(The Lord speaking is red text)
And God said unto Noah, This [is] the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that [is] upon the earth.
God said to Noach, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between myself and every living creature on the earth.”
So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between Me and every creature on the earth.”
And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.
And God{H430} said{H559} unto Noah{H5146}, This is the token{H226} of the covenant{H1285}, which I have established{H6965} between me and all flesh{H1320} that is upon the earth{H776}.
Genesis 9:17 is a pivotal verse in the narrative of the Flood, which is one of the most famous stories in the Hebrew Bible. This verse specifically addresses the establishment of a covenant between God and all living creatures following the great flood that wiped out almost all life on Earth as a response to human wickedness. In this covenant, God promises never again to destroy all life with a flood, and He provides the rainbow as a sign of this everlasting promise.
The historical context of this verse is rooted in the ancient Near Eastern milieu, where covenants were significant agreements often made between a deity and a people, or between a ruler and their subjects. These covenants were solemn and binding, typically involving obligations on both parties. In the case of Genesis 9:17, God's covenant is unconditional; it does not depend on human behavior but is a promise God makes out of His own volition.
The themes present in this verse include divine faithfulness, the sanctity of life, and the idea of a new beginning. God's covenant with Noah and all flesh marks a fresh start for creation, with an emphasis on the preservation of life. The rainbow, as mentioned in the verse, serves as a perpetual reminder of God's commitment to His creation and His grace in offering humanity a second chance. This theme of covenant is central to the theology of the Hebrew Bible and sets the stage for the covenants that follow, such as those with Abraham, Moses, and David, which are foundational to Jewish and Christian traditions.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)