Children of Noach
In the Torah, the reference to B'nei Noach (the children of Noah, meaning all of humanity descended from Noah) is tied primarily to the Noahide Laws, which are seven commandments given to the descendants of Noah after the flood, to govern human behavior.
The Torah doesn't explicitly refer to "B'nei Noach" as a distinct group in a comprehensive sense, but it does outline these laws that apply to all of humanity. The main source for these laws comes from the narrative in Genesis.
Here are the key references:
Genesis 9:1-17 — After the flood, God establishes a covenant with Noah and his descendants (the entire human race):
Genesis 9:1: "And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.'"
Genesis 9:9: "Now behold, I establish My covenant with you, and with your descendants after you."
Genesis 9:12: "And God said, 'This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations.'"
This establishes Noah as the progenitor of all humanity after the flood. While the Torah does not specify "B'nei Noach" in the way that later Jewish law and tradition do, the covenant here is seen as applying to all of Noah's descendants.
The Noahide Laws (sometimes referred to as the Sheva Mitzvot B'nei Noach, the seven laws given to the children of Noah) are typically derived from the commandments found in Genesis 9. These are considered the basic moral code for all humanity. The seven laws are:
Do not worship idols.
Do not commit murder.
Do not steal.
Do not engage in illicit sexual relations.
Do not eat the flesh of a living animal.
Establish courts of justice.
Do not blaspheme God's name.
These laws are not explicitly written out in the Torah as "the seven laws," but they are understood through rabbinic interpretation and tradition. The Talmud (e.g., Sanhedrin 56a-58a) elaborates on these laws.
The concept of B'nei Noach and the Noahide Laws is important in Jewish tradition, especially as it relates to how non-Jews (Gentiles) are expected to live according to a universal moral code, distinct from the 613 commandments given to the Jewish people.
