English of the Vulgate (Douay-Rheims) is given under each Vulgate verse, to make the Vulgate easier to read.

Genesis 9 in four versions — Vulgate, Hebrew (MT), Septuagint, and Yemenite Targum Onkelos — with notes on where they agree and where they part. Sources: Vulgate = the Clementine text; MT = Sefaria Miqra (vocalized, with cantillation); LXX = the Septuagint Greek text, given here under MT numbering; Targum = Onkelos, Yemenite Taj tradition only. TO in the notes = this Yemenite Onkelos. Divine names appear only as ייי and א-להים throughout.

Versification: MT, LXX, Targum, and Vulgate each have 29 verses in Genesis 9, verse for verse; but Vulgate sentences run across MT verse boundaries — 9:8 into 9:9 and on into 9:10 (Haec quoque dixit Deus...: / Ecce ego statuam...: / et ad omnem animam...), 9:12 into 9:13 (Dixitque Deus:...: / arcum meum ponam...), 9:14 into 9:15 (Cumque obduxero...: / et recordabor...), and 9:24 into 9:25 (...filius suus minor, / ait: Maledictus...) — the Vulgate line under each verse below is the sentence (or sentence part) belonging to that MT verse. MT paragraph breaks: {ס} at 9:7, {פ} at 9:17 and 9:29. Field numbering: Field's Cap. IX is Hebrew numbering throughout (no offset, unlike Cap. VI) — citations below give the Hebrew verse. Field's Genesis 9 material is on pp. 27–28 (main entries) with addenda on p. 28.

Targum punctuation — transferred 2026-10-30 from Mechon Mamre Noach page, punctuation only, wording/vocalization untouched. MT divine tokens: first name at 9:26 (1 token); second name at 9:1, 9:6, 9:8, 9:12, 9:16, 9:17, 9:27 (7 tokens). TO uses the first name at 9:1, 9:8, 9:12, 9:16 (prefixed), 9:17, 9:26, 9:27 (7 tokens) and keeps the second name at 9:6 (1 token); TO switches MT's second name at 9:1, 9:8, 9:12, 9:17, 9:27, keeps it at 9:6, and at 9:16 renders 'between God' as 'between the Memra of the Lord.'

Gen 9:1

Vulg. Benedixitque Deus Noë et filiis ejus. Et dixit ad eos: Crescite, et multiplicamini, et replete terram.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) And God blessed Noe and his sons. And he said to them: Increase and multiply, and fill the earth.

MT

וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ א-להים֔ אֶת־נֹ֖חַ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֑יו וַיֹּ֧אמֶר לָהֶ֛ם פְּר֥וּ וּרְב֖וּ וּמִלְא֥וּ אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

LXX καὶ ηὐλόγησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν Νωε καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς αὐξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε, καὶ πληρώσατε τὴν γῆν καὶ κατακυριεύσατε αὐτῆς.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וּבָרֵיךְ ייי, יָת נֹחַ וְיָת בְּנוֹהִי; וַאֲמַר לְהוֹן פּוּשׁוּ וּסְגוֹ, וּמְלוֹ יָת אַרְעָא׃

• Blessing repeated, without 'subdue' — MT blesses Noah and his sons: be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth — the creation blessing of 1:28, but without 'subdue it.' LXX restores the missing verb: 'and rule over it' (καὶ κατακυριεύσατε αὐτῆς) at the end of the verse. Field addendum p. 28 obelizes that clause (÷ ... ⁂), i.e. it has no basis in the Hebrew. Vulgate (grow, multiply, fill the earth) and TO (increase, multiply, fill) follow MT without it.
• Names — MT second name (וַיְבָרֶךְ א-להים); LXX ὁ θεός; Vulg. Deus; TO ייי. TO switches MT's second name, as throughout this chapter except at 9:6.
• Why the Targum always renders the second name by the first — Marpe Lashon on 1:1: in the text "created" stands with the second name, in the Targum with the first name, and so it is with every second name. The Targum follows the reading, not the writing: whether the text writes the second name and reads it so, or writes the first name and reads it as the second name, the Targum follows the reading throughout. He asks three questions. First, why does the Targum not render each name according to its aspect, mercy or judgment? Because it is not the Targum's way to delve beyond the plain sense: the verse needs only to say that the Creator did or commanded such-and-such, not in which attribute He did so — so it uses the reading-name for all of them, the name that stands in place of the essential name. (By contrast, Aramaic prayer does distinguish — the name of mercy becomes "the Merciful," the names of judgment "Master of the world" — because one who prays must intend the attribute he prays by; and Saadia in his Arabic version rendered every name by the one general Arabic word for God.) Second, why render the second name by the reading-name rather than leaving it in Aramaic form, as with Shaddai or Tzevaot? Because the reading-name is "My memorial for generation after generation" and counts among us like the explicit name, while the Aramaic word for god is not certainly holy — it can mean a foreign god, as in "the god of Nahor" — so the Targum uses the reading-name specifically; except when the first name or the reading-name already stands beside it, where it must leave the second name as written, to avoid doubling. Third, what is intended by the reading-name in the Targum — the reading-name alone, or also the first name as written? By the plain-sense reason, the reading-name alone; but by the mystical reason (Dan Yadin, cited by Marpe Lashon: the second name emerges from the first name by filling — spelled yod, he, vav, he with two yods it sums to 92, the number of the second name written full; spelled with yod-fillings it sums to 72, and with its ten filling letters and four plain letters, 86, the number of the second name), the intention is to the first name as well — though even then it can be said the intention is to the reading-name alone, since what emerges by that reckoning is judgment, like the reading-name. His conclusion: it is best to be stringent and intend both — especially when reading the thirteen attributes of mercy in the twice-text-and-once-Targum reading. "And if I have erred, may the Good One atone for me."

Gen 9:2

Vulg. Et terror vester ac tremor sit super cuncta animalia terrae, et super omnes volucres caeli, cum universis quae moventur super terram: omnes pisces maris manui vestrae traditi sunt.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) And let the fear and dread of you be upon all the beasts of the earth, and upon all the fowls of the air, and all that move upon the earth: all the fishes of the sea are delivered into your hand.

MT

וּמוֹרַאֲכֶ֤ם וְחִתְּכֶם֙ יִֽהְיֶ֔ה עַ֚ל כׇּל־חַיַּ֣ת הָאָ֔רֶץ וְעַ֖ל כׇּל־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם בְּכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּרְמֹ֧שׂ הָֽאֲדָמָ֛ה וּֽבְכׇל־דְּגֵ֥י הַיָּ֖ם בְּיֶדְכֶ֥ם נִתָּֽנוּ׃

LXX καὶ ὁ τρόμος ὑμῶν καὶ ὁ φόβος ἔσται ἐπὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς θηρίοις τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐπὶ πάντα τὰ ὄρνεα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ πάντα τὰ κινούμενα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς ἰχθύας τῆς θαλάσσης· ὑπὸ χεῖρας ὑμῖν δέδωκα.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וְדַחְלַתְכוֹן וְאֵימַתְכוֹן, תְּהֵי, עַל כָּל חַיַּת אַרְעָא, וְעַל כָּל עוֹפָא דִּשְׁמַיָּא; בְּכֹל דְּתַרְחֵישׁ אַרְעָא וּבְכָל נוּנֵי יַמָּא, בְּיַדְכוֹן מְסִירִין׃

• Fear and dread — MT 'fear of you and dread of you' over beast, bird, creeper, and fish; LXX 'trembling and fear' (ὁ τρόμος καὶ ὁ φόβος); Vulg. 'terror and trembling'; TO 'fear and dread.' The order of the pair shifts between versions, the sense does not.
• Given into your hands — MT passive: 'into your hands they are given' (בְּיֶדְכֶם נִתָּנוּ); LXX alone makes God the speaker: 'I have given into your hands' (ὑπὸ χεῖρας ὑμῖν δέδωκα). Vulg. 'delivered to your hand' and TO 'delivered into your hands' keep the passive.
• Field p. 27: LXX 'upon all the beasts of the earth' (ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς θηρίοις); other copies add, obelized, 'and upon all the cattle of the earth' (÷ καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς κτήνεσι τῆς γῆς ⁂); Symmachus 'against all the beasts' (κατὰ πάντων τῶν θηρίων).

Gen 9:3

Vulg. Et omne, quod movetur et vivit, erit vobis in cibum: quasi olera virentia tradidi vobis omnia.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) And every thing that moveth and liveth shall be meat for you: even as the green herbs have I delivered them all to you:

MT

כׇּל־רֶ֙מֶשׂ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הוּא־חַ֔י לָכֶ֥ם יִהְיֶ֖ה לְאׇכְלָ֑ה כְּיֶ֣רֶק עֵ֔שֶׂב נָתַ֥תִּי לָכֶ֖ם אֶת־כֹּֽל׃

LXX καὶ πᾶν ἑρπετόν ὅ ἐστιν ζῶν ὑμῖν ἔσται εἰς βρῶσιν· ὡς λάχανα χόρτου δέδωκα ὑμῖν τὰ πάντα.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

כָּל רִחְשָׁא דְּהוּא חַי, לְכוֹן יְהֵי לְמֵיכַל: כְּיָרוֹק עִסְבָּא, יְהַבִית לְכוֹן יָת כּוֹלָא׃

• Field cites no distinct reading for 9:3.
• Meat permitted — MT 'every moving thing that lives shall be food for you,' against the plants-only diet of 1:29 ('every green herb for food'). LXX, Vulgate, and TO all follow MT: the diet widens after the flood, with the one reservation of the next verse.

Gen 9:4

Vulg. Excepto, quod carnem cum sanguine non comedetis.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) Saving that flesh with blood you shall not eat.

MT

אַךְ־בָּשָׂ֕ר בְּנַפְשׁ֥וֹ דָמ֖וֹ לֹ֥א תֹאכֵֽלוּ׃

LXX πλὴν κρέας ἐν αἵματι ψυχῆς οὐ φάγεσθε·

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

בְּרַם בִּסְרָא, בְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ דְּמֵיהּ לָא תֵּיכְלוּן׃

• Flesh with its soul, its blood — MT 'flesh in its נפש, its blood, you shall not eat' (בָּשָׂר בְּנַפְשׁוֹ דָמוֹ). Hebrew has no word for 'life' apart from נפש: נפש is the soul, and the soul is the life — the blood is the soul, so flesh still holding its blood is forbidden. LXX renders נפש as ψυχή, soul, turning the apposition into a genitive: 'flesh in blood of soul' (ἐν αἵματι ψυχῆς). Aquila 'in its soul, its blood' (ἐν ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ αἷμα αὐτοῦ) and Symmachus 'whose blood with its soul' (οὗ σὺν ψυχῇ αἷμα αὐτοῦ) keep both terms. Field p. 27: anima, 'with its soul, that is, its blood.' Vulgate drops נפש altogether — 'flesh with blood' (carnem cum sanguine) only; TO 'flesh in its soul, its blood' follows MT closely.
• Open question: did the Vulgate drop נפש here because the soul belongs to man, whose soul follows in the next verse ("blood of your souls," "soul of man" at 9:5)? Against a general rule: the same chapter calls animals "living soul" (anima vivens) at 9:10, 9:15, and 9:16 — so the distinction, if any, is between an animal's own soul here and "living soul" as a class term there; or the drop may be mere redundancy, the blood already being the soul.

Gen 9:5

Vulg. Sanguinem enim animarum vestrarum requiram de manu cunctarum bestiarum: et de manu hominis, de manu viri, et fratris ejus requiram animam hominis.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) 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.

MT

וְאַ֨ךְ אֶת־דִּמְכֶ֤ם לְנַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶם֙ אֶדְרֹ֔שׁ מִיַּ֥ד כׇּל־חַיָּ֖ה אֶדְרְשֶׁ֑נּוּ וּמִיַּ֣ד הָֽאָדָ֗ם מִיַּד֙ אִ֣ישׁ אָחִ֔יו אֶדְרֹ֖שׁ אֶת־נֶ֥פֶשׁ הָֽאָדָֽם׃

LXX καὶ γὰρ τὸ ὑμέτερον αἷμα τῶν ψυχῶν ὑμῶν ἐκζητήσω· ἐκ χειρὸς πάντων τῶν θηρίων ἐκζητήσω αὐτὸ, καὶ ἐκ χειρὸς ἀνθρώπου ἀδελφοῦ ἐκζητήσω τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וּבְרַם יָת דִּמְכוֹן לְנַפְשָׁתְכוֹן אֶתְבַּע, מִיַּד כָּל חַיְתָא אֶתְבְּעִנֵּיהּ; וּמִיַּד אֲנָשָׁא, מִיַּד גְּבַר דְּיֵישׁוֹד יָת דְּמָא דַּאֲחוּהִי אֶתְבַּע, יָת נַפְשָׁא דַּאֲנָשָׁא׃

• Threefold 'I will require' — MT repeats אֶדְרֹשׁ three times: your blood from every beast, from man, from each man's brother. Field p. 27: the first 'I will require' is absent from the LXX main text (Vacat); other copies supply ἐκζητήσω, which the reader's text follows.
• From the hand of man — MT's doubled phrase, 'from the hand of man, from the hand of each man's brother' (מִיַּד הָאָדָם מִיַּד אִישׁ אָחִיו). LXX smooths it to one phrase, 'from the hand of a brother-man' (ἐκ χειρὸς ἀνθρώπου ἀδελφοῦ), and lacks the 'his' that Field marks asterisked (ἀδελφοῦ ※ αὐτοῦ ⁂). Vulgate keeps the doubling ('from the hand of man, from the hand of a man, and of his brother'). TO explicates the victim: 'from the hand of a man who sheds his brother's blood' (מִיַּד גְּבַר דְּיֵישׁוֹד יָת דְּמָא דַּאֲחוּהִי).
• Beast vs living creature — MT כָּל־חַיָּה (every living thing); LXX 'all the beasts' (πάντων τῶν θηρίων); Aquila and Symmachus 'living creatures' (ζῴων). Field p. 27.

Gen 9:6

Vulg. Quicumque effuderit humanum sanguinem, fundetur sanguis illius: ad imaginem quippe Dei factus est homo.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) Whosoever shall shed man’s blood, his blood shall be shed: for man was made to the image of God.

MT

שֹׁפֵךְ֙ דַּ֣ם הָֽאָדָ֔ם בָּֽאָדָ֖ם דָּמ֣וֹ יִשָּׁפֵ֑ךְ כִּ֚י בְּצֶ֣לֶם א-להים֔ עָשָׂ֖ה אֶת־הָאָדָֽם׃

LXX ὁ ἐκχέων αἷμα ἀνθρώπου ἀντὶ τοῦ αἵματος αὐτοῦ ἐκχυθήσεται, ὅτι ἐν εἰκόνι θεοῦ ἐποίησα τὸν ἄνθρωπον.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

דְּיֵישׁוֹד דְּמָא דַּאֲנָשָׁא, בְּסָהֲדִין עַל מֵימַר דַּיָּינַיָּא דְּמֵיהּ יִתְאֲשַׁד: אֲרֵי בְּצֶלֶם א-להים, עֲבַד יָת אֲנָשָׁא׃

• By man, by judges — MT 'who sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed' (שֹׁפֵךְ דַּם הָאָדָם בָּאָדָם דָּמוֹ יִשָּׁפֵךְ). TO reads 'by man' as through human courts: 'by witnesses, by the word of the judges, shall his blood be shed' (בְּסָהֲדִין עַל מֵימַר דַּיָּינַיָּא דְּמֵיהּ יִתְאֲשַׁד) — capital punishment is judicial, not private vengeance.
• The Noahide commandments — TO's gloss here is the rabbinic reading of this verse as dinim, courts of justice: one of the seven commandments laid on Noah's descendants (Sanhedrin 56a), so that blood is answered by law, not by hand. And the tradition runs through the whole passage, not only here: the ban on flesh with its blood at 9:4 is the limb of a living animal, and the accounting for blood at 9:5–6 is the ban on murder — the passage as a whole is traditionally read as Noahide law, with TO's judges gloss its explicit witness.
• Second name kept — MT 'for in the image of God He made man' (בְּצֶלֶם א-להים); TO alone among this chapter's second-name tokens keeps the second name here (בְּצֶלֶם א-להים), where elsewhere it switches to the first name. LXX 'in the image of God' (ἐν εἰκόνι θεοῦ); Vulg. 'to the image of God' (ad imaginem Dei).
• Field p. 27: LXX 'for his blood it shall be shed' (ἀντὶ τοῦ αἵματος αὐτοῦ ἐκχυθήσεται); other copies add, asterisked, 'in man' (※ ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ ⁂), restoring the Hebrew's 'by man' which the reader's text drops.

Gen 9:7

Vulg. Vos autem crescite et multiplicamini, et ingredimini super terram, et implete eam.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) But increase you and multiply, and go upon the earth, and fill it.

MT

וְאַתֶּ֖ם פְּר֣וּ וּרְב֑וּ שִׁרְצ֥וּ בָאָ֖רֶץ וּרְבוּ־בָֽהּ׃ {ס}

LXX ὑμεῖς δὲ αὐξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε καὶ πληρώσατε τὴν γῆν καὶ πληθύνεσθε ἐπ' αὐτῆς.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וְאַתּוּן, פּוּשׁוּ וּסְגוֹ; אִתְיַלַּדוּ בְּאַרְעָא, וּסְגוֹ בַּהּ׃

• Swarm in three renderings — MT 'swarm on the earth' (שִׁרְצוּ בָאָרֶץ); LXX 'fill the earth' (πληρώσατε τὴν γῆν); Vulgate 'enter upon the earth' (ingredimini super terram) — the same rendering Vulgate gives the swarm clause at 8:17; TO 'be born on the earth' (אִתְיַלַּדוּ בְּאַרְעָא).
• Rule vs multiply — Field p. 27 gives as the main LXX text 'and rule over it' (καὶ κατακυριεύσατε αὐτῆς); other copies read 'and multiply upon it' (καὶ πληθύνεσθε ἐπ' αὐτῆς), which the reader's text follows. The 'rule' verb thus appears in Field's main text here, while at 9:1 it appears only in the reader's text, obelized.
• MT paragraph break {ס} at the end of this verse.

Gen 9:8

Vulg. Haec quoque dixit Deus ad Noë, et ad filios ejus cum eo:

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) Thus also said God to Noe, and to his sons with him,

MT

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר א-להים֙ אֶל־נֹ֔חַ וְאֶל־בָּנָ֥יו אִתּ֖וֹ לֵאמֹֽר׃

LXX καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεὸς τῷ Νωε καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ μετ' αὐτοῦ λέγων

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וַאֲמַר ייי לְנֹחַ, וְלִבְנוֹהִי עִמֵּיהּ לְמֵימַר׃

• Speech heading — MT 'and God said to Noah and to his sons with him, saying' (וַיֹּאמֶר א-להים אֶל־נֹחַ וְאֶל־בָּנָיו אִתּוֹ לֵאמֹר). Vulgate's sentence runs on through 9:9 and 9:10 (Haec quoque dixit Deus...: / Ecce ego statuam...: / et ad omnem animam...). Field cites no distinct reading for 9:8.
• Names — MT second name; LXX ὁ θεός; Vulg. Deus; TO ייי.

Gen 9:9

Vulg. Ecce ego statuam pactum meum vobiscum, et cum semine vestro post vos:

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) Behold I will establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you:

MT

וַאֲנִ֕י הִנְנִ֥י מֵקִ֛ים אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י אִתְּכֶ֑ם וְאֶֽת־זַרְעֲכֶ֖ם אַֽחֲרֵיכֶֽם׃

LXX ἐγὼ ἰδοὺ ἀνίστημι τὴν διαθήκην μου ὑμῖν καὶ τῷ σπέρματι ὑμῶν μεθ' ὑμᾶς,

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וַאֲנָא, הָאֲנָא מְקִים יָת קְיָמִי עִמְּכוֹן, וְעִם בְּנֵיכוֹן, בָּתְרֵיכוֹן׃

• Field cites no distinct reading for 9:9.
• Covenant with seed — MT 'I establish My covenant with you and with your seed after you' (הִנְנִי מֵקִים אֶת־בְּרִיתִי אִתְּכֶם וְאֶת־זַרְעֲכֶם אַחֲרֵיכֶם); LXX 'I raise My covenant' (ἀνίστημι τὴν διαθήκην μου); Vulg. 'I will establish' (statuam, future, against MT's participle); TO 'behold, I establish' (הָאֲנָא מְקִים).
• An LXX coinage — διαθήκη for בְּרִית is the Septuagint's own choice: classical Greek would say συνθήκη for a pact between parties, but the LXX made διαθήκη — a disposition, a will — the standing equivalent of berith, here and throughout. The choice stuck: the New Testament keeps διαθήκη, and the Latin Bible renders it testamentum — hence "Old Testament" and "New Testament" — while Jerome, in this verse itself, says pactum (pactum meum).
• Living witness — the New Testament is the only witness to διαθήκη as living Jewish tradition: the LXX is a translation, and later rabbinic literature speaks Hebrew and Aramaic, so it is the New Testament, written by Jews in the first century, that shows the LXX's coinage alive in Jewish discourse — for God's covenant (Lk 1:72, Ac 3:25, Ro 11:27, He 8:8) and playing on both its senses, covenant and will, at Ga 3:15 and He 9:16–17.

Gen 9:10

Vulg. et ad omnem animam viventem, quae est vobiscum, tam in volucribus quam in jumentis et pecudibus terrae cunctis, quae egressa sunt de arca, et universis bestiis terrae.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) And with every living soul that is with you, as well in all birds as in cattle and beasts of the earth, that are come forth out of the ark, and in all the beasts of the earth.

MT

וְאֵ֨ת כׇּל־נֶ֤פֶשׁ הַֽחַיָּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתְּכֶ֔ם בָּע֧וֹף בַּבְּהֵמָ֛ה וּֽבְכׇל־חַיַּ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ אִתְּכֶ֑ם מִכֹּל֙ יֹצְאֵ֣י הַתֵּבָ֔ה לְכֹ֖ל חַיַּ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃

LXX καὶ πάσῃ ψυχῇ τῇ ζώσῃ μεθ' ὑμῶν, ἀπὸ ὀρνέων καὶ ἀπὸ κτηνῶν, καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς θηρίοις τῆς γῆς ὅσα μεθ' ὑμῶν ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἐξελθόντων ἐκ τῆς κιβωτοῦ.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וְעִם כָּל נַפְשָׁא חַיְתָא דְּעִמְּכוֹן, בְּעוֹפָא בִּבְעִירָא וּבְכָל חַיַּת אַרְעָא עִמְּכוֹן; מִכֹּל נָפְקֵי תֵּיבְתָא, לְכֹל חַיַּת אַרְעָא׃

• The full list, and LXX's shorter one — MT names every living soul with you: bird, beast, all land creatures with you, all that came out of the ark, to all land creatures. LXX drops the final clause ('to all the beasts of the earth'): its text ends at 'all that came out of the ark.' Field p. 27 marks that clause asterisked (※ πᾶσι τοῖς ζῴοις τῆς γῆς ⁂), i.e. present in Hebrew, absent from the LXX main text. Vulgate keeps the full list, ending 'and all beasts of the earth.'
• Field p. 27: LXX 'as many as are with you' (ὅσα ἐστὶ μεθ' ὑμῶν); other copies read the phrase without 'are,' asterisked (※ ὅσα μεθ' ὑμῶν ⁂).

Gen 9:11

Vulg. Statuam pactum meum vobiscum, et nequaquam ultra interficietur omnis caro aquis diluvii, neque erit deinceps diluvium dissipans terram.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) I will establish my covenant with you, and all flesh shall be no more destroyed with the waters of a flood, neither shall there be from henceforth a flood to waste the earth.

MT

וַהֲקִמֹתִ֤י אֶת־בְּרִיתִי֙ אִתְּכֶ֔ם וְלֹֽא־יִכָּרֵ֧ת כׇּל־בָּשָׂ֛ר ע֖וֹד מִמֵּ֣י הַמַּבּ֑וּל וְלֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֥ה ע֛וֹד מַבּ֖וּל לְשַׁחֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃

LXX καὶ στήσω τὴν διαθήκην μου πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ οὐκ ἀποθανεῖται πᾶσα σὰρξ ἔτι ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ἔτι κατακλυσμὸς ὕδατος τοῦ καταφθεῖραι πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וַאֲקֵים יָת קְיָמִי עִמְּכוֹן, וְלָא יִשְׁתֵּיצֵי כָּל בִּסְרָא עוֹד מִמֵּי טוֹפָנָא; וְלָא יְהֵי עוֹד טוֹפָנָא, לְחַבָּלָא אַרְעָא׃

• Cut off, die, slain, destroyed — MT 'all flesh shall not be cut off' (לֹא־יִכָּרֵת כָּל־בָּשָׂר); LXX 'all flesh shall not die' (οὐκ ἀποθανεῖται πᾶσα σὰρξ); Vulgate 'all flesh shall not be slain' (nequaquam ultra interficietur omnis caro); TO 'all flesh shall not be destroyed' (וְלָא יִשְׁתֵּיצֵי כָּל בִּסְרָא). Field cites no distinct reading for 9:11.

Gen 9:12

Vulg. Dixitque Deus: Hoc signum fœderis quod do inter me et vos, et ad omnem animam viventem, quae est vobiscum in generationes sempiternas:

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) And God said: This is the sign of the covenant which I give between me and you, and to every living soul that is with you, for perpetual generations.

MT

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר א-להים֗ זֹ֤את אֽוֹת־הַבְּרִית֙ אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֣י נֹתֵ֗ן בֵּינִי֙ וּבֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם וּבֵ֛ין כׇּל־נֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתְּכֶ֑ם לְדֹרֹ֖ת עוֹלָֽם׃

LXX καὶ εἶπεν κύριος ὁ θεὸς πρὸς Νωε τοῦτο τὸ σημεῖον τῆς διαθήκης ὃ ἐγὼ δίδωμι ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ὑμῶν καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον πάσης ψυχῆς ζώσης ἥ ἐστιν μεθ' ὑμῶν εἰς γενεὰς αἰωνίους·

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וַאֲמַר ייי, דָּא אָת קְיָם דַּאֲנָא יָהֵיב בֵּין מֵימְרִי וּבֵינֵיכוֹן, וּבֵין כָּל נַפְשָׁא חַיְתָא, דְּעִמְּכוֹן לְדָרֵי, עָלְמָא׃

• Field cites no distinct reading for 9:12.
• Names, and LXX's addition — MT second name; LXX alone gives both names (κύριος ὁ θεός) and alone adds the addressee, 'to Noah' (πρὸς Νωε), which MT, Vulgate (Dixitque Deus), and TO lack. Vulg. Deus; TO ייי.
• Memra for 'between me' — MT 'between Me and you' (בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם); TO 'between My Memra and you' (בֵּין מֵימְרִי וּבֵינֵיכוֹן) — the first of five Memra renderings in the covenant section (9:12, 9:13, 9:15, 9:16, 9:17). LXX and Vulgate keep 'between me and you.'
• Vulgate sentence split — 9:12 ends 'in generationes sempiternas:' (to everlasting generations:) and the sentence continues into 9:13 ('arcum meum ponam...').

Gen 9:13

Vulg. arcum meum ponam in nubibus, et erit signum fœderis inter me et inter terram.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) I will set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be the sign of a covenant between me, and between the earth.

MT

אֶת־קַשְׁתִּ֕י נָתַ֖תִּי בֶּֽעָנָ֑ן וְהָֽיְתָה֙ לְא֣וֹת בְּרִ֔ית בֵּינִ֖י וּבֵ֥ין הָאָֽרֶץ׃

LXX τὸ τόξον μου τίθημι ἐν τῇ νεφέλῃ, καὶ ἔσται εἰς σημεῖον διαθήκης ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

יָת קַשְׁתִּי, יְהַבִית בַּעֲנָנָא; וּתְהֵי לְאָת קְיָם, בֵּין מֵימְרִי וּבֵין אַרְעָא׃

• Tenses of the bow — MT past: 'My bow I have set in the cloud' (אֶת־קַשְׁתִּי נָתַתִּי בֶּעָנָן); LXX present: 'My bow I set' (τὸ τόξον μου τίθημι); Vulgate future: 'My bow I will set' (arcum meum ponam); TO past: 'My bow I have given' (יָת קַשְׁתִּי יְהַבִית). The bow is already set in MT and TO, still to be set in Vulgate.
• Memra again — MT 'between Me and the earth' (בֵּינִי וּבֵין הָאָרֶץ); TO 'between My Memra and the earth' (בֵּין מֵימְרִי וּבֵין אַרְעָא). Field cites no distinct reading for 9:13.

Gen 9:14

Vulg. Cumque obduxero nubibus caelum, apparebit arcus meus in nubibus:

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) And when I shall cover the sky with clouds, my bow shall appear in the clouds:

MT

וְהָיָ֕ה בְּעַֽנְנִ֥י עָנָ֖ן עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְנִרְאֲתָ֥ה הַקֶּ֖שֶׁת בֶּעָנָֽן׃

LXX καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῷ συννεφεῖν με νεφέλας ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ὀφθήσεται τὸ τόξον μου ἐν τῇ νεφέλῃ,

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וִיהֵי, בְּעַנָּנוּתִי עֲנָנָא עַל אַרְעָא, וְתִתַּחְזֵי קַשְׁתָּא, בַּעֲנָנָא׃

• Field p. 27: LXX 'when I cloud clouds over the earth' (ἐν τῷ συννεφεῖν με νεφέλας ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν); another reading 'when I gather clouds above the earth' (ἐν τῷ συνάγειν με νεφέλας ὑπεράνω τῆς γῆς).
• Sky for earth — MT 'when I bring a cloud over the earth' (בְּעַנְנִי עָנָן עַל־הָאָרֶץ); LXX 'over the earth' likewise; Vulgate 'when I cover the sky with clouds' (Cumque obduxero nubibus caelum) — sky where MT and LXX have earth. TO 'when I cloud a cloud over the earth' follows MT.
• Vulgate sentence split — 9:14 ends 'in nubibus:' (in the clouds:) and the sentence continues into 9:15 ('et recordabor...').

Gen 9:15

Vulg. et recordabor fœderis mei vobiscum, et cum omni anima vivente quae carnem vegetat: et non erunt ultra aquae diluvii ad delendum universam carnem.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) And I will remember my covenant with you, and with every living soul that beareth flesh: and there shall no more be waters of a flood to destroy all flesh.

MT

וְזָכַרְתִּ֣י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֤ר בֵּינִי֙ וּבֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם וּבֵ֛ין כׇּל־נֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּ֖ה בְּכׇל־בָּשָׂ֑ר וְלֹֽא־יִֽהְיֶ֨ה ע֤וֹד הַמַּ֙יִם֙ לְמַבּ֔וּל לְשַׁחֵ֖ת כׇּל־בָּשָֽׂר׃

LXX καὶ μνησθήσομαι τῆς διαθήκης μου, ἥ ἐστιν ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ὑμῶν καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον πάσης ψυχῆς ζώσης ἐν πάσῃ σαρκί· καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ἔτι τὸ ὕδωρ εἰς κατακλυσμὸν, ὥστε ἐξαλεῖψαι πᾶσαν σάρκα.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וּדְכִירְנָא יָת קְיָמִי, דְּבֵין מֵימְרִי וּבֵינֵיכוֹן, וּבֵין כָּל נַפְשָׁא חַיְתָא, בְּכָל בִּסְרָא; וְלָא יְהֵי עוֹד מַיָּא לְטוֹפָנָא, לְחַבָּלָא כָּל בִּסְרָא׃

• Field cites no distinct reading for 9:15.
• Blot out — MT 'the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh' (לְשַׁחֵת כָּל־בָּשָׂר); LXX 'so as to blot out all flesh' (ὥστε ἐξαλεῖψαι πᾶσαν σάρκα) — the blotting-out verb of the flood itself (7:23); Vulgate 'to destroy all flesh' (ad delendum universam carnem); TO 'to destroy all flesh' (לְחַבָּלָא כָּל בִּסְרָא).
• Memra again — MT 'My covenant which is between Me and you' (בְּרִיתִי אֲשֶׁר בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם); TO 'My covenant which is between My Memra and you' (קְיָמִי דְּבֵין מֵימְרִי וּבֵינֵיכוֹן).

Gen 9:16

Vulg. Eritque arcus in nubibus, et videbo illum, et recordabor fœderis sempiterni quod pactum est inter Deum et omnem animam viventem universae carnis quae est super terram.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) And the bow shall be in the clouds, and I shall see it, and shall remember the everlasting covenant, that was made between God and every living soul of all flesh which is upon the earth.

MT

וְהָיְתָ֥ה הַקֶּ֖שֶׁת בֶּֽעָנָ֑ן וּרְאִיתִ֗יהָ לִזְכֹּר֙ בְּרִ֣ית עוֹלָ֔ם בֵּ֣ין א-להים֔ וּבֵין֙ כׇּל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ חַיָּ֔ה בְּכׇל־בָּשָׂ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

LXX καὶ ἔσται τὸ τόξον μου ἐν τῇ νεφέλῃ, καὶ ὄψομαι τοῦ μνησθῆναι διαθήκην αἰώνιον ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον πάσης ψυχῆς ζώσης ἐν πάσῃ σαρκί ἥ ἐστιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וּתְהֵי קַשְׁתָּא, בַּעֲנָנָא; וְאַחְזֵינַהּ, לְדוּכְרַן קְיָם עָלַם, בֵּין מֵימְרָא דּייי, וּבֵין כָּל נַפְשָׁא חַיְתָא בְּכָל בִּסְרָא דְּעַל אַרְעָא׃

• Between God, between me, between the Memra — MT 'between God and every living soul' (בֵּין א-להים וּבֵין כָּל־נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה); LXX drops the divine name and assimilates to the first person: 'between me and every living soul' (ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον πάσης ψυχῆς ζώσης); Vulgate keeps 'between God' (inter Deum); TO 'between the Memra of the Lord' (בֵּין מֵימְרָא דּייי).
• Seeing turned to showing — MT 'I shall see it, to remember' (וּרְאִיתִיהָ לִזְכֹּר); LXX 'I shall see, to remember' (ὄψομαι τοῦ μνησθῆναι), dropping the object; Vulgate 'I shall see it' (videbo illum); TO 'I shall show it, to remember' (וְאַחְזֵינַהּ לְדוּכְרַן) — the bow is displayed as the reminder, rather than seen as one. Field cites no distinct reading for 9:16.

Gen 9:17

Vulg. Dixitque Deus ad Noë: Hoc erit signum fœderis, quod constitui inter me et omnem carnem super terram.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) And God said to Noe: This shall be the sign of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh upon the earth.

MT

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר א-להים֖ אֶל־נֹ֑חַ זֹ֤את אֽוֹת־הַבְּרִית֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֲקִמֹ֔תִי בֵּינִ֕י וּבֵ֥ין כׇּל־בָּשָׂ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ {פ}

LXX καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεὸς τῷ Νωε τοῦτο τὸ σημεῖον τῆς διαθήκης ἧς διεθέμην ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον πάσης σαρκός ἥ ἐστιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וַאֲמַר ייי, לְנֹחַ: דָּא אָת קְיָם, דַּאֲקֵימִית, בֵּין מֵימְרִי, וּבֵין כָּל בִּסְרָא דְּעַל אַרְעָא׃

• Field cites no distinct reading for 9:17.
• Covenanted vs established — MT 'which I have established' (אֲשֶׁר הֲקִמֹתִי); LXX 'which I covenanted' (ἧς διεθέμην, the covenant-making verb); Vulgate 'which I established' (quod constitui); TO 'which I established' (דַּאֲקֵימִית).
• Vulgate follows MT — across the verse the Vulgate tracks MT where the others diverge: 'between me' (inter me) for בֵּינִי, against TO's 'between My Memra' (its constitui for הֲקִמֹתִי, against LXX's διεθέμην, is in the note above). Only the opening shifts tense: 'this shall be' (Hoc erit) for MT's 'this is.'
• Names — MT second name; LXX ὁ θεός; Vulg. Deus; TO ייי. Memra again in TO: 'between My Memra and all flesh' (בֵּין מֵימְרִי וּבֵין כָּל בִּסְרָא).
• MT paragraph break {פ} at the end of this verse — the covenant section closes here.

Gen 9:18

Vulg. Erant ergo filii Noë, qui egressi sunt de arca, Sem, Cham et Japheth: porro Cham ipse est pater Chanaan.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) And the sons of Noe who came out of the ark, were Sem, Cham, and Japheth: and Cham is the father of Chanaan.

MT

וַיִּֽהְי֣וּ בְנֵי־נֹ֗חַ הַיֹּֽצְאִים֙ מִן־הַתֵּבָ֔ה שֵׁ֖ם וְחָ֣ם וָיָ֑פֶת וְחָ֕ם ה֖וּא אֲבִ֥י כְנָֽעַן׃

LXX ἦσαν δὲ οἱ υἱοὶ Νωε οἱ ἐξελθόντες ἐκ τῆς κιβωτοῦ Σημ, Χαμ, Ιαφεθ· Χαμ ἦν πατὴρ Χανααν.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וַהֲווֹ בְּנֵי נֹחַ, דִּנְפַקוּ מִן תֵּיבְתָא שֵׁם, וְחָם וָיָפֶת; וְחָם, הוּא אֲבוּהִי דִּכְנָעַן׃

• Field cites no distinct reading for 9:18.
• Father of Canaan, in advance — MT adds, of Ham alone: 'and Ham, he is the father of Canaan' (וְחָם הוּא אֲבִי כְנָעַן); LXX, Vulgate ('moreover Ham himself is the father of Canaan'), and TO keep it. The note anticipates 9:25, where the curse falls on Canaan, not on Ham.

Gen 9:19

Vulg. Tres isti filii sunt Noë: et ab his disseminatum est omne genus hominum super universam terram.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) These three are the sons of Noe: and from these was all mankind spread over the whole earth.

MT

שְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה אֵ֖לֶּה בְּנֵי־נֹ֑חַ וּמֵאֵ֖לֶּה נָֽפְצָ֥ה כׇל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

LXX τρεῖς οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ υἱοὶ Νωε· ἀπὸ τούτων διεσπάρησαν ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

תְּלָתָא אִלֵּין, בְּנֵי נֹחַ; וּמֵאִלֵּין, אִתְבַּדַּרוּ בְּכָל אַרְעָא׃

• Field cites no distinct reading for 9:19.
• Who was scattered — MT 'from these the whole earth was scattered' (וּמֵאֵלֶּה נָפְצָה כָל־הָאָרֶץ), the earth as subject; LXX 'from these they were scattered over all the earth' (ἀπὸ τούτων διεσπάρησαν), the sons as subject; TO likewise 'from these they were scattered' (וּמֵאִלֵּין אִתְבַּדַּרוּ); Vulgate explicates: 'from these was spread every race of men over the whole earth' (ab his disseminatum est omne genus hominum).

Gen 9:20

Vulg. Cœpitque Noë vir agricola exercere terram, et plantavit vineam.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) And Noe, a husbandman, began to till the ground, and planted a vineyard.

MT

וַיָּ֥חֶל נֹ֖חַ אִ֣ישׁ הָֽאֲדָמָ֑ה וַיִּטַּ֖ע כָּֽרֶם׃

LXX καὶ ἤρξατο Νωε ἄνθρωπος γεωργὸς γῆς, καὶ ἐφύτευσεν ἀμπελῶνα.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וְשָׁרִי נֹחַ, גְּבַר פָּלַח בְּאַרְעָא; וּנְצַב, כַּרְמָא׃

• Field cites no distinct reading for 9:20.
• First act after the flood — MT 'Noah began, a man of the soil, and planted a vineyard' (וַיָּחֶל נֹחַ אִישׁ הָאֲדָמָה וַיִּטַּע כָּרֶם); LXX 'a man, a farmer of land'; Vulgate 'a husbandman'; TO 'a man working the land.' All four agree: cultivation resumes with a vineyard.
• Noah the second tiller — LXX ties Noah's agriculture to Cain's: at 4:2, 'Cain was working the ground' (Καιν δὲ ἦν ἐργαζόμενος τὴν γῆν); here, 'Noah began, a man, a tiller of the ground' (ἄνθρωπος γεωργὸς γῆς). The first farmer after the flood resumes the first farmer's craft — the ground (γῆ, MT אֲדָמָה in both verses) worked again.

Gen 9:21

Vulg. Bibensque vinum inebriatus est, et nudatus in tabernaculo suo.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) And drinking of the wine was made drunk, and was uncovered in his tent.

MT

וַיֵּ֥שְׁתְּ מִן־הַיַּ֖יִן וַיִּשְׁכָּ֑ר וַיִּתְגַּ֖ל בְּת֥וֹךְ אׇהֳלֹֽה׃

LXX καὶ ἔπιεν ἐκ τοῦ οἴνου καὶ ἐμεθύσθη, καὶ ἐγυμνώθη ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וּשְׁתִי מִן חַמְרָא, וּרְוִי; וְאִתְגַּלִּי, בְּגוֹ מַשְׁכְּנֵיהּ׃

• Field cites no distinct reading for 9:21.
• Tent vs house — MT 'uncovered himself inside his tent' (וַיִּתְגַּל בְּתוֹךְ אָהֳלֹה); LXX 'was uncovered in his house' (ἐγυμνώθη ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ) — house where MT has tent; Vulgate 'uncovered in his tent' (nudatus in tabernaculo suo) follows MT; TO 'uncovered inside his dwelling' (וְאִתְגַּלִּי בְּגוֹ מַשְׁכְּנֵיהּ).
• Sated for drunk — MT 'he drank of the wine and became drunk' (וַיֵּשְׁתְּ מִן־הַיַּיִן וַיִּשְׁכָּר); LXX 'drank and became drunk' (ἔπιεν ... ἐμεθύσθη); Vulgate 'drinking wine, he was made drunk' (Bibensque vinum inebriatus est); TO 'drank of the wine and was sated' (וּשְׁתִי מִן חַמְרָא וּרְוִי) — satiation where MT has drunkenness.
• From the wine — MT 'he drank from the wine' (מִן־הַיַּיִן); LXX 'from the wine' (ἐκ τοῦ οἴνου) and TO 'from the wine' (מִן חַמְרָא) keep the partitive; the Vulgate alone drops it, 'drinking wine' (Bibensque vinum). The 'from' could soften it — he drank of the wine, not all of it — but the Midrash reads it the other way: Bereshit Rabbah 36 on this verse, 'he drank immoderately and became disgraced.'

Gen 9:22

Vulg. Quod cum vidisset Cham, pater Chanaan, verenda scilicet patris sui esse nudata, nuntiavit duobus fratribus suis foras.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) Which when Cham the father of Chanaan had seen, to wit, that his father’s nakedness was uncovered, he told it to his two brethren without.

MT

וַיַּ֗רְא חָ֚ם אֲבִ֣י כְנַ֔עַן אֵ֖ת עֶרְוַ֣ת אָבִ֑יו וַיַּגֵּ֥ד לִשְׁנֵֽי־אֶחָ֖יו בַּחֽוּץ׃

LXX καὶ εἶδεν Χαμ ὁ πατὴρ Χανααν τὴν γύμνωσιν τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἀνήγγειλεν τοῖς δυσὶν ἀδελφοῖς αὐτοῦ ἔξω.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וַחֲזָא, חָם אֲבוּהִי דִּכְנַעַן, יָת, עֶרְיְתָא דַּאֲבוּהִי; וְחַוִּי לִתְרֵין אֲחוֹהִי, בְּשׁוּקָא׃

• Marketplace for outside — MT 'he told his two brothers outside' (וַיַּגֵּד לִשְׁנֵי־אֶחָיו בַּחוּץ); LXX 'having gone out, he told his two brothers outside' (ἐξελθὼν ἀνήγγειλεν ... ἔξω) — the 'having gone out' is obelized in Field's addendum p. 28 (÷ ἐξέλθων ⁂), i.e. absent from the Hebrew; Vulgate 'he told his two brothers outside' (nuntiavit ... foras); TO 'he told his two brothers in the marketplace' (וְחַוִּי לִתְרֵין אֲחוֹהִי בְּשׁוּקָא) — the telling goes public.
• Market in all three — the marketplace rendering is not Onkelos alone: Targum Yerushalmi (Jonathan) has the same בשוקא, and Saadia Gaon likewise renders 'outside' as the market. And there is a midrashic tradition behind it: Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer 23 has Ham tell his two brothers 'in the market, mocking his father' (בשוק כמשחק באביו) — the telling is public mockery, which is Ramban's reading too: he told them 'before many, to mock him, and this is the sense of "outside."'
• Nakedness vs shame — MT עֶרְוַת (nakedness); LXX 'nakedness' (τὴν γύμνωσιν); Aquila and Symmachus 'shame, indecency' (τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην). Field p. 27.

Gen 9:23

Vulg. At vero Sem et Japheth pallium imposuerunt humeris suis, et incedentes retrorsum, operuerunt verenda patris sui: faciesque eorum aversae erant, et patris virilia non viderunt.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) But Sem and Japheth put a cloak upon their shoulders, and going backward, covered the nakedness of their father: and their faces were turned away, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.

MT

וַיִּקַּח֩ שֵׁ֨ם וָיֶ֜פֶת אֶת־הַשִּׂמְלָ֗ה וַיָּשִׂ֙ימוּ֙ עַל־שְׁכֶ֣ם שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙ אֲחֹ֣רַנִּ֔ית וַיְכַסּ֕וּ אֵ֖ת עֶרְוַ֣ת אֲבִיהֶ֑ם וּפְנֵיהֶם֙ אֲחֹ֣רַנִּ֔ית וְעֶרְוַ֥ת אֲבִיהֶ֖ם לֹ֥א רָאֽוּ׃

LXX καὶ λαβόντες Σημ καὶ Ιαφεθ τὸ ἱμάτιον ἐπέθεντο ἐπὶ τὰ δύο νῶτα αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν ὀπισθοφανῶς καὶ συνεκάλυψαν τὴν γύμνωσιν τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν· καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν ὀπισθοφανές, καὶ τὴν γύμνωσιν τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν οὐκ εἶδον

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וּנְסֵיב שֵׁם וָיֶפֶת יָת כְּסוּתָא, וְשַׁוִּיאוּ עַל כְּתַף תַּרְוֵיהוֹן, וַאֲזַלוּ מַחְזְרִין, וְכַסִּיאוּ יָת עֶרְיְתָא דַּאֲבוּהוֹן; וְאַפֵּיהוֹן, מַחְזְרִין, וְעֶרְיְתָא דַּאֲבוּהוֹן, לָא חֲזוֹ׃

• Backward twice — MT walks backward and faces backward (אֲחֹרַנִּית twice); LXX 'backward-facing' (ὀπισθοφανῶς) and 'face backward-facing' (πρόσωπον ὀπισθοφανές); other copies (Οἱ Λ') 'their foreparts turned away' (τὰ ἐμπρόσθια δὲ αὐτῶν ἀπέστραπται). Field p. 28. Vulgate 'walking backward... their faces turned away' (incedentes retrorsum... facies aversae); TO 'turned around' (מַחְזְרִין) twice.
• Singular took — MT 'Shem and Japheth took' with a singular verb (וַיִּקַּח שֵׁם וָיֶפֶת); LXX plural participle (λαβόντες) and Vulgate plural (imposuerunt); TO keeps the singular (וּנְסֵיב).
• First occurrence of the nakedness word: LXX 'nakedness' (τὴν γύμνωσιν); Aquila, Symmachus, Theodotion 'shame' (τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην). Field p. 27.

Gen 9:24

Vulg. Evigilans autem Noë ex vino, cum didicisset quae fecerat ei filius suus minor,

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) And Noe awaking from the wine, when he had learned what his younger son had done to him,

MT

וַיִּ֥יקֶץ נֹ֖חַ מִיֵּינ֑וֹ וַיֵּ֕דַע אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־עָ֥שָׂה ל֖וֹ בְּנ֥וֹ הַקָּטָֽן׃

LXX ἐξένηψεν δὲ Νωε ἀπὸ τοῦ οἴνου, καὶ ἔγνω ὅσα ἐποίησεν αὐτῷ ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ὁ νεώτερος.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וְאִתְּעַר נֹחַ, מֵחַמְרֵיהּ; וִידַע, יָת דַּעֲבַד לֵיהּ בְּרֵיהּ זְעֵירָא׃

• Field p. 28: LXX 'and he woke' (ἐξένηψε δέ); another reading 'and he was awakened' (καὶ ἐξυπνίσθη) — Symmachus's regular word for וַיִּיקֶץ, per Field's note.
• His wine, asterisked — MT 'he woke from his wine' (וַיִּיקֶץ נֹחַ מִיֵּינ֑וֹ); reader's LXX 'he woke from the wine' (ἀπὸ τοῦ οἴνου), lacking 'his'; Field's addendum p. 28 marks the 'his' asterisked (ἀπὸ τοῦ οἴνου ※ αὐτοῦ ⁂), i.e. present in Hebrew, absent from the LXX main text.
• Vulgate sentence split — 9:24 ends 'filius suus minor,' (his younger son,) and the sentence continues into 9:25 ('ait: Maledictus...').

Gen 9:25

Vulg. ait: Maledictus Chanaan, servus servorum erit fratribus suis.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) He said: Cursed be Chanaan, a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

MT

וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אָר֣וּר כְּנָ֑עַן עֶ֥בֶד עֲבָדִ֖ים יִֽהְיֶ֥ה לְאֶחָֽיו׃

LXX καὶ εἶπεν ἐπικατάρατος Χανααν· παῖς οἰκέτης ἔσται τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς αὐτοῦ.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וַאֲמַר, לִיט כְּנָעַן: עֶבֶד פָּלַח, יְהֵי לַאֲחוֹהִי׃

• Servant of servants, three ways — MT 'a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers' (עֶבֶד עֲבָדִים יִהְיֶה לְאֶחָיו); LXX 'a house-slave lad' (παῖς οἰκέτης) — the superlative kept in domestic terms: οἰκέτης is the household slave, the menial at the bottom of the scale, a slave of slaves; Aquila 'a slave of slaves' (δοῦλος δούλων), literal; Vulgate 'a servant of servants' (servus servorum); TO 'a working servant' (עֶבֶד פָּלַח). Field p. 28.
• Curse on Canaan — MT 'cursed be Canaan' (אָר֣וּר כְּנָ֑עַן); LXX 'accursed' (ἐπικατάρατος); Vulgate 'cursed' (Maledictus); TO 'cursed' (לִיט). The curse falls on Canaan, as anticipated at 9:18, not on Ham.

Gen 9:26

Vulg. Dixitque: Benedictus Dominus Deus Sem, sit Chanaan servus ejus.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) And he said: Blessed be the Lord God of Sem, be Chanaan his servant.

MT

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר בָּר֥וּךְ ייי֖ אֱלֹ֣הֵי שֵׁ֑ם וִיהִ֥י כְנַ֖עַן עֶ֥בֶד לָֽמוֹ׃

LXX καὶ εἶπεν εὐλογητὸς κύριος ὁ θεὸς τοῦ Σημ, καὶ ἔσται Χανααν παῖς αὐτοῦ.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וַאֲמַר, בְּרִיךְ ייי אֱלָהֵיהּ דְּשֵׁם; וִיהֵי כְנַעַן, עַבְדָּא לְהוֹן׃

• Field cites no distinct reading for 9:26.
• Only first-name token — MT's only first-name token in the chapter: 'blessed be the first name, God of Shem' (בָּר֥וּךְ ייי אֱלֹהֵי שֵׁם); LXX 'blessed be the lord god of Shem' (εὐλογητὸς κύριος ὁ θεὸς τοῦ Σημ); Vulgate 'blessed be the Lord God of Shem' (Benedictus Dominus Deus Sem); TO 'blessed be the first name, God of Shem' (בְּרִיךְ ייי אֱלָהֵיהּ דְּשֵׁם).
• To them vs his — MT 'Canaan shall be a servant to them' (וִיהִי כְנַעַן עֶבֶד לָמוֹ, plural); TO 'to them' likewise (לְהוֹן); LXX 'his servant' (παῖς αὐτοῦ, singular) and Vulgate 'his servant' (servus ejus, singular). Field's note on p. 28 records that an earlier editor misplaced this verse's LXX reading under 9:25.

Gen 9:27

Vulg. Dilatet Deus Japheth, et habitet in tabernaculis Sem, sitque Chanaan servus ejus.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) May God enlarge Japheth, and may he dwell in the tents of Sem, and Chanaan be his servant.

MT

יַ֤פְתְּ א-להים֙ לְיֶ֔פֶת וְיִשְׁכֹּ֖ן בְּאׇֽהֳלֵי־שֵׁ֑ם וִיהִ֥י כְנַ֖עַן עֶ֥בֶד לָֽמוֹ׃

LXX πλατύναι ὁ θεὸς τῷ Ιαφεθ, καὶ κατοικησάτω ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις τοῦ Σημ· καὶ γενηθήτω Χανααν παῖς αὐτῶν.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

יַפְתֵּי ייי לְיֶפֶת, וְיַשְׁרֵי שְׁכִינְתֵיהּ בְּמַשְׁכְּנֵי שֵׁם; וִיהֵי כְנַעַן, עַבְדָּא לְהוֹן׃

• Enlarge Japheth — MT 'may God enlarge Japheth' (יַפְתְּ א-להים לְיֶפֶת), the verb echoing the name; LXX 'may God enlarge' (πλατύναι ὁ θεὸς); Vulgate 'may God enlarge' (Dilatet Deus); TO 'may the first name enlarge' (יַפְתֵּי ייי). Field p. 28: LXX 'in the houses of Shem' (ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις); another reading 'in the tents' (ἐν τοῖς σκηνώμασι), agreeing with MT's tents and Vulgate's tabernacles.
• Play of words, and Greek — יַפְתְּ (may He enlarge) plays on יֶפֶת (Japheth): 'may God enlarge Japheth.' The versions keep the sense and lose the sound (LXX πλατύναι/Ιαφεθ, Vulgate dilatet/Japheth). And the rabbis read יפת a second way, as יפי, beauty: 'the beauty of Japheth shall be in the tents of Shem' — Greek, the most beautiful of Japheth's languages (Javan, Gen 10:2), dwelling in the tents of Shem, the synagogues and houses of learning where Torah is studied. Hence the ruling: the words of Japheth shall be in the tents of Shem — Torah scrolls may be written in Greek, and the Greek translation is authorized to be read in the synagogue (Megillah 9b; Bereshit Rabbah 36, Bar Kappara).
• Shekhinah dwells — MT 'may He dwell in the tents of Shem' (וְיִשְׁכֹּן בְּאֹהֲלֵי־שֵׁם), the subject left open (God or Japheth); LXX 'may He dwell in the houses of Shem' (κατοικησάτω ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις); Vulgate 'may He dwell in the tents of Shem' (habitet in tabernaculis Sem); TO settles it toward God: 'may He cause His Shekhinah to dwell in the dwellings of Shem' (וְיַשְׁרֵי שְׁכִינְתֵיהּ בְּמַשְׁכְּנֵי שֵׁם).
• Names — MT second name; LXX ὁ θεός; Vulg. Deus; TO ייי.

Gen 9:28

Vulg. Vixit autem Noë post diluvium trecentis quinquaginta annis.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) And Noe lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years:

MT

וַֽיְחִי־נֹ֖חַ אַחַ֣ר הַמַּבּ֑וּל שְׁלֹ֤שׁ מֵאוֹת֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וַֽחֲמִשִּׁ֖ים שָׁנָֽה׃

LXX ἔζησεν δὲ Νωε μετὰ τὸν κατακλυσμὸν τριακόσια πεντήκοντα ἔτη.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וַחֲיָא נֹחַ, בָּתַר טוֹפָנָא, תְּלָת מְאָה וְחַמְשִׁין, שְׁנִין׃

• Field cites no distinct reading for 9:28.
• 350 years after the flood — MT, LXX ('three hundred fifty years'), Vulgate ('three hundred fifty years'), and TO agree; with the 600 years before the flood, the total at 9:29 is 950.

Gen 9:29

Vulg. Et impleti sunt omnes dies ejus nongentorum quinquaginta annorum: et mortuus est.

Eng. (Douay-Rheims) And all his days were in the whole nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.

MT

וַיִּֽהְיוּ֙*(בספרי ספרד ואשכנז וַֽיְהִי֙) כׇּל־יְמֵי־נֹ֔חַ תְּשַׁ֤ע מֵאוֹת֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וַחֲמִשִּׁ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּמֹֽת׃ {פ}

LXX καὶ ἐγένοντο πᾶσαι αἱ ἡμέραι Νωε ἐννακόσια πεντήκοντα ἔτη, καὶ ἀπέθανεν.

Targ. (Yemenite Onkelos)

וַהֲווֹ, כָּל יוֹמֵי נֹחַ, תְּשַׁע מְאָה וְחַמְשִׁין, שְׁנִין; וּמִית׃

• Field cites no distinct reading for 9:29.
• Variant in the printed MT — the MT line as printed notes a Spanish and Ashkenazi reading: 'in Spanish and Ashkenazi books, it was' (וַיְהִי, singular) for the main reading 'they were' (וַיִּהְיוּ, plural). LXX ('all the days became'), Vulgate ('all his days were fulfilled'), and TO ('all the days were') all follow the plural main reading.
• MT paragraph break {פ} at the end of this verse — the Noah section closes; the generations follow.

Cross-verse patterns

• Divine names — MT: first name once (9:26), second name seven times (9:1, 9:6, 9:8, 9:12, 9:16, 9:17, 9:27). TO: first name seven times (9:1, 9:8, 9:12, 9:16 prefixed, 9:17, 9:26, 9:27), second name once (9:6, kept, not switched). TO switches MT's second name at 9:1, 9:8, 9:12, 9:17, 9:27; keeps it at 9:6; at 9:16 renders 'between God' as 'between the Memra of the Lord.' LXX does not track the distinction: second name gives ὁ θεός at 9:1, 9:8, 9:17, 9:27, θεοῦ (genitive) at 9:6, κύριος ὁ θεός at 9:12, and no name at 9:16 (first-person 'between me'); first name gives κύριος ὁ θεός at 9:26. Vulgate does not track it either: Deus at 9:1, 9:8, 9:12, 9:17, 9:27, Dei at 9:6, Deum at 9:16, Dominus Deus at 9:26.
• Covenant Memra — TO renders God's first-person 'between Me' as 'between My Memra' at 9:12, 9:13, 9:15, and 9:17, and 'between God' as 'between the Memra of the Lord' at 9:16. The covenant section never lets God say 'between Me' directly in TO.
• Vulgate sentence boundaries — sentences run across MT boundaries at 9:8→9:9→9:10 (one sentence in three parts), 9:12→9:13, 9:14→9:15, and 9:24→9:25; if the published page splits Vulgate verses differently, the lines here need re-splitting, not re-translating.
• Blessing and subdue — the blessing of 9:1 and 9:7 repeats 1:28 without 'subdue' in MT; the reader's LXX restores 'subdue' at 9:1 (obelized, no Hebrew basis), while Field's main LXX text has 'rule' at 9:7 where the reader has 'multiply.'
• Servant language — MT's עֶבֶד at 9:25–9:27 becomes LXX παῖς (lad, servant) throughout, against Aquila's literal δοῦλος at 9:25 and Vulgate's servus; and the plural 'to them' (לָמוֹ) at 9:26–9:27 becomes singular 'his' in LXX and Vulgate at 9:26, and in Vulgate alone at 9:27.
• Tents and houses — LXX renders MT's tent (אֹהֶל) as house (οἶκος) at 9:21 and 9:27, where Vulgate keeps tent/tabernacle and TO keeps dwelling; at 9:27 TO resolves the ambiguous dweller as God's Shekhinah.
• Reader's LXX vs Field's main text — the reader follows readings Field lists as alia or asterisked supplements at 9:5 (ἐκζητήσω; ἐκ χειρὸς ἀνθρώπου) and 9:7 (πληθύνεσθε ἐπ' αὐτῆς); Field's main text has Vacat at 9:5 (first 'require') and κατακυριεύσατε at 9:7. The reader's text is not Field's main text throughout.

Open questions, not claims

• 9:16 LXX 'between me' — assimilation to the first-person pattern of 9:12 and 9:15, or a distinct reading? Recorded, not settled.
• 9:27 dweller — God or Japheth? MT leaves the subject open; TO resolves it as God's Shekhinah. Recorded as ambiguity, not settled.
• 9:24–9:25 curse on Canaan — why Canaan bears the curse for Ham's act is not stated in the text (anticipated at 9:18). Recorded, not settled.
• 9:5 double 'hand' — MT's 'from the hand of man, from the hand of each man's brother': two hands or one phrase? LXX smooths to one, Vulgate keeps the doubling, TO explicates the victim. Recorded as divergence, sense open.
• 9:29 variant — Spanish and Ashkenazi books read singular 'was' (וַיְהִי) for main 'were' (וַיִּהְיוּ); all four versions follow the plural. Recorded.
• Field cites no distinct reading (main entries) for 9:3, 9:8, 9:9, 9:11, 9:12, 9:13, 9:15, 9:16, 9:17, 9:18, 9:19, 9:20, 9:21, 9:26, 9:28, 9:29 — recorded here as absence, not as a claim that no variant exists anywhere. Addenda on p. 28 cover 9:1, 9:22, 9:24.
• Targum punctuation — transferred (see header): Mechon Mamre Noach page, punctuation only, Yemenite wording/vocalization kept.

Latin witnesses from Field's Hexapla

The Latin below is the rendering printed with the Hebrew in Field's Hexapla. It is not the Vulgate: where it agrees with the Vulgate it is not listed. Only readings that genuinely differ are given.

• 9:4. Where the Vulgate restructures the prohibition as “Excepto, quod carnem cum sanguine non comedetis” (except that you shall not eat flesh with blood), Field's Latin keeps the Hebrew phrase literally: “Cum anima ejus, id est, sanguine ejus” — with its soul, that is, with its blood. The life itself is named, and then explained as the blood.
• 9:6. Where the Vulgate generalizes into a condition — “Quicumque effuderit humanum sanguinem, fundetur sanguis illius” (whoever shall have shed man's blood, his blood shall be shed) — Field's Latin keeps the Hebrew's plain statement: “Per hominem sanguis ejus effundetur” — by man shall his blood be shed. Man stands as the agent of the shedding, not as the victim whose blood is shed.
• 9:14. Where the Vulgate reads “Cumque obduxero nubibus caelum” (when I shall have covered the sky with clouds), Field's Latin reads “Cum obduxero nubes super terram” — when I shall have covered clouds over the earth, with the Hebrew's “over the earth” rather than the Vulgate's “sky.”
• 9:23. Where the Vulgate reads “faciesque eorum aversae erant, et patris virilia non viderunt” (their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father's genitals), Field's Latin reads “Et facies eorum erat retrorsum, et nuditatem patris eorum non viderunt” — their faces were backward, and their father's nakedness they did not see: nakedness in plain words, where the Vulgate names the body.

Chapters

© 2026 Ad Fontes. The notes on this page are original commentary; the ancient texts quoted are in the public domain.