Genesis 9:4

It is blood that causes creatures to be alive, therefore you must not eat meat that still has blood in it after the animal is killed. After you have drained the blood out, you may cook it and eat it.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.

In Context

3Just as I previously said you could eat green plants for food, now I am saying you can eat everything that lives and moves.

5I insist that murderers must be executed. Animals that kill people must also be executed. The reason that everyone who murders someone else must be executed is that

Read all of Genesis 9

Cross References

Leviticus 3:17‘This is a command that must be obeyed by you and your descendants forever, wherever you live: You must not eat the fat or the blood of any animal.’”

Leviticus 17:10‘I will reject [IDM] any Israeli or any foreigner who is living among you who eats any blood, and I will command that he no longer be allowed to associate with my people.

Deuteronomy 12:16But you must not eat the blood of any animals; you must let the blood drain onto the ground before you cook the meat.

Deuteronomy 14:21“Do not eat any animal that has died naturally, because its blood has not been drained out. You may allow foreigners who live among you to eat those things or you may sell them to other foreigners. But you belong to Yahweh our God; and those who belong to him are not permitted to eat the meat of animals whose blood has not been drained out. “You must not cook a young sheep or goat in its mother’s milk.”

1 Samuel 14:33One of the soldiers told Saul, “Look! The men are sinning against Yahweh by eating meat that still has blood in it!” Saul replied to the men who were near him, “They have disobeyed Yahweh! Roll a large stone over here!”

Ezekiel 33:25So send a message to them. Say, ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord says: You eat meat that still has the animal’s blood in it. You still worship idols. And you still murder others [MTY]. So, ◄should this land belong to you?/this land should certainly not belong to you!► [RHQ]

Matthew Henry on Genesis 9:2-8

Blessing of Noah and His Sons. ( b. c. 2348.) 1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. 2 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. 3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. 4 But flesh with the life… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 9:4