Genesis 8:20–9:9

²⁰Then Noah built an altar to honor the Lord. He took some of all of the “clean” animals and birds. He sacrificed burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar.

²¹Their smell was pleasant to the Lord. He said to himself, “I will never put a curse on the ground again because of man. I will not do it even though his heart is always directed toward what is evil. His thoughts are evil from the time he is young. I will never destroy all living things again, as I have just done.

²²“As long as the earth lasts,

there will always be a time to plant

and a time to gather the crops.

As long as the earth lasts,

there will always be cold and heat.

There will always be summer and winter,

day and night.”

God Makes a Covenant With Noah

9Then God gave his blessing to Noah and his sons. He said to them, “Have children and increase your numbers. Fill the earth.

²“All of the land animals will be afraid of you. All of the birds of the air will fear you. Every creature that moves along the ground will fear you. Every fish in the oceans will also be afraid of you. Every living thing is put under your control.

³“Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. I have already given you the green plants for food. Now I am giving you everything.

⁴“But you must not eat meat that still has blood in it. ⁵You can be sure that I will hold someone accountable if you are murdered. I will even hold animals accountable if they kill you. I will also hold anyone accountable who murders another person.

⁶“Anyone who murders man

will be killed by man.

That is because I have made man

in my own likeness.

⁷“Have children and increase your numbers. Multiply on the earth and increase your numbers on it.”

⁸Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons who were with him. He said, ⁹“I am now making my covenant with you and with all of your children who will be born after you.