothing: he praises and thanks him. Between people, it is wishing the other the good that comes from God; also greet. The root also means kneel.

• אֱלֹהִיםelohim· Elohim, God, gods

  The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.

• נֹחַnoach· Noah

  Noah, son of Lamech, the man who found favor with YHWH and was saved with his family in the ark from the flood. In Hebrew "Noach" sounds like "rest" and "comfort" (Genesis 5:29).

• בָּנָיbanay· son

  Son. In the plural it can include sons and daughters, and also grandsons and descendants. "Son of..." also says what group someone belongs to ("sons of Israel" = Israelites).

• יֹּאמֶרyomer· say

  Say, speak. The most common verb for bringing in what someone says; sometimes "think" (say to oneself) or "command".

• פְּרוּperu· be fruitful

  Bear fruit; be fruitful, have descendants.

• רְבוּrevu· multiply, increase

  Become many, increase in number or amount; multiply. In the causative form, make many, do much.

• מִלְאוּmilu· fill, be full

  Fill or be full; also fulfill or complete (a time, a word given).

• אָרֶץarets· earth, land

  The earth, in two senses: the whole world in contrast with the heavens, or a particular country or region ("the land of Egypt").

• מוֹרַאֲmoraa· fear, terror

  Fear, the dread someone inspires; a fearful deed.

• חִתְּchit· dread, terror

  Dread, terror; dismayed.

• יִהְיֶהyihye· be, become, happen

  Be, exist; also "become" or "happen". It is the verb of "there was", "it was" and "it came to pass".

• חַיַּתchayat· living, animal, life

  Living, alive; also fresh (of water). As a noun, "living thing" or "animal" (above all wild animals); in the plural, "life".

• עוֹףof· bird

  Bird; any creature that flies. It is usually singular with a collective sense: "the birds".

• שָּׁמָיִםshamayim· heavens, sky

  The heavens: what is above, where the clouds, the sun and the stars are seen; also the dwelling of God. In Hebrew it is always plural. With birds, "the sky".

• תִּרְמֹשׂtirmos· creep, move

  Move along the ground or glide: creep, crawl. It is said of small land animals and also of those that move in the water.

• אֲדָמָהadama· ground, land

  The ground, the soil that is tilled; also the territory where people live. In Hebrew "adamah" sounds like "adam", the human being formed from it.

• דְּגֵיdege· fish

  Fish; fish as a whole.

• יָּםyam· sea, west

  Sea, or any great body of water (also a lake). Since the Mediterranean lies west of Israel, the word also means "west".

• יֶדְyed· hand, power

  Hand. Figuratively, power or control ("into the hand of" = into the power of); also side, part, or share. Also a projecting piece, such as a tenon.

• נִתָּנוּnitanu· give, put, set

  Give, in a very wide sense: hand over, put, place, grant, allow, make something be.

• רֶמֶשׂremes· creeping thing

  Creeping things: animals that move along the ground or glide, reptiles and small animals. From the same root as "creep".

• אָכְלָהachla· food

  Food.

• יֶרֶקyerek· green plants

  What is green: green plants, fresh grass.

• עֵשֶׂבesev· plants, vegetation

  Small plants, herbs and crops that serve as food for people and animals.