Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This isn't just a permission slip for eating meat; it's a profound affirmation of God's sustained provision for humanity after the cataclysm of the flood. God isn't just saying "you can eat animals now," but rather, "just as I gave you plants for food, I am now giving you everything else that moves." This signifies a new, expanded covenant of sustenance where all of creation is intentionally placed at humanity's disposal for survival.
Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After the catastrophic flood, God makes a new covenant with Noah and all living creatures, promising never to destroy the earth with water again. As part of this covenant, God grants humanity dominion over the animals, giving them permission to eat meat for the first time. This new allowance, however, comes with a strict prohibition against consuming blood, directly linked to the sanctity of life.
After the floodwaters receded, God issued a new decree for humanity's sustenance. What changed, and what did it mean for Noah and his family?
Prior to Genesis 9:3, humanity's diet was restricted to plants (Genesis 1:29). This verse marks a significant shift: God explicitly permits the eating of animals. This wasn't just a permission but a provision, a 'grant' from God, indicating His active care for Noah's family in their new world.
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With the permission to eat animals came a profound shift in humanity's relationship with the rest of creation. What responsibilities accompanied this newfound authority?
Genesis 9:2-3 reveals a recalibration of power between humans and animals. God explicitly states that 'the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth,' and then immediately follows with the grant of animal food.
This verse marks a pivotal shift in humanity's relationship with the animal kingdom following the Flood. It's not just about food; it's about God re-establishing order and outlining new responsibilities for His creation.
~1600 BC— this verse
The Great Flood
Following the Flood, God established a new beginning for humanity with Noah and his family. This event dramatically reshaped the earth and humanity's relationship with the natural world.
~1600 BC
New Covenant Established
God makes a covenant with Noah and all living creatures, promising never to destroy all life on earth again with a flood. The rainbow is given as a sign of this covenant.
~1600 BC
Expanded Dietary Laws
God explicitly permits Noah and his descendants to eat meat, expanding the diet beyond the purely vegetarian allowance given to Adam and Eve.
~1600 BC
Prohibition of Eating Blood
Along with the permission to eat meat, a significant restriction is introduced: not to eat flesh with its life (blood), which is declared to be the seat of life.
~1600 BC
Sanctity of Human Life Affirmed
God establishes a principle that the shedding of human blood will be accounted for, highlighting the value of human life made in God's image.
This passage details the distinction between clean and unclean animals, showing a later development of dietary laws that built upon the foundational permission given in Genesis 9:3.
1 Corinthians 10:25-26Paul echoes the principle that all food created by God is good, referencing the liberty granted to believers in Christ, which connects to the broad permission for eating given to Noah.
Acts 10:9-16Peter's vision of the sheet filled with animals demonstrates God's redefinition of what is clean, directly challenging previous human-imposed restrictions and affirming the principle of God's expansive provision for His people, as first seen in Genesis 9:3.
Romans 14:1-23This chapter addresses disputes over dietary practices among believers, with Paul emphasizing that what God has made clean should not be considered unclean, reinforcing the idea that God's provision of food is generous and not to be restricted by human scruples.
clarkeGenesis 9:3: "Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things."
Every moving thing - shall be meat - There is no positive evidence that animal food was ever used before the flood. Noah had the first grant of this kind, and it has been continued to all his posterity ever since. It is not likely that this grant would have been now made if some extraordinary alteration had not taken place in the vegetable world, so as to render its productio…
calvinGenesis 9:1-29: "And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth."
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.
Et timor vester et pavor vester erit super omnem bestiam terrae, et super omne volatile coeli, cum omnibus quae gradiuntur in terra, et omnibus pi…
This isn't just a permission slip for eating meat; it's a profound affirmation of God's sustained provision for humanity after the cataclysm of the flood. God isn't just saying "you can eat animals now," but rather, "just as I gave you plants for food, I am now giving you everything else that moves." This signifies a new, expanded covenant of sustenance where all of creation is intentionally placed at humanity's disposal for survival.
After the catastrophic flood, God makes a new covenant with Noah and all living creatures, promising never to destroy the earth with water again. As part of this covenant, God grants humanity dominion over the animals, giving them permission to eat meat for the first time. This new allowance, however, comes with a strict prohibition against consuming blood, directly linked to the sanctity of life.
After the catastrophic flood, God makes a new covenant with Noah and all living creatures, promising never to destroy the earth with water again. As part of this covenant, God grants humanity dominion over the animals, giving them permission to eat meat for the first time. This new allowance, however, comes with a strict prohibition against consuming blood, directly linked to the sanctity of life.
"Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything." — This isn't just a permission slip for eating meat; it's a profound affirmation of God's sustained provision for humanity after the cataclysm of the flood. God isn't just saying "you can eat animals n…
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Last reviewed October 2026