agree closely with Jub., and argued (but unconvincingly) that the original reckoning was a solar year, beginning and ending with the 27th of the 2nd month.
IX. 1-7. The new world-order.—The religious significance
of the Flood to the mind of the Priestly writers
appears in this and the following sections. It marks the
introduction of a new and less ideal age of history, which
is that under which mankind now lives. The original
harmonious order of nature, in which all forms of slaughter
were prohibited, had been violated by both men and
animals before the Flood (see on 611f.). This is now replaced
by a new constitution, in which the slaughter of animals for
human food is legalised; and only two restrictions are
imposed on the bloodthirsty instincts of the degenerate
creatures: (1) Man may not eat the 'life' of an animal, and
(2) human blood may not be shed with impunity either by
man or beast.
The Rabbinical theologians were true to the spirit of the passage
when they formulated the idea of the 'Noachic commandments,' binding
on men generally, and therefore required of the 'proselytes of the gate';
though they increased their number. See Schürer, iii. 128f.
Vv.1-7, both in substance and expression (cf. (
Hebrew characters),
and esp. (Hebrew characters)), form a pendant to 129f. We have seen (p. 35)
that these vv. are supplementary to the cosmogony; and the same is
true of the present section in relation to the story of the Flood. It does
not appear to be an integral part of the Deluge tradition; and has no
parallel (as vv.8-16 have) in J or the Bab. narrative (Gu.). But that
neither this nor 129f. is a secondary addition to P is clear from the
phraseology here, which is moulded as obviously on 122. 27f. as on 129f..
To treat 94-6 as a later insertion (Ho.) is arbitrary. On the contrary,
the two passages represent the characteristic contribution of P to the
ancient traditions.
1. An almost verbal repetition of 128. The wives of
Noah and his sons are not mentioned, women having no
religious standing in the OT (so v.8). It is perhaps also
significant that here (in contrast to 122) the animals are
excluded from the blessing (though not from the covenant—*
1. G adds at end (Greek characters), as 128.—2. (Hebrew characters)—(Hebrew characters)] GS
(Hebrew characters) (bis). The (Hebrew characters) cannot be that of specification (721 817 910. 16 etc.),
since no comprehensive category precedes; yet it is harsh to take it
as continuing the sense of (Hebrew characters) (G), and not altogether natural to render
