Genesis 9:5 And surely I will require the life of any man or beast by whose hand your lifeblood is shed. I will demand an accounting from anyone who takes the life of his fellow man:

◄ Genesis 9:5 ►

New International Version
And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.

New Living Translation
“And I will require the blood of anyone who takes another person’s life. If a wild animal kills a person, it must die. And anyone who murders a fellow human must die.

English Standard Version
And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.

Berean Standard Bible
And surely I will require the life of any man or beast by whose hand your lifeblood is shed. I will demand an accounting from anyone who takes the life of his fellow man:

King James Bible
And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.

New King James Version
Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man’s brother I will require the life of man.

New American Standard Bible
I certainly will require your lifeblood; from every animal I will require it. And from every person, from every man as his brother I will require the life of a person.

NASB 1995
“Surely I will require your lifeblood; from every beast I will require it. And from every man, from every man’s brother I will require the life of man.

NASB 1977
“And surely I will require your lifeblood; from every beast I will require it. And from every man, from every man’s brother I will require the life of man.

Legacy Standard Bible
Surely I will require your lifeblood; from every living thing I will require it. And from every man, from each man’s brother I will require the life of man.

Amplified Bible
For your lifeblood I will most certainly require an accounting; from every animal [that kills a person] I will require it. And from man, from every man’s brother [that is, anyone who murders] I will require the life of man.

Christian Standard Bible
And I will require a penalty for your lifeblood; I will require it from any animal and from any human; if someone murders a fellow human, I will require that person’s life.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I will require the life of every animal and every man for your life and your blood. I will require the life of each man’s brother for a man’s life.

American Standard Version
And surely your blood, the blood of your lives, will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it; and at the hand of man, even at the hand of every man's brother, will I require the life of man.

English Revised Version
And surely your blood, the blood of your lives, will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it: and at the hand of man, even at the hand of every man's brother, will I require the life of man.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
In addition, I will demand your blood for your life. I will demand it from any animal or from any person. I will demand the life of any person [who kills] another person.

Good News Translation
If anyone takes human life, he will be punished. I will punish with death any animal that takes a human life.

International Standard Version
Also, I will certainly demand an accounting regarding bloodshed, from every animal and from every human being. I'll demand an accounting from every human being for the life of another human being.

Majority Standard Bible
And surely I will require the life of any man or beast by whose hand your lifeblood is shed. I will demand an accounting from anyone who takes the life of his fellow man:

NET Bible
For your lifeblood I will surely exact punishment, from every living creature I will exact punishment. From each person I will exact punishment for the life of the individual since the man was his relative.

New Heart English Bible
And surely I will require a reckoning for your lifeblood; from every animal I will require it, and from humans. From every human being I will require it for the life of his fellow human being.

Webster's Bible Translation
And surely your blood of your lives will I require: at the hand of every beast will I require it: and at the hand of man, at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.

World English Bible
I will surely require accounting for your life’s blood. At the hand of every animal I will require it. At the hand of man, even at the hand of every man’s brother, I will require the life of man.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And only your blood for your lives do I require; from the hand of every living thing I require it, and from the hand of man, from the hand of every man’s brother I require the life of man;

Young's Literal Translation
'And only your blood for your lives do I require; from the hand of every living thing I require it, and from the hand of man, from the hand of every man's brother I require the life of man;

Smith's Literal Translation
And surely, your blood of your lives I will search out, from the hand of every living thing I will search it out, and from the hand of man; from the hand of a man's brother I will search out the life of man.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
For I will require the blood of your lives at the hand of every beast, and at the hand of man, at the hand of every man, and of his brother, will I require the life of man.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For I will examine the blood of your lives at the hand of every beast. So also, at the hand of mankind, at the hand of each man and his brother, I will examine the life of mankind.

New American Bible
Indeed for your own lifeblood I will demand an accounting: from every animal I will demand it, and from a human being, each one for the blood of another, I will demand an accounting for human life.

New Revised Standard Version
For your own lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning: from every animal I will require it and from human beings, each one for the blood of another, I will require a reckoning for human life.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And surely your lifeblood will I f avenge; of every beast will I avenge it, and at the hand of man; and at the hand of a man and his brother will I avenge the life of man.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And however, your blood of your lives I shall require from the agency of every animal; it will be required from the agency of a man and I shall require the life of a man from the agency of a man and his brother.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it; and at the hand of man, even at the hand of every man's brother, will I require the life of man.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For your blood of your lives will I require at the hand of all wild beasts, and I will require the life of man at the hand of his brother man.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Covenant of the Rainbow
…4But you must not eat meat with its lifeblood still in it. 5And surely I will require the life of any man or beast by whose hand your lifeblood is shed. I will demand an accounting from anyone who takes the life of his fellow man: 6Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood will be shed; for in His own image God has made mankind.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Exodus 21:12-14
Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death. / If, however, he did not lie in wait, but God allowed it to happen, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee. / But if a man schemes and acts willfully against his neighbor to kill him, you must take him away from My altar to be put to death.

Numbers 35:33-34
Do not pollute the land where you live, for bloodshed pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land on which the blood is shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. / Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell. For I, the LORD, dwell among the Israelites.”

Deuteronomy 19:10-13
Thus innocent blood will not be shed in the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed. / If, however, a man hates his neighbor and lies in wait, attacks him and kills him, and then flees to one of these cities, / the elders of his city must send for him, bring him back, and hand him over to the avenger of blood to die. ...

Matthew 5:21-22
You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder’ and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ / But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.

Romans 13:4
For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.

Leviticus 24:17-21
And if a man takes the life of anyone else, he must surely be put to death. / Whoever kills an animal must make restitution—life for life. / If anyone injures his neighbor, whatever he has done must be done to him: ...

Revelation 6:9-10
And when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony they had upheld. / And they cried out in a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge those who dwell upon the earth and avenge our blood?”

Psalm 9:12
For the Avenger of bloodshed remembers; He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.

Isaiah 26:21
For behold, the LORD is coming out of His dwelling to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth will reveal her bloodshed and will no longer conceal her slain.

Ezekiel 33:6
But if the watchman sees the sword coming and fails to blow the horn to warn the people, and the sword comes and takes away a life, then that one will be taken away in his iniquity, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood.’

Hebrews 12:24
to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

1 John 3:12
Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.

1 John 3:15
Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer.

Matthew 23:35
And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

Luke 11:50-51
As a result, this generation will be charged with the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the foundation of the world, / from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, all of it will be charged to this generation.

Treasury of Scripture

And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.

every.

Exodus 21:12,28,29
He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death…

and at.

Genesis 4:9,10
And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? …

Leviticus 19:16
Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.

Numbers 35:31-33
Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death…

brother.

Acts 17:26
And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

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Genesis 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.

Berean Study Bible

And surely I will require
The phrase "And surely I will require" underscores the certainty and seriousness of God's decree. The Hebrew word for "require" is "דָּרַשׁ" (darash), which conveys a sense of seeking or demanding accountability. This reflects God's justice and His sovereign authority to hold creation accountable for the sanctity of life. It emphasizes that life is precious and that God, as the Creator, has the ultimate authority to demand an account for it.

the life of your lifeblood
The term "lifeblood" is translated from the Hebrew word "נֶפֶשׁ" (nephesh), which often refers to the soul or life essence. This phrase highlights the intrinsic value of life, as blood is seen as the life force within a being. In the ancient Near Eastern context, blood was considered sacred and symbolic of life itself. This underscores the theological principle that life is a divine gift and must be treated with reverence and respect.

from every beast I will require it
This part of the verse indicates that God's covenant extends beyond humanity to include animals. The Hebrew word for "beast" is "חַיָּה" (chayyah), which refers to living creatures. This reflects the biblical worldview that all of creation is under God's moral order. It suggests that even animals are part of the divine accountability structure, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all life and the responsibility to protect and preserve it.

and from every man
The repetition of "from every man" reinforces the universality of this command. The Hebrew word "אָדָם" (adam) is used here, which can mean both "man" and "humanity." This indicates that every individual, regardless of status or relationship, is accountable to God for the sanctity of life. It underscores the personal responsibility each person has in upholding God's moral law.

from every man’s brother
The phrase "from every man’s brother" highlights the relational aspect of humanity. The Hebrew word "אָח" (ach) means "brother" and signifies kinship and community. This suggests that the responsibility to protect life is not just individual but communal. It calls for a collective commitment to uphold the value of life within the human family, reflecting the biblical principle of loving one's neighbor.

I will require the life of man
The closing phrase reiterates the divine mandate for justice concerning the taking of human life. The Hebrew word "חַי" (chai) for "life" emphasizes the vitality and sacredness of human existence. This serves as a reminder of the inherent dignity bestowed upon humanity by God. It calls believers to a higher standard of respect for life, aligning with the broader biblical narrative that humanity is made in the image of God and thus holds intrinsic worth.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) Your blood of your lives. . . . --This verse should be translated: "And surely your blood, which is for your souls, will I require (i.e., avenge); from every beast will I require it, and from man: even from a man's brother will I require the soul of man," as from Cain. "Your blood, which is for your souls," means that it is the means for the maintenance of the animal life within them. As it is, then, the support of man's life, au animal which sheds it becomes guilty, and must be slain; and still more must those animals be destroyed which prey upon man. Thus there is a command given for the extirpation of the carnivora at the time when the more peaceful animals had just been saved. The last clause literally is . . . at the hand of man, at the hand of one that is his brother, will I require the soul of man. This has nothing to do with the avenger of blood. The near kinsman is here the murderer, and the commandment requires that even such an one should not be spared.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 5. - And surely. Again the conjunction אַך introduces a restriction. The blood of beasts might without fear be shed for necessary uses, but the blood of man was holy and inviolable. Following the LXX. (καὶ γὰρ), Jerome, Pererius, Mercerus, Calvin, Peele, Willet give a causal sense to the conjunction, as if it supplied the reason of' the foregoing restriction - a sense which, according to Furst ('Hebrews Lex.,' sub nom.) it sometimes, though rarely, has; as in 2 Kings 24:3; Psalm 39:12; Psalm 68:22; but in each case אַך is better rendered "surely." Your blood of your lives.

(1) For your souls, i.e. in requital for them - lex talionis, blood for blood, life for life (Kalisch, Wordsworth, Bush);

(2) for your souls, i.e. for their protection (Gesenins, Miehaelis, Schumann, Tuch);

(3) from your souls - a prohibition against suicide (Suma-tan); . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

And surely
וְאַ֨ךְ (wə·’aḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 389: A particle of affirmation, surely

I will require
אֶדְרֹ֔שׁ (’eḏ·rōš)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1875: To tread, frequent, to follow, to seek, ask, to worship

the life of any
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

man
הָֽאָדָ֗ם (hā·’ā·ḏām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

or beast
חַיָּ֖ה (ḥay·yāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life

by whose hand
מִיַּד֙ (mî·yaḏ)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3027: A hand

your lifeblood [is shed].
לְנַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶם֙ (lə·nap̄·šō·ṯê·ḵem)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

I will demand an accounting
אֶדְרֹ֖שׁ (’eḏ·rōš)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1875: To tread, frequent, to follow, to seek, ask, to worship

from anyone
הָֽאָדָֽם׃ (hā·’ā·ḏām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

[who takes] the life
נֶ֥פֶשׁ (ne·p̄eš)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

of his fellow man:
אִ֣ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

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OT Law: Genesis 9:5 I will surely require your blood (Gen. Ge Gn)