When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse reveals God’s profound intention behind the rainbow: it’s not just a pretty sight, but a divine promise meant to remind us, not God, of His enduring faithfulness. The text emphasizes that God looks upon it "that I may remember," a gentle anthropomorphism pointing to how His signs are primarily for our assurance and strengthening of faith, so we might also remember His everlasting covenant.
When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
After the devastating flood, God establishes a new beginning for humanity, blessing Noah and his sons, and granting them dominion over the animal kingdom. He reiterates the command to multiply and fill the earth, while also setting new boundaries concerning the use of flesh and the sanctity of human life. This promise of a new era is then sealed with a sign in the sky.
After the floodwaters receded, God made a profound promise. It wasn't just for Noah or his family, but for every living thing on Earth. What does this universal scope tell us about God's heart?
Genesis 9:16 reveals a covenant that extends beyond humanity to encompass all of creation. God declares his promise not only to Noah and his descendants but to 'every living creature of all flesh.' This signifies God's deep concern for the entirety of his creation, a profound act of grace following the devastating judgment of the flood.
The verse says God will 'look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant.' This might sound like God could forget! What does it really mean for God to 'remember' in this context?
The language of God 'remembering' is an anthropomorphism, a way of describing God's actions in human terms. It doesn't mean God's memory fails, but rather that the rainbow serves as a visible, tangible reminder for us and a confirmation of His faithfulness.
Ask a follow-up
The verse calls it an 'everlasting covenant.' What makes this promise so enduring, and how does it connect to God's eternal nature?
The phrase 'everlasting covenant' (or 'covenant of eternity') points to the profound and timeless nature of God's promise. While the specific sign of the rainbow relates to the promise of no more global floods, the covenant itself reaches back to the original covenant with humanity and forward to God's ultimate redemptive plan.
Understand the original words
berith · Hebrew Noun
In biblical usage, a formal, solemn, and binding agreement or treaty between God and humanity, established by God’s grace and initiative, carrying both promises and obligations.
olam · Hebrew Adjective
A term indicating a time that is perpetual, eternal, or enduring; often used to describe God’s nature, His decrees, or relationships that have no end.
basar · Hebrew Noun
The collective term for all humans or living beings; frequently used to highlight humanity's common creation, frailty, and total dependence on God.
c. 2348 BC— this verse
The Great Flood
A catastrophic flood sent by God to cleanse the earth of pervasive wickedness, sparing only Noah, his family, and pairs of animals on an ark.
c. 2348 BC
God's Covenant with Noah
Following the Flood, God establishes a covenant with Noah and all living creatures, promising never again to destroy all life with a flood. The rainbow is given as the sign of this covenant.
c. 2348 BC
Noah's Drunkenness and Curse
After the flood, Noah plants a vineyard, becomes drunk, and is seen naked by his son Ham. Noah then prophesies curses upon Ham's son Canaan and blessings upon his other sons, Shem and Japheth.
c. 2348 BC
Repopulation of the Earth
Noah's three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, become the ancestors of all humanity, and the earth is repopulated from the ark.
This passage echoes the Genesis account, directly comparing God's covenant after the flood to His unchanging promises, reinforcing the idea of an everlasting, reliable covenant.
Jeremiah 31:35-36Here, God speaks of establishing a covenant with Israel, referencing the stability of the natural order (day and night, sun and moon) as proof of His faithfulness, paralleling the rainbow's role as a visible assurance.
Luke 12:25-26Jesus uses the inability to extend life by worrying as a point to show God's care, similar to how the rainbow is a divine reassurance against the 'worry' of a second flood, highlighting God's provision beyond human control.
Revelation 21:1-4This passage describes a new heaven and earth where there is 'no more death' or mourning, representing the ultimate fulfillment of God's covenant promise of a restored creation, far exceeding the initial covenant after the flood.
calvinGenesis 9:1-29: "And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth."
And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.
Et timor vester et pavor vester erit super omnem bestiam terrae, et super omne volatile coeli, cum omnibus quae gradiuntur in terra, et omnibus pi…
pooleGenesis 9:16: "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."
i.e. This covenant made with all succeeding generations of men and beasts. This and the like speeches are oft ascribed to God after the manner of men, who being forgetful, need helps for their memory.
This verse reveals God’s profound intention behind the rainbow: it’s not just a pretty sight, but a divine promise meant to remind us, not God, of His enduring faithfulness. The text emphasizes that God looks upon it "that I may remember," a gentle anthropomorphism pointing to how His signs are primarily for our assurance and strengthening of faith, so we might also remember His everlasting covenant.
After the devastating flood, God establishes a new beginning for humanity, blessing Noah and his sons, and granting them dominion over the animal kingdom. He reiterates the command to multiply and fill the earth, while also setting new boundaries concerning the use of flesh and the sanctity of human life. This promise of a new era is then sealed with a sign in the sky.
After the devastating flood, God establishes a new beginning for humanity, blessing Noah and his sons, and granting them dominion over the animal kingdom. He reiterates the command to multiply and fill the earth, while also setting new boundaries concerning the use of flesh and the sanctity of human life. This promise of a new era is then sealed with a sign in the sky.
"When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”" — This verse reveals God’s profound intention behind the rainbow: it’s not just a pretty sight, but a divine promise meant to remind us, not God, of His enduring faithfulness. The text emphasizes tha…
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Last reviewed October 2026