Genesis 9:16 · Bible study
Genesis 9:16 Commentary: God Remembers His Everlasting Covenant
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does God say He will 'remember' the covenant? This study explores the anthropomorphic language of Genesis 9:16 and the rainbow as God's perpetual sign.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God uses the rainbow as a sign to remind Himself of His covenant never to flood the earth again.
- Key words: bow (qeshet), remember (zakhar), everlasting (olam), covenant (berit), cloud (anan).
- Main debate: Whether God's remembering implies a literal need to be reminded; commentators agree it is anthropomorphic.
- Theological theme: God's gracious, unilateral covenant with creation, symbolized by a transformed weapon of judgment.
- Best use: As a pastoral assurance of God's faithfulness, especially after times of trial.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of every kind that is on the earth.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
The rainbow will be in the cloud. I will look at it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
KJV King James Version 1769
And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and the bow hath been in the cloud, and I have seen it--to remember the covenant age-during between God and every living creature among all flesh which is on the earth.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living soul of all flesh that is upon the earth.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
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.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y estará el arco en las nubes, y verlo he para acordarme del pacto perpetuo entre Dios y toda alma viviente, con toda carne que hay sobre la tierra.
E estará o arco nas nuvens, e o verei para me lembrar do pacto perpétuo entre Deus e toda alma vivente, com toda carne que há sobre a terra.
L’ arc sera dans la nue; et je le regarderai, pour me souvenir de l’ alliance perpétuelle entre Dieu et tous les êtres vivants, de toute chair qui est sur la terre.
Darum soll mein Bogen in den Wolken sein, daß ich ihn ansehe und gedenke an den ewigen Bund zwischen Gott und allen lebendigen Seelen in allem Fleisch, das auf Erden ist.
Als deze boog in de wolken zal zijn, zo zal Ik hem aanzien, om te gedenken aan het eeuwig verbond tussen God en tussen alle levende ziel, van alle vlees, dat op de aarde is.
L’arco dunque sarà nelle nuvole, e io lo guarderò per ricordarmi del patto perpetuo fra Dio e ogni essere vivente, di qualunque carne che è sulla terra”.
Będzie tedy łuk on na obłoku, i wejrzę nań, abym wspomniał na przymierze wieczne, między Bogiem i między wszelką duszą żywiącą w każdem ciele, które jest na ziemi.
И будет радуга [Моя] в облаке, и Я увижу ее, и вспомню завет вечный между Богом [и между землею] и между всякою душею живою во всякой плоти, которая на земле.
虹 必 現在雲彩中，我看見，就要記念 我 與地上 各樣 有血肉的 活 物 所立的永 約。」
And the bow will be in the cloud, and looking on it, I will keep in mind the eternal agreement between God and every living thing on the earth.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Genesis 9:16
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse uses anthropomorphic language to assure humanity of God's faithfulness. They do not take God's 'remembering' as a literal lapse of memory. Matthew Henry explains that the rainbow is 'the seal of the covenant,' a visible pledge. Gill's Exposition states plainly that 'forgetfulness, or remembrance, properly speaking, do not belong to God,' but the expression is 'after the manner of men.' The Cambridge Bible notes an earlier tradition where God might forget, but the later stage sees the sign as for man. Keil and Delitzsch see deeper meaning: God's looking at the bow and remembering expresses that 'covenant signs, in which He has put His promises, are real vehicles of His grace.' The consensus holds that the verse teaches God's unchanging commitment, using human language to connect with human experience.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God's remembering is an anthropomorphic expression of His faithfulness, used to assure humanity of His unchanging promise.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| God's remembering | It is anthropomorphic language; God does not literally forget. | Some earlier traditions saw a primitive idea of God needing a reminder, but later interpreters consistently view it as accommodation to human understanding. |
| Rainbow's origin | God now sets the rainbow as a covenant sign. | Whether the rainbow existed before the flood. Keil and Delitzsch suggest it appeared for the first time due to changed atmosphere; others say it was a natural phenomenon now given new meaning. |
| Scope of the covenant | The covenant includes all living creatures and all future generations. | Whether the covenant is unconditional for all or carries implicit human responsibility (e.g., obedience to Noahide laws). |
| Everlasting duration | The covenant lasts for all generations, 'while the earth remains' (Genesis 8:22). | Whether 'everlasting' means eternal in the new creation or only until the end of the present age. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The verse stands within the covenant narrative that follows the flood (Genesis 6, 9). After the waters receded and Noah offered a sacrifice, God resolved not to curse the ground again (Genesis 8:21). In Genesis 9, God formally establishes His covenant with Noah, his sons, and every living creature (9:9, 11). The covenant promises that never again will a flood destroy all flesh. The rainbow is appointed as the 'token' of this covenant (9:12, 13).
The Hebrew word for rainbow, qeshet, also means a war bow. Many commentators see significance in a weapon being placed in the clouds: God lays aside His bow as a sign of peace, not war. The covenant is called 'everlasting' (olam), indicating it remains in force for all generations. It is not only with humans but also with 'every living creature of all flesh,' showing God's care for all creation.
In the ancient Near East, flood stories from Mesopotamia include divine promises, but the biblical account uniquely emphasizes God's unilateral grace. The rainbow transforms a natural phenomenon, light and water interacting, into a theological sign. Whenever it appears, it recalls God's mercy after judgment. As Keil and Delitzsch note, this does not require that rainbows never existed before; rather, God now gives them new meaning as a covenant sign. The covenant confirms the stability of seasons and the promise of life (Genesis 8:22).
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. Differences among English translations (e.g., 'bow' vs. 'rainbow') reflect choices in rendering Hebrew qeshet, but the underlying Masoretic text is stable. The Hebrew word qeshet can mean both a war bow and a rainbow; context here confirms the rainbow.
Reception History
Matthew Henry (1710) described the rainbow as 'the seal of the covenant.' The Cambridge Bible notes a development from an earlier tradition where God might forget to a later emphasis on the sign for humanity. Jewish commentators such as Rashi similarly saw the rainbow as a sign of mercy, with the bow turned away from the earth. In Christian tradition, the rainbow has been seen as a type of Christ's atonement, judgment turned to peace. The verse remains a source of comfort, especially after disasters, and the rainbow has become a universal symbol of hope.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- A Covenant of Grace: God initiates and sustains the covenant; it is not based on human merit.
- A Visible Sign: The rainbow in the cloud serves as a tangible reminder of God's faithfulness.
- A Reassuring Memory: God's 'remembering' is not divine forgetfulness but His active commitment to His promise.
Five-point outline
- The context: after judgment, God promises mercy.
- The parties: God, Noah, and all living creatures.
- The sign: the rainbow, a bow of war turned into a symbol of peace.
- The commitment: 'I will look at it, that I may remember.'
- The scope: 'everlasting covenant' extending to all generations.
Illustration hooks
- A wedding ring that reminds a spouse of their vows; the rainbow is God's reminder to Himself, for our sake.
- A parent who ties a string around their finger so as not to forget a promise; God uses the rainbow similarly.
- A storm cloud with a rainbow breaking through: from judgment to mercy, visible even in difficulty.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God forget? If not, why does He need a reminder?
- Why did God choose the rainbow as the sign? What does it symbolize?
- Is this covenant still in effect today? How does it relate to other promises in the Bible?
Leading a Discussion
This verse raises a question about God's nature and how He communicates with us. The language of 'remembering' can feel human, but it reveals God's desire to engage with us on a level we understand. As you discuss, consider how God uses physical signs to build our faith.
Discussion questions
- Read Genesis 9:8, 16. What stands out to you about God's covenant with Noah?
- Why do you think God says He will 'remember' the covenant? How does the commentary on anthropomorphic language help you understand this?
- What does the rainbow tell us about God's character? Why is it called 'everlasting'?
- Compare Genesis 9:16 with Genesis 8:21. How does the promise not to curse the ground connect to the covenant sign?
- In what ways does God use physical reminders (like baptism or communion) in your life today?
- How does this passage reassure you of God's faithfulness, even when you feel forgotten?
- How might you share the meaning of the rainbow with someone who sees it only as a natural phenomenon?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 8:21 | Yahweh smelled the pleasant aroma. Yahweh said in his heart, “I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake because the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth. I will never again strike every living thing, as I have done. |
| Genesis 8:22 | While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night will not cease.” |
| Genesis 9:9 | “As for me, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your offspring after you, |
| Genesis 9:11 | I will establish my covenant with you: All flesh will not be cut off any more by the waters of the flood. There will never again be a flood to destroy the earth.” |
| Genesis 17:7 | I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your offspring after you. |
| Genesis 17:13 | He who is born in your house, and he who is bought with your money, must be circumcised. My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. |
| Genesis 17:19 | God said, “No, but Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. You shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. |
| II Samuel 23:5 | Isn’t my house so with God? Yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, for it is all my salvation and all my desire. Won’t he make it grow? |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes emphasizes that God himself looks upon the rainbow to remember his covenant promise. The bow is not merely a reminder for humans; Scripture ascribes to God the personal act of seeing it and thereby recalling and performing the pledge that no worldwide flood will ever again destroy the earth.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator observes that while earlier tradition imagined God needed the rainbow as a reminder not to forget the covenant, this passage marks a shift: the bow is now a sign for humanity, not for God. The phrase "everlasting covenant" is a distinctive marker of the Priestly source.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note interprets the rainbow as a sign God sets for himself to see and remember his covenant. The emphasis falls on God
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that God does not literally look at the rainbow to jog His memory, since forgetfulness does not belong to God. This is human language meant to reassure us that God is mindful of His covenant with every living creature whenever the bow appears in the cloud.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch stresses that God's covenant with Noah was not a formal contract but a promise given as a guarantee, confirmed by the rainbow. This sign holds real power not only for human memory but also before God Himself, who looks at it and remembers His everlasting covenant.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that Noah’s altar was not an import from later Mosaic law but a necessary response to a changed reality. With paradise lost, God’s presence shifted to heaven, requiring elevated places so smoke could ascend toward the divine throne. This act established worship as a direct upward communication between earth and the distant Holy One.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that God took a natural phenomenon already appearing in the clouds and made it the sacred seal of his covenant. The rainbow was not created new but was now divinely appointed as a visible token, so that the eye would strengthen faith in the promise that the flood would never again destroy all flesh.