Reproductive Health and Contextual Analysis of "Be Fruitful and Multiply" in Genesis 1:28 and Its Contemporary Implications

Abstract

One of the earliest recorded words spoken to man is “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it” (Gen 1:28). This statement has meant different things to different scholars. A school of thought interprets it as fruitfulness in terms of human work expansion. Another perspective upholds its literal view of prolific fecundity, with little attention paid to the contextual meaning of the text. The meaning of the text has generated divisive opinions in biblical scholarship with attendant consequences for family health. This study thus seeks to determine the contextual meaning of the pericope "be fruitful and multiply" with a view to offering fresh insight into the discourse of reproductive health and family planning. The exegetical method is preferred to understand the contextual meaning of פְּר֥וּ וּרְב֛וּ  “be fruitful and multiply” (Gen 1:28). White's tetrad concept of childbearing serves as the theoretical framework. Findings show that the blessing of being “fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it” was given at the developmental stage of human growth to aid the earth’s population. The blessing precludes inordinate reproduction but presupposes restraint and control, as shown in the word כָּבַשׁ “to subject,” “subdue,” and “keep under.” The misinterpretation of Genesis 1:28 stifles family planning and puts pressure on African families' meagre resources. This study therefore recommends sustained awareness of reproductive control and family health, especially in rural areas. Government, church, and community leaders should organize periodic programs to sensitize the populace on reproductive health toward societal well-being.