genesis 8:15-9:17, triennial parashah tze min hatvah, “go out from the ark”

Read Genesis 8:15-9:17 at Bible Gateway.

I study the Torah every year using the teaching tools of Scripture. (Why?)

The Hebrew paragraph divisions inspired by the Holy Spirit are:

Gen 8:15-9:7 {s} Blessing on the righteous, be fruitful and multiply
Gen 9:8-17 {p} Elohiym’s everlasting covenant with the earth

The end of the parashah ends a strong paragraph which began several parashahs ago:

Gen 6:9-12 {s} Contrast righteous Noah / corrupt earth
Gen 6:13-8:14 {s} Righteous preserved through the judgment of the wicked
Gen 8:15-9:7 {s} Blessing on the righteous, be fruitful and multiply
Gen 9:8-17 {p} Elohiym’s everlasting covenant with the earth

The entire strong paragraph is teaching that even when the wicked become so corrupt that they call forth God’s judgment upon them, He preserves the righteous through that judgment. In other words, believers, FEAR NOT what is coming upon the wicked. Judgment is not directed at you! But God is faithful who will remember His own!

Each parsha in this section forms its own chiastic structure:

Gen 8:15-9:7 s
1a) Gen 8:15-19, Be fruitful and multiply;
1b) Gen 8:20, Noah blessed YHVH by offering the lifeblood of the olah sacrifice;
central axis) Gen 8:21-22, YHVH smelled the soothing aroma and declared three promises;
2b) Gen 9:1-6, YHVH blessed Noah; instruction concerning the lifeblood of animals and men;
2a) Gen 9:7, Be fruitful and multiply.

Gen 9:8-17 p
1a) Gen 9:8-11a, Elohiym: “I establish My covenant with you + your descendants + every living creature with you;”
1b) Gen 9:11b, Elohiym: “Never again shall all flesh be cut off + earth destroyed by flood;”
1c) Gen 9:12, Elohiym: “This is the sign of the covenant between Me and you + every living creature;”
1d) Gen 9:13a, Elohiym: “I set My rainbow in the cloud;”
central axis) Gen 9:13b, Elohiym: “It shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth;”
2d) Gen 9:14, Elohiym: “It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud;”
2c) Gen 9:15a, Elohiym: “I will remember My covenant between Me and you + every living creature;”
2b) Gen 9:15b, Elohiym: “The flood shall never again destroy all flesh;”
2a) Gen 9:16-17, Elohiym: “The rainbow/ sign of the everlasting covenant which I have established between Me + all flesh.”