Genesis 9:3 · Bible study
Genesis 9:3 Commentary: Provision of Meat After the Flood
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Analysis of the permission to eat meat in Genesis 9:3, the change in human diet, and what it reveals about God's provision in the postdiluvian world.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God gives humanity explicit permission to eat meat, expanding the original diet of plants only, as part of His renewed blessing after the flood.
- Key words: remes (creeping thing/moving animal), chai (alive), nathan (give), yerek/esev (green herb/plant).
- Main debate: Whether this grant is entirely new (most modern commentators) or a restoration of a pre-flood right (Calvin, Gill, Keil).
- Theological theme: God's provision in a fallen world; the sanctity of life expressed through the blood prohibition; the covenant between God, man, and creation.
- Best use: Teaching on God's care for human needs, the ethics of food, and the continuities and changes in biblical revelation.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Everything that lives and moves will be food for you; just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you all things.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Every moving thing that lives will be food for you. As I gave you the green herb, I have given everything to you.
KJV King James Version 1769
Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Every moving thing that liveth shall be food for you; as the green herb have I given you all.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Every creeping thing that is alive, to you it is for food; as the green herb I have given to you the whole;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Every moving thing that liveth shall be food for you: as the green herb I give you everything.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And every thing that moveth, and liveth shall be meat for you: even as the green herbs have I delivered them all to you:
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Todo lo que se mueve y vive, os será para mantenimiento: así como las legumbres y hierbas, os lo he dado todo.
Tudo o que se move e vive vos será para mantimento: assim como os legumes e ervas, vos dei disso tudo.
Tout ce qui se meut et qui a vie vous servira de nourriture: je vous donne tout cela comme l’ herbe verte.
Alles, was sich regt und lebt, das sei eure Speise; wie das grüne Kraut habe ich's euch alles gegeben.
Al wat zich roert, dat levend is, zij u tot spijze; Ik heb het u al gegeven, gelijk het groene kruid.
Tutto ciò che si muove ed ha vita vi servirà di cibo; io vi do tutto questo, come l’erba verde;
Wszystko co się rucha, i co żyje, wam będzie na pokarm, jako jarzynę zieloną, dałem wam to wszystko.
все движущееся, что живет, будет вам в пищу; как зелень травную даю вам все;
凡 活著 的動物 都可以作 你們的 食物。這 一切 我都賜 給你們，如同菜蔬一樣。
Every living and moving thing will be food for you; I give them all to you as before I gave you all green things.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Genesis 9:3
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Genesis 9:3 grants humanity explicit permission to eat animal flesh, a provision marking a shift from the original diet described in Genesis 1:29. Most hold that this is a new grant, not given to Adam, made necessary by changes to the earth after the flood (Clarke, Wesley, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Cambridge Bible). Calvin and Gill, however, argue it may only restore a right that already existed; Gill notes that Abel’s sacrifice and pre-flood “eating and drinking” imply meat was already used. Despite this disagreement, all recognize the verse as part of God’s renewed blessing on Noah, immediately qualified by the prohibition against eating blood (v.4). The Hebrew verb nathan (give) mirrors the creation gift of plants, emphasizing God’s sovereign provision in a new era.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- New grant: Based on the absence of meat in Gen 1:29, the context of a changed world after the flood (Clarke, Wesley, JFB, Cambridge).
- Restoration: Based on Abel’s sacrifice, pre-flood eating/drinking (Calvin, Gill, Keil).
What is clear: That God now explicitly gives permission to eat meat—whether new or restored—as a gracious provision within the covenant.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Newness of the meat grant | All agree that Genesis 9:3 explicitly allows meat-eating within the covenant with Noah. | Most modern commentators (Clarke, Wesley, JFB, Cambridge) see it as a new permission not given to Adam; Calvin, Gill, and Keil argue it may restore a previously existing right or authorize what was already practiced. |
| Reason for the grant | God provides for human sustenance in the post-flood world. | Clarke and Wesley stress the changed environment and human frailty; Barnes and Keil focus on the extension of dominion and the beginning of a new order. |
| Scope of animals permitted | The Hebrew 'kol-remes' includes all land animals; no distinction between clean and unclean at this point. | None significant; commentators agree the later Levitical distinctions are not yet in view. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Noah and his family step from the ark into a world reshaped by judgment. The flood has stripped the land, and as Clarke and Wesley argue, the earth’s fertility likely diminished, its “virtue” washed away. Human health, they add, declined as well, requiring a diet more sustaining than plants alone. God’s words here renew the creation mandate first given to Adam:
“God said, ‘Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food.’”
— Genesis 1:29 (WEB)
Originally, man ruled animals only as a steward; now the relationship includes “fear and dread” (v.2). Barnes notes the shift: animals are “placed entirely at the disposal of man,” but with reluctance. The Hebrew term remes (“creeping thing”) encompasses all land animals, not only reptiles, as Barnes clarifies: “everything that moves with the body prone to the earth.” The phrase “that is alive” (chai) excludes carrion, a detail Barnes and Keil highlight. This permission is not a blank check; it sets the stage for the covenant that follows in verse 9, binding God, Noah, and every living creature.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources (Clarke, Barnes, Calvin, Cambridge Bible, Gill, Keil & Delitzsch, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) note no significant textual variants for Genesis 9:3. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscript traditions.
Reception History
The early church often viewed this verse as a divine concession after the fall, though some ascetic traditions saw meat-eating as a lower stage of living. In Jewish tradition, this passage together with verse 4 became foundational for the Noachide laws, which include the prohibition against eating flesh with blood. Medieval interpreters linked the permission to the diminished fertility of the earth after the flood. In the Protestant Reformation, Calvin debated whether it introduced a new right or confirmed an existing one, a question taken up by Gill, Wesley, and Clarke. Modern scholarship continues to discuss the implications for understanding the biblical view of animals and human diet.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God provides for a changed world. The permission to eat meat is a fresh gift after judgment, meeting humanity’s new needs. It shows God adapting His provision without abandoning His care.
- God’s gifts come with boundaries. The grant is immediately qualified by the prohibition on blood (v.4). This protects the sanctity of life and prevents cruelty: or, as Barnes puts it, it restrains “savage cruelty.”
- God restores blessing in a new creation. As He blessed Adam, so He now blesses Noah. The grant of meat is part of a renewed covenant, a sign that life can flourish again after disaster.
Five-point outline
- Comprehensive provision: “Every moving thing that lives”, no category of animal is initially excluded from the permission (Gill, Cambridge).
- Continuity with creation: The phrase “as the green herb” ties this grant to the original diet (Gen 1:29), showing God’s consistent character as giver.
- Respect for life: The restriction on blood (v.4) teaches that life belongs to God. We receive animal food as a gift, not a right to abuse.
- New relationship with animals: Fear and dread (v.2) replace the earlier harmony. The permission to eat meat is part of that changed dynamic.
- Covenantal framework: This verse sits within the larger covenant (vv.8-17), reminding us that every meal is an occasion to remember God’s faithfulness after judgment.
Illustration hooks
- After a disaster: A family whose home is destroyed by a hurricane must learn new ways to feed themselves. The diet changes, but God still provides.
- Moving to a new country: Someone relocating discovers foods they never ate before. God tells Noah, “Everything is on the table now.”
- Starting over: After a business failure, a man finds work in a different field. God’s provision looks different but no less generous.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Was it a sin to eat meat before the flood?
- Does this verse mean God approves of all forms of meat-eating, including factory farming?
- Why does God allow meat now but restrict blood? What does that say about the value of life?
Leading a Discussion
Genesis 9:3 marks a shift in God’s provision for humanity. It invites us to consider how He meets our needs in changing circumstances, and how every gift comes with responsibility. This verse also raises deep questions about our relationship with animals and the earth.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What is the scope of the food permitted here? Which words indicate completeness? (Look at “every moving thing” and “all things.”)
- Observation: Why does God refer back to “the green herb” from Genesis 1:29? What connection is He making?
- Interpretation: Most commentators see this as a new grant after the flood. Why would God change the diet? What does this suggest about the postdiluvian world?
- Interpretation: How does the restriction on blood in the next verse (v.4) affect the meaning of this permission? What does it teach about the value of life?
- Interpretation: Calvin and Gill argue this may not be a new grant but a restoration. What evidence do they use? How does that change how we read the verse?
- Application: How does this verse shape the way you think about eating meat? Does it affect your view of food waste or the treatment of animals?
- Application: This permission is given in the context of a new beginning with God. How can remembering God’s provision at every meal become an act of worship?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 1:29 | God said, “Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food. |
| Genesis 1:30 | To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food;” and it was so. |
| Leviticus 11:1 | Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying to them, |
| Leviticus 11:47 | to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the living thing that may be eaten and the living thing that may not be eaten.’” |
| Leviticus 22:8 | He shall not eat that which dies of itself or is torn by animals, defiling himself by it. I am Yahweh. |
| Deuteronomy 12:15 | Yet you may kill and eat meat within all your gates, after all the desire of your soul, according to Yahweh your God’s blessing which he has given you. The unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and the deer. |
| Deuteronomy 14:3 | You shall not eat any abominable thing. |
| Deuteronomy 14:21 | You shall not eat of anything that dies of itself. You may give it to the foreigner living among you who is within your gates, that he may eat it; or you may sell it to a foreigner; for you are a holy people to Yahweh your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke argues that God's grant of animal food to Noah proves a fundamental change after the flood. The earth became less productive and human bodies weaker, making meat necessary for survival. The shorter lifespans that followed confirm this decline, though God extended some lives to quickly repopulate the world.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that this passage marks the formal institution of civil government. The command for man to shed the murderer's blood delegates the civil sword to humanity, shifting the administration of justice from God alone to a human authority tasked with enforcing retribution for murder.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin challenges the common view that eating meat was first permitted after the flood. He argues God is restoring what was taken away, not granting something entirely new, since people before the flood used animal skins and offered sacrifices. Still, Calvin considers the question unimportant.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that this verse grants humans permission to eat all animals, expanding beyond the plant-only diet given at creation. No distinction between clean and unclean exists yet in this pre-Mosaic period. The gift of animal life for food comes with two prohibitions.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes observe that God here expands human diet from plants only to include all living creatures that move, granting meat as food. This marks a clear permission after the flood, not an original command, and the comparison to the green herb shows God's generous provision.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill argues that permission to eat meat was not a new grant after the flood but was already given to Adam. He points to Abel's offering of fat portions, peace offerings where the offerer ate, and pre-flood luxury as evidence that flesh was eaten from the beginning.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that this verse marks the first time God allowed humans to eat animal meat. The permission to use animals for food was a new provision after the flood, but it came with a specific restriction that limited how that food could be used.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argues that God's permission to eat meat was not a new practice but the first divine authorization of it. The blood prohibition pointed ahead to animal sacrifice and, together with the death penalty for murder, laid the foundation for civil government by placing judicial authority in human hands as representatives of God's image.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange explains that Noah’s altar marked a shift from God’s immediate presence in paradise to His throne in heaven, requiring offerings to ascend toward Him. He interprets the burnt offering as an act of thanksgiving rather than a Levitical ritual, noting that God accepted it as a true expression of faith. This acceptance led God to promise never again to curse the ground, despite humanity’s persistent sinful nature.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that God's spoken blessing to Noah is the outward expression of what He had already determined in His heart. He draws a connection between Noah blessing God through sacrifice and God now blessing Noah in return. For Henry this demonstrates that all God's promised blessings flow from His own eternal purposes of love.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley observes that God expanded the human diet after the flood, possibly because the flood had so weakened the earth that plant foods alone were less nourishing. He then notes that the permission to eat meat comes with a concern for human life: we must not harm our bodies by eating anything unwholesome.