God’s Word Translation
Genesis 9:16
16Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember my everlasting promise to every living animal on earth.”
Genesis 9:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)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."
- New King James Version (NKJV)The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
Context of Genesis 9:16
14Whenever I form clouds over the earth, a rainbow will appear in the clouds. 15Then I will remember my promise to you and every living animal. Never again will water become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember my everlasting promise to every living animal on earth.” 17So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the promise I am making to all life on earth.” 18Noah’s sons, who came out of the ship, were Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Read all of Genesis 9Genesis 9:16 word by word
וְהָיְתָ֥ה הַקֶּ֖שֶׁת בֶּֽעָנָ֑ן וּרְאִיתִ֗יהָ לִזְכֹּר֙ בְּרִ֣ית עוֹלָ֔ם בֵּ֣ין אֱלֹהִ֔ים וּבֵין֙ כָּל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ חַיָּ֔ה בְּכָל־בָּשָׂ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the bowקֶ֫שֶׁתqesheth · bowH7198
- shall be in the cloudעָנָן‛ânân · cloudH6051
- and I will look upon itרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- that I may rememberזָכַרzâkar · to rememberH2142
- the everlastingעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: enduringH5769
- covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
- betweenבַּ֫יִןbêyn · betweenH996
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- every livingחַיchay · aliveH2416
- creatureנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: animalH5315
- of all fleshבָּשָׂרbâώâr · fleshH1320
- upon the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
Cross-references for Genesis 9:16
- Genesis 9:9“I am going to make my promise to you, your descendants,
- Genesis 8:21The Lord smelled the soothing aroma. He said to himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of humans, even though from birth their hearts are set on nothing but evil. I will never again kill every living creature as I have just done.
- Genesis 17:13Every male born in your household or bought with your money is to be circumcised without exception. So my promise will be a sign on your flesh, an everlasting promise.
- 2 Samuel 23:5“Truly, God considers my house to be that way, because he has made a lasting promise to me, with every detail arranged and assured. ⌞He promised⌟ everything that helps me, everything that pleases me. Truly, he makes these things happen.
- Psalms 89:3⌞You said,⌟ “I have made a promise to my chosen one. I swore this oath to my servant David:
- Isaiah 54:8I hid my face from you for a moment in a burst of anger, but I will have compassion on you with everlasting kindness,” says the Lord your defender.
- Isaiah 55:3Open your ears, and come to me! Listen so that you may live! I will make an everlasting promise to you— the blessings I promised to David.
- Jeremiah 32:40I will make an eternal promise to them that I will never stop blessing them. I will make them fear me so that they will never turn away from me.
- Hebrews 13:20The God of peace brought the great shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus, back to life through the blood of an eternal promise.
Commentaries on Genesis 9:16
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8-17Verses 8-17 - XXIX. The Covenant with Noah 13. קשׁת qeshet “bow; related: be bent.” 14. ענן ‛ānan “cover, cast over; noun: cloud.” The covenant made with Noah Genesis 6:18 is now formally confirmed. The purpose conceived in the heart Genesis 8:21 now receives significant expression. Not only a new blessing is bestowed, but also a new covenant is formed with Noah. For he that has offered an acceptable sacrifice is not only at peace with God, but renewed…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-17Verses 8-17 As the old world was ruined, to be a monument of justice, so this world remains to this day a monument of mercy. But sin, that drowned the old world, will burn this. Articles of agreement among men are sealed, that what is promised may be the more solemn, and the doing of what is covenanted the more sure to mutual satisfaction. The seal of this covenant was the rainbow, which, it is likely, was seen in the clouds before, but was never a seal…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-16God brought great judgment through the rainstorm (a very large and destructive storm). Now he gives the rainbow as a sign of peace for the whole earth (see 9:17). The rainbow appears after the rainstorm and is connected to it, but it now shows that God will not destroy the earth in this way again. The same Hebrew word can mean both “rainbow” and “bow” (a weapon used in war). In some places, God is described as a warrior who shoots arrows to bring judgment…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-2913. I do set my bow in the cloud--set, that is, constitute or appoint. This common and familiar phenomenon being made the pledge of peace, its appearance when showers began to fall would be welcomed with the liveliest feelings of joy.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 9:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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