Verse: Genesis 9:7
Theme: God’s Commission to Rebuild and Multiply After Judgment
And you be ye fruitful and multiply bring forth abundantly in the earth and multiply therein
— Genesis 9:7, King James Version (KJV)
Now be fruitful and multiply and repopulate the earth
— Genesis 9:7, New Living Translation (NLT)
As for you be fruitful and increase in number multiply on the earth and increase upon it
— Genesis 9:7, New International Version (NIV)
But as for you be fruitful and multiply Populate the earth abundantly and multiply in it
— Genesis 9:7, New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Meaning of Genesis 9:7
Genesis 9:7 is God’s reaffirmation of His purpose for humanity after the flood. This verse echoes the command first given to Adam and Eve in Genesis 1:28. After the flood wiped out all living things except those saved in the ark, God speaks again to Noah and his family with clarity and hope. The earth was empty and silent, but now it was time to repopulate and rebuild.
This verse is about more than biological reproduction. It is a divine commissioning to fill the earth with life, culture, creativity, and righteous living. God entrusts Noah’s family with the responsibility to restart civilization with a fresh purpose. They are to bring forth life, not just physically, but in spirit, society, and order.
God uses the words “be fruitful” and “multiply” intentionally. These are covenant words tied to blessing. Being fruitful means living a life that produces goodness and a legacy. Multiplying means expanding the influence of righteousness across the earth. It is a spiritual as well as physical mission.
Genesis 9:7 also implies that despite judgment, God remains committed to His creation. He does not give up on humanity. Instead, He reissues the original mission to fill the earth with people who bear His image. This verse is a reset, a reminder that life continues under God’s guiding hand.
Popular Words of Wisdom from Genesis 9:7
To be fruitful is not merely to reproduce but to recreate the world in alignment with God’s design
— John Stott, Anglican Cleric and Founder of the Langham Partnership
Multiplication is not about addition in number alone it is about the spread of influence purpose and presence
— Joyce Meyer, Christian Author and Founder of Joyce Meyer Ministries
After devastation God always offers a directive it is a call to build again but differently
— T D Jakes, Bishop and Founder of The Potter’s House
Fruitfulness is the evidence of obedience to God’s original intention for man
— Dr Myles Munroe, Leadership Speaker and Founder of Bahamas Faith Ministries
The act of multiplying is not only biological but generational in wisdom values and faith
— Rick Warren, Author of “The Purpose Driven Life” and Pastor of Saddleback Church
God’s first and repeated instruction was to multiply because stagnation is not part of His design
— Lisa Bevere, Speaker and Co-Founder of Messenger International
In every ending God embeds a new beginning filled with creative possibility
— Madeleine L’Engle, Author of “A Wrinkle in Time” and Christian Thinker
Repopulation is not just about numbers it is about restoring the heartbeat of creation
— Dr Cornel West, Philosopher and Public Theologian
Multiply not just your legacy but your likeness to Christ in every generation
— Jackie Hill Perry, Christian Poet and Bible Teacher
Fruitfulness is how heaven recognizes growth even when man sees nothing
— David Platt, Pastor and Former President of the International Mission Board
Explaining the Context of Genesis 9:7
Genesis 9:7 comes directly after God’s covenant with Noah. The flood had ended. The waters had receded. The ark had rested on dry ground. In this new beginning, God speaks to Noah and his sons about their future. The world they stepped into was changed. It was emptied of life but filled with new potential.
Verses before this focus on God’s instructions concerning diet, justice, and the sacredness of human life. In verse 6, God reminds them that man is made in His image. Then in verse 7, He invites them to fill the earth again. This is a repetition with emphasis. God had said it earlier in verse 1, but here in verse 7, He deepens the urgency and hope. It is both a command and an encouragement.
The verse also aligns with God’s broader narrative. In Genesis 1, God creates and fills the earth. In Genesis 6, He judges and cleanses it. In Genesis 9, He starts again with a family and a vision. This cyclical pattern reflects both God’s justice and mercy. He allows endings but never without offering beginnings.
Noah’s obedience in the ark is now met with an instruction to lead and expand. Genesis 9:7 is a pivot point between survival and thriving. It reminds us that God does not want His people to merely endure. He wants them to flourish.
Explaining the Key Parts of Genesis 9:7
Be Ye Fruitful and Multiply
This phrase is both a blessing and a directive. Fruitfulness includes growth, creativity, productivity, and the bearing of spiritual fruit. Multiplication includes reproduction but also multiplication of righteousness, values, and culture.
Bring Forth Abundantly in the Earth
The word “abundantly” suggests more than just enough. God calls His people to overflow. This includes not only children but also vision, innovation, and faith. Abundance here is about holistic expansion.
And Multiply Therein
This repetition is divine reinforcement. God emphasizes again the need to expand. To multiply is to overcome barrenness and scarcity. It is to fill what is empty with life, love, and purpose.
Lessons to Learn from Genesis 9:7
1. God Believes in New Beginnings
After judgment, God does not abandon humanity. He gives a new command with the same divine trust. This teaches us that no matter how broken the past is, God always makes space for renewal.
2. Growth Is a God-Given Mandate
Being fruitful and multiplying is not just biological. It is spiritual, emotional, and communal. Growth is the nature of God’s kingdom, and stagnation is a sign of spiritual disconnection.
3. Obedience Leads to Commission
Noah obeyed God through the flood. Now, he is entrusted with rebuilding civilization. This teaches us that obedience precedes promotion. God uses those He can trust.
4. We Are Co-Builders with God
The command to multiply positions humans as participants in God’s redemptive plan. He allows us to share in His creative work. This is both a privilege and a responsibility.
5. Abundance Is God’s Desire for Humanity
God does not call His people to merely survive. He calls them to bring forth “abundantly.” This abundance is not just material but includes peace, wisdom, compassion, and vision.
Related Bible Verses
And God blessed them and God said unto them Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth
— Genesis 1:28, King James Version (KJV)
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end
— Jeremiah 29:11, King James Version (KJV)
They shall still bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing
— Psalm 92:14, King James Version (KJV)
The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon
— Psalm 92:12, King James Version (KJV)
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit
— John 15:2, King James Version (KJV)
Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit so shall ye be my disciples
— John 15:8, King James Version (KJV)
How This Verse Points to Christ
Genesis 9:7 foreshadows the mission of Christ to restore what was lost. Just as Noah was commissioned to repopulate the earth, Jesus came to repopulate the kingdom of God with sons and daughters through faith. Where Noah brought physical life, Jesus brings spiritual rebirth.
Christ also uses similar language in the New Testament. He tells His disciples to go into all the world, make disciples, and bear fruit. The echo of Genesis 9:7 is clear. Just as Noah was sent to multiply life on earth, Jesus sends His followers to multiply kingdom life.
In Christ, fruitfulness is not measured by children alone but by love, peace, patience, and every evidence of the Holy Spirit. He is the vine and we are the branches. In Him, we find our purpose to be fruitful and multiply for eternity, not just history.
Closing Reflection
Genesis 9:7 is more than a historical instruction. It is a timeless call from God to live lives of purpose, abundance, and growth. After the darkest season of judgment, God gave a hopeful command. Fill the earth again. Multiply again. Live again.
You may be in a season where everything feels like a reset. You may be emerging from loss, grief, or change. But this verse reminds you that God still gives assignments after the storm. He still believes in you. He still commissions you to grow.
Let your life be fruitful. Multiply joy. Multiply faith. Multiply grace. You are not just surviving. You are sent to thrive.
Say This Prayer
Father God
Thank You for the breath of new beginnings. Thank You for trusting me to be fruitful in the land You have placed me in. I receive Your commission to multiply not only in body but in spirit and purpose.
Help me to bring forth abundantly. Let my life be a river of peace, a tree of fruit, a lamp that lights others. Let me walk in the spirit of multiplication with humility and honor.
May I reflect Your goodness in everything I build. Let my days be marked by growth, faithfulness, and abundance in Christ. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Evang. Anabelle Thompson is the founder of Believers Refuge, a Scripture-based resource that helps Christians to find biblical guidance for life’s challenges.
With over 15 years of ministry experience and a decade of dedicated Bible study, she creates content that connects believers with relevant Scripture for their daily struggles.
Her work has reached over 76,000 monthly readers (which is projected to reach 100,000 readers by the end of 2025) seeking practical faith applications, biblical encouragement, and spiritual guidance rooted in God’s Word.
She writes from personal experience, having walked through seasons of waiting, breakthrough, and spiritual growth that inform her teaching.
Evang. Thompson brings 12 years of active ministry and evangelism experience, along with over 10 years of systematic Bible study and theological research.
As a former small group leader and Sunday school teacher, she has published over 200 biblical resources and devotional studies.
She specializes in applying Scripture to everyday life challenges and regularly studies the original Hebrew and Greek texts for a deeper biblical understanding.