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Genesis 9:16

EOB (Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible):

The rainbow will appear in the clouds, and I will see it and remember the eternal agreement between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.

EOB Footnote:

The MT includes “my covenant” where the LXX reads simply “the covenant,” though both refer to the same covenant established with Noah. The MT phrase “between God and every living creature” is rendered more fully than the LXX’s construction, which reads literally “between me and all flesh.” The translation resolves “it” (referring to the bow/rainbow) and “my covenant” to clarify the relationship between the sign and the promise. “All flesh” is rendered as “every living creature” for clarity, following the sense of the Hebrew and Greek rather than the literal “flesh.”

Other Translations:

KJV (King James Version):

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.

WEB (World English Bible):

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.

Benton LXX (Vaticanus):

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint does not include Genesis 9:16.

Douai-Rheims (Vulgate):

And the rainbow shall be in the cloud, 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.

Apostoliki Diakonia (LXX):

When the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.

YLT (Young Literal Translation )(MT):

And the bow shall be in the cloud, and I will see it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.

BBE (Bible in Basic English):

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 creature of all flesh which is on the earth.

EOB COMMENTARY:

EOB Commentary:

Genesis 9:16 Commentary

The Eternal Covenant and Divine Remembrance

This verse presents the rainbow as a perpetual sign that prompts divine remembrance of the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures. The phrase “everlasting covenant” (diatheke aionios in the Septuagint) carries profound theological weight, establishing a pattern of divine faithfulness that finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ.

Christological Significance

The Fathers understood this covenant as a type pointing toward the New Covenant established in Christ’s blood. Saint John Chrysostom emphasizes that God’s promise never to destroy the earth by water again foreshadows the greater promise of salvation through baptismal waters. Where the flood brought death to the old world, the waters of baptism bring life to the new creation in Christ. The bow in the clouds, stretching between heaven and earth, prefigures Christ Himself who bridges the divine and human natures, reconciling God and creation.

Saint Ephrem the Syrian notes that the rainbow’s appearance after the storm symbolizes Christ’s coming after the tempest of sin and death. The multicolored arc reflects the manifold grace of God displayed in the Incarnation.

Liturgical Connections

The Orthodox Church draws upon flood imagery extensively in the baptismal rite. The blessing of waters explicitly references Noah and the ark as types of salvation through water. The prayer recalls how God saved Noah’s family through wood and water, anticipating how believers are saved through the wood of the Cross and the waters of baptism. The “everlasting covenant” mentioned in this verse resonates with the Eucharistic prayers where the Church celebrates the New and Eternal Covenant in Christ’s Body and Blood.

During the Great Blessing of Waters at Theophany, the Church commemorates how all creation is sanctified and renewed through Christ’s baptism, fulfilling the cosmic scope of the Noahic covenant that embraced all flesh.

Spiritual Interpretation

The image of God looking upon the bow and remembering His covenant offers profound comfort. Divine remembrance in Scripture is never mere recollection but active, salvific engagement. When God remembers, He acts. This pattern appears throughout salvation history and culminates in the Eucharistic anamnesis where Christ commands remembrance that makes His sacrifice present.

For Orthodox spirituality, this verse teaches that creation itself bears witness to God’s faithfulness. The natural world becomes a book of divine promises, inviting believers to perceive God’s providence in ordinary phenomena. Every rainbow becomes an icon of covenant love, calling the faithful to trust in the God who remembers His promises eternally and who has established an unbreakable covenant with humanity through His Son.

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