Though the earth assumed its old form at the end of the year of
punishment, Noah did not abandon the ark until he received the command
of God to leave it. He said to himself, "As I entered the ark at the
bidding of God, so I will leave it only at His bidding." Yet, when God
bade Noah go out of the ark, he refused, because he feared that after
he had lived upon the dry land for some time, and begotten children,
God would bring another flood. He therefore would not leave the ark
until God swore He would never visit the earth with a flood again.[48]
When he stepped out from the ark into the open, he began to weep
bitterly at sight of the enormous ravages wrought by the flood, and he
said to God: "O Lord of the world! Thou art called the Merciful, and
Thou shouldst have had mercy upon Thy creatures." God answered, and
said: "O thou foolish shepherd, now thou speakest to Me. Thou didst not
so when I addressed kind words to thee, saying: 'I saw thee as a
righteous man and perfect in thy generation, and I will bring the flood
upon the earth to destroy all flesh. Make an ark for thyself of gopher
wood.' Thus spake I to thee, telling thee all these circumstances, that
thou mightest entreat mercy for the earth. But thou, as soon as thou
didst hear that thou wouldst be rescued in the ark, thou didst not
concern thyself about the ruin that would strike the earth. Thou didst
but build an ark for thyself, in which thou wast saved. Now that the
earth is wasted, thou openest thy mouth to supplicate and pray."
Noah realized that he had been guilty of folly. To propitiate God and
acknowledge his sin, he brought a sacrifice.[49] God accepted the
offering with favor, whence he is called by his name Noah.[50] The
sacrifice was not offered by Noah with his own hands; the priestly
services connected with it were performed by his son Shem. There was a
reason for this. One day in the ark Noah forgot to give his ration to
the lion, and the hungry beast struck him so violent a blow with his
paw that he was lame forever after, and, having a bodily defect, he was
not permitted to do the offices of a priest.[51]
The sacrifices consisted of an ox, a sheep, a goat, two turtle doves,
and two young pigeons. Noah had chosen these kinds because he supposed
they were appointed for sacrifices, seeing that God had commanded him
to take seven pairs of them into the ark with him. The altar was
erected in the same place on which Adam and Cain and Abel had brought
their sacrifices, and on which later the altar was to be in the
sanctuary at Jerusalem.[52]
After the sacrifice was completed, God blessed Noah and his sons. He
made them to be rulers of the world as Adam had been,[53] and He gave
them a command, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply upon the earth," for
during their sojourn in the ark, the two sexes, of men and animals
alike, had lived apart from each other, because while a public calamity
rages continence is becoming even to those who are left unscathed. This
law of conduct had been violated by none in the ark except by Ham, by
the dog, and by the raven. They all received a punishment. Ham's was
that his descendants were men of dark-hued skin.[54]
As a token that He would destroy the earth no more, God set His bow in
the cloud. Even if men should be steeped in sin again, the bow
proclaims to them that their sins will cause no harm to the world.
Times came in the course of the ages when men were pious enough not to
have to live in dread of punishment. In such times the bow was not
visible.[55]
God accorded permission to Noah and his descendants to use the flesh of
animals for food, which had been forbidden from the time of Adam until
then. But they were to abstain from the use of blood. He ordained the
seven Noachian laws, the observance of which is incumbent upon all men,
not upon Israel alone. God enjoined particularly the command against
the shedding of human blood. Whoso would shed man's blood, his blood
would be shed. Even if human judges let the guilty man go free, his
punishment would overtake him. He would die an unnatural death, such as
he had inflicted upon his fellow-man. Yea, even beasts that slew men,
even of them would the life of men be required.[56]