Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

NOAH

(Heb. nōaḥ; Gk. Nṓe)

Son of Lamech and father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth; the central human character of the Flood story (Gen. 6–9).

Name

Lamech’s folk etymology ties Noah’s name to Heb. nḥm, “to provide comfort” (Gen. 5:29), alluding to the curse of 3:17-19: by “toil” and “labor” the ground yields food. Lamech’s prediction is fulfilled when God allows animals as food, bringing respite from the curse (Gen. 9:3). Then Noah, “a man of the soil,” plants and harvests a vineyard (9:20). Noah’s name also reflects nwḥ, “to give rest.” “Rest” and “comfort” are two of many recurring concepts in the Flood story: e.g., “the ark came to rest (wattānaḥ),” 8:4; “the dove found no resting place (mānôaḥ),” 8:9; “then the Lord smelled the restful (hannîḥōaḥ) aroma,” 8:21. Less obvious are Hebrew puns: e.g., “the Lord was grieved (wayyinnāḥem) that he had made humankind,” 6:6; “Noah found favor (ḥēn) in the sight of the Lord,” 6:8; “the earth was filled with violence (ḥāmās),” 6:11, 13.

Genealogy

Noah is the ninth descendant in Adam’s genealogy through Seth (Gen. 5:1–6:8). Each descendant’s account is fairly consistent, giving the age when the individual fathered the next descendant, the additional years the individual lived, and the individual’s total years. With Noah, the genealogy breaks off with Noah’s age when he fathered his three sons (Gen. 5:32). The formula closes at the end of Noah’s story (Gen. 9:28-29), giving the additional years Noah lived and his age at death. Noah’s story is framed by the genealogical formula’s opening and closing.

The Story of Noah

Noah’s story has three components. An account of humanity’s depraved condition before the Flood (Gen. 6:1-8) concludes the list of Adam’s descendants, emphasizing the increasing pervasiveness of sin. This depravity contrasts with Noah, who “found favor in the sight of the Lord” (6:8). This component is paralleled in an account of Noah and his sons after the Flood (Gen. 9:18-27). The depraved behavior of Ham, Noah’s son, and by implication, Canaan, Ham’s son (perhaps incest with Noah’s wife, cf. Lev. 18:7-8), contrasts with the behavior of Shem and Japheth. These accounts frame the central component, the Flood account (Gen. 6:9–9:17) where Noah, “blameless in his generation,” alone is “righteous” among his contemporaries and “walked with God” (6:9; 7:1).

God reveals to Noah his intention to destroy humanity and the earth, and gives instructions to build an ark, in which Noah and his family will survive, along with a male and female of every creature. God directs Noah to gather enough food. Noah does as God commanded (Gen. 6:13-22).

The Lord then tells Noah to bring his household and the animals, including seven pairs of clean animals, into the ark. After seven days, 40 days of rain will destroy all life on earth. Again, Noah does as the Lord commanded. Noah is 600 years old when the Lord shuts him in the ark. When the Flood comes, everything on earth dies, leaving only those with Noah in the ark (Gen. 7:1-24).

Then God remembers Noah. He sends a wind and the waters recede. After the ark rests among the mountains of Ararat, Noah releases a raven and a dove. Unable to find a resting place, the dove returns. Seven days later, Noah releases the dove again, and it returns with an olive leaf. When Noah releases the dove after seven more days, it does not return. The ground is dry (Gen. 8:1-14).

At God’s command Noah, with his family and animals, leaves the ark. Noah builds an altar, and sacrifices some clean animals. Smelling the aroma, the Lord decides never again to curse the ground or destroy all life, despite humanity’s continuing inclination to evil (Gen. 8:15-22).

God blesses Noah and his sons as he had the first humans in Gen. 1:28. God also announces a new world order. Noah and his descendants have dominion over animals and plants, and animals can be used for food. However, Noah and his descendants must control lawlessness and revenge, using animals responsibly and punishing murder. God closes this announcement of a new order, continuing the blessing with which he began (Gen. 9:1-7).

In a covenant with Noah, his descendants, the animals, and the earth itself, God codifies his decision never again to destroy his creation. The rainbow will remind God of this eternal covenant with his creation (Gen. 9:8-17).

Significance

Gen. 5:1–6:8 begins, “This is the list of the descendants of Adam,” and ends, “But Noah found favor in the sight of the Lord.” Noah is the last patriarch of the former age, an age characterized by curses (Gen. 3:17-19; 4:11-12), inclination toward evil (6:5), and lawlessness (6:11, 13). That age ends with God’s decision to destroy creation (Gen. 6:7). Gen. 6:9 begins a new story, “These are the descendants of Noah.” Noah, the first patriarch of a new age, is “righteous,” “walked with God” (Gen. 6:9; cf. 7:1), and “did all that God had commanded him” (6:22; 7:5). Humans in the new age remain unchanged, still inclined toward evil (Gen. 8:21). But characteristic of the new age are God’s mitigation of previous curses and God’s covenant never again to destroy creation. God had used Noah to preserve humanity and animals for a new creation. Now, in that new creation, God uses Noah and his descendants to keep lawlessness in check, protecting and preserving all life, animal and human.

Later References

In Isa. 54:9 God’s promise no longer to be angry with Israel parallels God’s promise that “the waters of Noah would never again go over the earth.” In Ezek. 14:14-20 Noah, along with Daniel and Job, is considered righteous. Ben Sira notes that it was Noah’s righteousness and perfection that led to a remnant left upon earth (Sir. 44:17-18). In the NT Noah is among Jesus’ ancestors (Luke 3:36). Jesus compares his contemporaries’ lifestyles to those of “the days of Noah” prior to the Flood (Matt. 24:37-38). Noah is “a herald of righteousness” (2 Pet. 2:5), “an heir to the righteousness that is in accordance with faith” because he heeded God (Heb. 11:7). The author of 1 Peter notes God’s patience in “the days of Noah” while the ark was being built (1 Pet. 3:20).

Bibliography. W. Brueggemann, Genesis. Interpretation (Atlanta, 1982); G. J. Wenham, Genesis 1–15. WBC 1 (Waco, 1987); C. Westermann, Genesis 1–11 (Minneapolis, 1984).

Joseph E. Jensen

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

NOAH

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)