Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. New Living Translation All the animals of the earth, all the birds of the sky, all the small animals that scurry along the ground, and all the fish in the sea will look on you with fear and terror. I have placed them in your power. English Standard Version The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered. Berean Standard Bible The fear and dread of you will fall on every living creature on the earth, every bird of the air, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are delivered into your hand. Berean Literal Bible And the fear of you⁺ and the dread of you⁺ shall be on every beast of the earth, and on every bird of the heavens, on all that moves on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. Into your⁺ hand they are given— King James Bible And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. New King James Version And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. New American Standard Bible The fear of you and the terror of you will be on every animal of the earth and on every bird of the sky; on everything that crawls on the ground, and on all the fish of the sea. They are handed over to you. NASB 1995 “The fear of you and the terror of you will be on every beast of the earth and on every bird of the sky; with everything that creeps on the ground, and all the fish of the sea, into your hand they are given. NASB 1977 “And the fear of you and the terror of you shall be on every beast of the earth and on every bird of the sky; with everything that creeps on the ground, and all the fish of the sea, into your hand they are given. Legacy Standard Bible And the fear of you and the terror of you will be on every beast of the earth and on every bird of the sky; with everything that creeps on the ground, and all the fish of the sea, into your hand they are given. Amplified Bible The fear and the terror of you shall be [instinctive] in every animal of the land and in every bird of the air; and together with everything that moves on the ground, and with all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hand. Berean Annotated Bible The fear and dread of you⁺ will fall on every living creature on the earth, every bird of the air, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are delivered into your⁺ hand. Christian Standard Bible The fear and terror of you will be in every living creature on the earth, every bird of the sky, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are placed under your authority. Holman Christian Standard Bible The fear and terror of you will be in every living creature on the earth, every bird of the sky, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are placed under your authority. American Standard Version And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every bird of the heavens; with all wherewith the ground teemeth, and all the fishes of the sea, into your hand are they delivered. Contemporary English Version All animals, birds, reptiles, and fish will be afraid of you. I have placed them under your control, English Revised Version And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air; with all wherewith the ground teemeth, and all the fishes of the sea, into your hand are they delivered. GOD'S WORD® Translation All the wild animals and all the birds will fear you and be terrified of you. Every creature that crawls on the ground and all the fish in the sea have been put under your control. Good News Translation All the animals, birds, and fish will live in fear of you. They are all placed under your power. International Standard Version All the living creatures of the earth will be filled with fear and terror of you from now on, including all the creatures that fly in the sky, everything that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the ocean. They've been assigned to live under your dominion. NET Bible Every living creature of the earth and every bird of the sky will be terrified of you. Everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea are under your authority. New Heart English Bible The fear of you and the dread of you will be on every wild animal of the earth, and on every tame animal of the earth, and on every flying creature of the sky. Everything that the ground teems with, and all the fish of the sea are delivered into your hand. Webster's Bible Translation And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth on the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThe fear and dread of you will fall on every living creature on the earth, every bird of the air, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are delivered into your hand. World English Bible The fear of you and the dread of you will be on every animal of the earth, and on every bird of the sky. Everything that moves along the ground, and all the fish of the sea, are delivered into your hand. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand your fear and your dread is on every beast of the earth, and on every bird of the heavens, on all that creeps on the ground, and on all fishes of the sea—into your hand they have been given. Berean Literal Bible And the fear of you⁺ and the dread of you⁺ shall be on every beast of the earth, and on every bird of the heavens, on all that moves on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. Into your⁺ hand they are given— Young's Literal Translation and your fear and your dread is on every beast of the earth, and on every fowl of the heavens, on all that creepeth on the ground, and on all fishes of the sea -- into your hand they have been given. Smith's Literal Translation And the fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be upon every living thing of the earth, and upon every bird of the heavens, upon every thing which shall creep along the earth and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand they were given. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd let the fear and dread of you be upon all the beasts of the earth, and upon all the fowls of the air, and all that move upon the earth: all the fishes of the sea are delivered into your hand. Catholic Public Domain Version And let the fear and trembling of you be upon all the animals of the earth, and upon all the birds of the air, along with all that moves across the earth. All the fish of the sea have been delivered into your hand. New American Bible Fear and dread of you shall come upon all the animals of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon all the creatures that move about on the ground and all the fishes of the sea; into your power they are delivered. New Revised Standard Version The fear and dread of you shall rest on every animal of the earth, and on every bird of the air, on everything that creeps on the ground, and on all the fish of the sea; into your hand they are delivered. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moves upon the earth, and all the fish of the sea; into your hand they are delivered. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And the fear of you and the trembling of you will be on every animal of the Earth, and upon every bird of Heaven, and upon everything that crawls the Earth and all fish of the sea; they are given up into your hands. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, and upon all wherewith the ground teemeth, and upon all the fishes of the sea: into your hand are they delivered. Brenton Septuagint Translation And the dread and the fear of you shall be upon all the wild beasts of the earth, on all the birds of the sky, and on all things moving upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea, I have placed them under you power. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Covenant of the Rainbow1And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. 2The fear and dread of you will fall on every living creature on the earth, every bird of the air, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are delivered into your hand. 3Everything that lives and moves will be food for you; just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you all things.… Cross References The fear and dread of you will fall on every living creature on the earth, Psalm 8:6-8 You made him ruler of the works of Your hands; You have placed everything under his feet: / all sheep and oxen, and even the beasts of the field, / the birds of the air and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. James 3:7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, Exodus 15:16 and terror and dread will fall on them. By the power of Your arm they will be as still as a stone until Your people pass by, O LORD, until the people You have bought pass by. every bird of the air, Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Luke 12:24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds! Genesis 1:20-22 And God said, “Let the waters teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the sky.” / So God created the great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters teemed according to their kinds, and every winged bird after its kind. And God saw that it was good. / Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters of the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” every creature that crawls on the ground, Deuteronomy 4:18 or of any creature that crawls on the ground or fish that is in the waters below. Leviticus 11:41-44 Every creature that moves along the ground is detestable; it must not be eaten. / Do not eat any creature that moves along the ground, whether it crawls on its belly or walks on four or more feet; for such creatures are detestable. / Do not defile yourselves by any crawling creature; do not become unclean or defiled by them. … Genesis 1:24-25 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, land crawlers, and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. / God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that crawls upon the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. and all the fish of the sea. Habakkuk 1:14 You have made men like the fish of the sea, like creeping things that have no ruler. Psalm 104:25-26 Here is the sea, vast and wide, teeming with creatures beyond number, living things both great and small. / There the ships pass, and Leviathan, which You formed to frolic there. Ezekiel 47:9-10 Wherever the river flows, there will be swarms of living creatures and a great number of fish, because it flows there and makes the waters fresh; so wherever the river flows, everything will flourish. / Fishermen will stand by the shore; from En-gedi to En-eglaim they will spread their nets to catch fish of many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea. They are delivered into your hand. Daniel 2:38 Wherever the sons of men or beasts of the field or birds of the air dwell, He has given them into your hand and has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold. Genesis 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.” Hebrews 2:8 and placed everything under his feet.” When God subjected all things to him, He left nothing outside of his control. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. James 3:7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, Treasury of Scripture And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, and on every fowl of the air, on all that moves on the earth, and on all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Genesis 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. Genesis 35:5 And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob. Jump to Previous Air Animal Beast Beasts Bird Creeps Delivered Dread Earth Fall Fear Fish Fishes Fowl Ground Hand Heavens Moveth Sea Sky Teemeth Teems Terror WherewithJump to Next Air Animal Beast Beasts Bird Creeps Delivered Dread Earth Fall Fear Fish Fishes Fowl Ground Hand Heavens Moveth Sea Sky Teemeth Teems Terror WherewithGenesis 9 1. God blesses Noah and his sons, and grants them flesh for food.4. Blood and murder are forbidden. 8. God's covenant, of which the rainbow was constituted a pledge. 18. Noah's family replenishes the world. 20. Noah plants a vineyard, 21. Is drunken, and mocked by his son; 25. Curses Canaan; 26. Blesses Shem; 27. Prays for Japheth, and dies. The fear and dread of you will fall on every living creature on the earth This phrase indicates a shift in the relationship between humans and animals post-Flood. Before the Flood, there was a harmonious coexistence, but now animals would instinctively fear humans. This change can be seen as a protective measure for both humans and animals, ensuring the survival of both. The fear and dread serve as a divine mandate, establishing human dominion over animals, echoing Genesis 1:28 where God commands humanity to subdue the earth. This dominion is not to be tyrannical but responsible stewardship. every bird of the air every creature that crawls on the ground and all the fish of the sea They are delivered into your hand Persons / Places / Events 1. NoahThe recipient of God's covenant and the one through whom God reestablishes His order on earth after the flood. 2. God The divine speaker who establishes a new covenant with Noah and his descendants, granting them dominion over the earth. 3. Living Creatures All animals, birds, and fish that are subject to human dominion as part of God's covenant with Noah. 4. The Earth The renewed creation post-flood, where God reaffirms human dominion over all living creatures. 5. The Flood The preceding event that led to the destruction of all life except for those preserved in the ark, setting the stage for God's covenant with Noah. Teaching Points Dominion and StewardshipGod grants humans dominion over creation, which comes with the responsibility to steward it wisely and compassionately. Fear and Dread The fear and dread of humans placed upon animals signify a change in the relationship post-flood, highlighting the impact of sin on creation. Covenant Faithfulness God's covenant with Noah is a reminder of His faithfulness and the continuity of His promises despite human failure. Human Responsibility As recipients of God's covenant, humans are called to reflect God's character in their interactions with creation. Creation's Groaning The current state of creation reflects the consequences of sin, pointing believers to the hope of ultimate restoration through Christ. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Genesis 9:2?2. How does Genesis 9:2 demonstrate God's authority over creation and human responsibility? 3. What does "fear and dread" in Genesis 9:2 imply about human-animal relationships? 4. How does Genesis 9:2 connect with God's dominion mandate in Genesis 1:28? 5. How can we responsibly exercise dominion over animals today, as seen in Genesis 9:2? 6. In what ways does Genesis 9:2 influence our understanding of stewardship and conservation? 7. How does Genesis 9:2 relate to humanity's dominion over animals today? 8. Does Genesis 9:2 justify human exploitation of nature? 9. How does Genesis 9:2 align with modern environmental ethics? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Genesis 9? 11. Did animals consume each other before the fall? 12. What does the Bible say about having a phobia? 13. Is euthanizing a pet morally wrong? 14. Why does the geographic distribution of species support evolution rather than a global flood? What Does Genesis 9:2 Mean The fear and dread of youGod tells Noah, “The fear and dread of you”. After the flood, the Creator re-establishes human authority over the animal realm. • This fear is a built-in response God plants in animals so they instinctively avoid humankind, preserving both people and wildlife. • It affirms the same dominion first granted in Genesis 1:28, now reinforced under a fallen, post-flood world. • Psalm 8:6-8 praises God for placing “all things under his feet,” echoing this sober privilege. The statement is literal: animals, by nature, recognize human superiority because God ordains it. will fall on every living creature on the earth The phrase widens the scope: “every living creature on the earth.” • Not a corner of the globe escapes this decree. • Genesis 6:19 recorded the preservation of “every living thing,” and now Genesis 9:2 announces their ongoing relationship to people. • Job 12:7-10 reminds us that every creature is in God’s hand; therefore, their instinctive fear of humanity springs from His design. every bird of the air Even the sky-borne creation is included. • Birds, often elusive, still keep an instinctive distance—fulfilling the word spoken here. • Jesus later referred to sparrows in Matthew 10:29, acknowledging divine governance over them; that same governance instills their caution around humans. • This segment underscores a total, not partial, dominion. every creature that crawls on the ground Creeping things—reptiles, insects, small mammals—also respond with dread. • Genesis 1:26 and 1:28 both list “creeping things” as under human rule, showing continuity from creation through the post-flood world. • Leviticus 11:44 calls Israel to discernment even when touching those creatures, reminding us that dominion never cancels holiness. and all the fish of the sea Even the underwater realm is not exempt. • Psalm 8:8 celebrates that fish of the sea “pass through the paths of the seas” under mankind’s authority. • Luke 5:5-6 records fish filling the disciples’ nets at Jesus’ command, illustrating that ultimate control belongs to the Lord who delegates it to people. They are delivered into your hand This final clause clinches the covenant promise. • “Delivered” is a legal term of transfer: God hands over responsibility and use of the animal kingdom. • Genesis 9:3 immediately permits meat consumption, showing a practical outworking of the handover. • James 3:7 observes humanity’s ongoing ability to “tame” beasts—evidence that Genesis 9:2 still operates. Stewardship, not exploitation, is implied. The animals’ fear protects them; humanity’s God-given charge obliges care and wise use, as Proverbs 12:10 commends the righteous man who regards the life of his animal. summary Genesis 9:2 literally declares that God, after the flood, imprinted every animal—land, sky, creeping, and sea—with an instinctive fear of humans, reaffirming mankind’s divinely granted dominion. This fear both safeguards creation and underscores responsible stewardship, reminding us that while God has “delivered” the creatures into our hand, we act under His authority and for His glory. Verse 2. - And the fear of you and the dread of you. Not simply of Noah and his sons, but of man in general. Shall be. Not for the first time, as it could not fail to be evoked by the sin of man during the previous generations, but, having already been developed, it was henceforth to be turned back upon the creature rather than directed against man. Upon. The verb to be is first construed with עַל, and afterwards with בְּ. The LXX. render both by ἐπὶ, though perhaps the latter should be taken as equivalent to ἔν, in which case the three clauses of the verse will express a gradation. The dread of man shall first overhang the beasts, then it shall enter into and take possession of them, and finally under its influence they shall fall into man's hand. Every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon (literally, in; vide supra. Murphy translates with) all that moveth upon the earth, and upon (literally, in) all the fishes of the sea. This does not imply that the animals may not sometimes rise against man and destroy him (cf. Exodus 8:6, 17, 24; Leviticus 26:22; 1 Kings 13:24, 25; 1 Kings 20:36; 2 Kings 2:24; Ezekiel 14:15; Acts 12:23, for instances in which the creatures were made ministers of Divine justice), but simply that the normal condition of the lower creatures will be one of instinctive dread of man, causing them rather to avoid than to seek his presence - a Statement sufficiently confirmed by the facts that wherever human civilization penetrates, there the dominion of the beasts retires; that even ferocious animals, such as lions, tigers, and other beasts of prey, unless provoked, usually flee from man rather than assail him. Into your hand are they delivered. Attested by(1) man's actual dominion over such of the creatures as are either immediately needful for or helpful to him, such as the horse, the ox, the sheep, etc.; and (2) by man's capability of taming and so reducing to subjection every kind of wild beast - lions, tigers, etc. Hebrew The fearוּמוֹרַאֲכֶ֤ם (ū·mō·w·ra·’ă·ḵem) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural Strong's 4172: Fear, a fearful thing, deed and dread of you וְחִתְּכֶם֙ (wə·ḥit·tə·ḵem) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural Strong's 2844: Crushed, afraid, terror will fall יִֽהְיֶ֔ה (yih·yeh) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be on עַ֚ל (‘al) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against every כָּל־ (kāl-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every living creature חַיַּ֣ת (ḥay·yaṯ) Noun - feminine singular construct Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life on the earth, הָאָ֔רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 776: Earth, land every כָּל־ (kāl-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every bird ע֣וֹף (‘ō·wp̄) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 5775: Flying creatures of the sky, הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם (haš·šā·mā·yim) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky every בְּכֹל֩ (bə·ḵōl) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every creature that אֲשֶׁ֨ר (’ă·šer) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that crawls תִּרְמֹ֧שׂ (tir·mōś) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular Strong's 7430: To glide swiftly, to crawl, move with short steps, to swarm on the ground, הָֽאֲדָמָ֛ה (hā·’ă·ḏā·māh) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 127: Ground, land and all וּֽבְכָל־ (ū·ḇə·ḵāl) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every the fish דְּגֵ֥י (də·ḡê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 1709: A fish of the sea. הַיָּ֖ם (hay·yām) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3220: A sea, the Mediterranean Sea, large river, an artifical basin They are delivered נִתָּֽנוּ׃ (nit·tā·nū) Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 5414: To give, put, set into your hand. בְּיֶדְכֶ֥ם (bə·yeḏ·ḵem) Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine plural Strong's 3027: A hand Links Genesis 9:2 NIVGenesis 9:2 NLT Genesis 9:2 ESV Genesis 9:2 NASB Genesis 9:2 KJV Genesis 9:2 BibleApps.com Genesis 9:2 Biblia Paralela Genesis 9:2 Chinese Bible Genesis 9:2 French Bible Genesis 9:2 Catholic Bible OT Law: Genesis 9:2 The fear of you and the dread (Gen. 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