Gen 9:1–3: blessing, fear, and food

Says וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹהִים אֶת־נֹחַ וְאֶת־בָּנָיו, "and God blessed Noah and his sons," and said פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ וּמִלְאוּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ, "be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth." In 9:2 וּמוֹרַאֲכֶם וְחִתְּכֶם (mora'akhem vekhittekhem) is "the fear of you and the terror of you" ("The fear and dread of you," BSB), on every beast, bird, creeping thing, and fish; בְּיֶדְכֶם נִתָּנוּ, "into your hand they are given."

Says In 9:3 כָּל־רֶמֶשׂ אֲשֶׁר הוּא־חַי, "every moving thing that is alive" ("Everything that lives and moves," BSB), לָכֶם יִהְיֶה לְאָכְלָה, "shall be food for you" (BDB "food, eating," citing 1:29 and 9:3); כְּיֶרֶק עֵשֶׂב, "as the green of plants" (BDB "green, greenness"), נָתַתִּי לָכֶם אֶת־כֹּל, "I give you everything."

Implies 9:1 renews the creation blessing: God blesses and speaks the three commands of 1:28 in the same order. Noah stands where Adam stood only as far as this shared wording goes; the commands to subdue and rule are not repeated, and fear takes their place.

Uncertain Whether 9:3 first permits eating animals or ratifies an existing practice. For a first permission: 1:29 gave plants for food, and 9:3 compares the new gift with that one. Objection: Abel already kept flocks (4:2). For ratification: animals were kept and offered before the flood. Objection: the text never says they were eaten. No lean is taken here.