Genesis 9:12 And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between Me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come:

◄ Genesis 9:12 ►

New International Version
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come:

New Living Translation
Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come.

English Standard Version
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations:

Berean Standard Bible
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between Me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come:

King James Bible
And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

New King James Version
And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

New American Standard Bible
God said, “This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations;

NASB 1995
God said, “This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations;

NASB 1977
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations;

Legacy Standard Bible
Then God said, “This is the sign of the covenant which I am giving to be between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations;

Amplified Bible
And God said, “This is the token (visible symbol, memorial) of the [solemn] covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations;

Christian Standard Bible
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all future generations:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between Me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all future generations:

American Standard Version
And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations.

English Revised Version
And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
God said, "This is the sign of the promise I am giving to you and every living being that is with you for generations to come.

Good News Translation
As a sign of this everlasting covenant which I am making with you and with all living beings,

International Standard Version
God also said, "Here's the symbol that represents the covenant that I'm making between me and you and every living being with you, for all future generations:

Majority Standard Bible
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between Me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come:

NET Bible
And God said, "This is the guarantee of the covenant I am making with you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all subsequent generations:

New Heart English Bible
God said, "This is the sign of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

Webster's Bible Translation
And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations.

World English Bible
God said, “This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And God says, “This is a token of the covenant which I am giving between Me and you, and every living creature that [is] with you, to continuous generations;

Young's Literal Translation
And God saith, 'This is a token of the covenant which I am giving between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, to generations age-during;

Smith's Literal Translation
And God will say, This is a sign of the covenant which I give between me and between you, and between every breathing thing living which is with you for future generations.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And God said: This is the sign of the covenant which I will give between me and you, and to every living soul that is with you, for perpetual generations.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And God said: “This is the sign of the pact that I grant between me and you, and to every living soul that is with you, for perpetual generations.

New American Bible
God said: This is the sign of the covenant that I am making between me and you and every living creature with you for all ages to come:

New Revised Standard Version
God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations:

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And God said to Noah, This is the sign of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I am giving between me and you and between every soul living that is with you, for the generations of the world:

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And God said: 'This is the token of the covenant which I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Lord God said to Noe, This is the sign of the covenant which I set between me and you, and between every living creature which is with you for perpetual generations.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Covenant of the Rainbow
…11And I establish My covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between Me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13I have set My rainbow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Genesis 17:11
You are to circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and this will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.

Genesis 17:13
Whether they are born in your household or purchased, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh will be an everlasting covenant.

Genesis 17:19
But God replied, “Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.

Exodus 12:14
And this day will be a memorial for you, and you are to celebrate it as a feast to the LORD, as a permanent statute for the generations to come.

Exodus 31:13
“Tell the Israelites, ‘Surely you must keep My Sabbaths, for this will be a sign between Me and you for the generations to come, so that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.

Leviticus 23:41
You are to celebrate this as a feast to the LORD for seven days each year. This is a permanent statute for the generations to come; you are to celebrate it in the seventh month.

Numbers 15:39
These will serve as tassels for you to look at, so that you may remember all the commandments of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by following your own heart and your own eyes.

Deuteronomy 7:9
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.

Deuteronomy 29:14-15
I am making this covenant and this oath not only with you, / but also with those who are standing here with us today in the presence of the LORD our God, as well as with those who are not here today.

2 Samuel 23:5
Is not my house right with God? For He has established with me an everlasting covenant, ordered and secured in every part. Will He not bring about my full salvation and my every desire?

Psalm 105:8-10
He remembers His covenant forever, the word He ordained for a thousand generations— / the covenant He made with Abraham, and the oath He swore to Isaac. / He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant:

Isaiah 54:9-10
“For to Me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So I have sworn that I will not be angry with you or rebuke you. / Though the mountains may be removed and the hills may be shaken, My loving devotion will not depart from you, and My covenant of peace will not be broken,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

Jeremiah 31:31-34
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. / It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant they broke, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. / “But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people. ...

Ezekiel 16:60
But I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.

Hosea 2:19-20
So I will betroth you to Me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in loving devotion and compassion. / And I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will know the LORD.”

Treasury of Scripture

And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

Genesis 17:11
And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

Exodus 12:13
And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

Exodus 13:16
And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.

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Genesis 9

1. God blesses Noah and his sons, and grants them flesh for food.
4. Blood and murder are forbidden.
8. God's covenant, of which the rainbow was constituted a pledge.
18. Noah's family replenishes the world.
20. Noah plants a vineyard,
21. Is drunken, and mocked by his son;
25. Curses Canaan;
26. Blesses Shem;
27. Prays for Japheth, and dies.

Berean Study Bible

And God said
This phrase underscores the divine authority and initiative in the narrative. The Hebrew word for God here is "Elohim," which emphasizes His power and sovereignty. The act of speaking by God is significant throughout Genesis, as it is through His word that creation itself was brought into existence. This highlights the power and reliability of God's promises.

This is the sign
The Hebrew word for "sign" is "’owth," which often denotes a visible symbol or mark that serves as a reminder of a covenant or promise. In the context of Genesis 9, the sign refers to the rainbow, a visible and recurring reminder of God's promise. This concept of a sign is consistent with other biblical covenants, where physical symbols are used to represent spiritual truths.

of the covenant
The term "covenant" is translated from the Hebrew word "berith," which signifies a solemn agreement or promise. In the ancient Near Eastern context, covenants were binding agreements that often included stipulations and signs. Here, the covenant is unilateral, initiated by God, and it underscores His grace and mercy towards humanity and creation.

I am making
This phrase indicates the active role of God in establishing the covenant. The Hebrew verb "karath" is often used in the context of making or cutting a covenant, suggesting a formal and binding agreement. It emphasizes God's commitment and the seriousness of the promise being made.

between Me and you
This phrase highlights the personal nature of the covenant. It is not just a general promise but a specific agreement between God and Noah, representing humanity. The relational aspect of the covenant is central, as it reflects God's desire for a relationship with His creation.

and every living creature with you
The inclusion of "every living creature" signifies the comprehensive scope of the covenant. It is not limited to humanity but extends to all of creation. This reflects the biblical theme of God's care and concern for all life, emphasizing the interconnectedness of creation.

a covenant for all generations to come
This phrase underscores the perpetual nature of the covenant. The Hebrew word "dor" means generation, indicating that this promise is not limited to Noah's time but extends indefinitely into the future. It assures future generations of God's faithfulness and the enduring nature of His promises.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(12) This is the token of the covenant.--The word rendered "token" really means sign, and is a term that has met with very unfortunate treatment in our Version, especially in the New Testament, where--as, for instance, in St. John's Gospel--it is too frequently translated miracle. Its meaning will be best seen by examining some of the places where it occurs: e.g., Genesis 17:11; Exodus 3:12; Exodus 12:13; Exodus 13:16; Numbers 17:10; Joshua 2:12; Job 21:29; Psalm 65:8; Psalm 86:17; Psalm 135:9; Isaiah 44:25. In the majority of these places the sign, or token, is some natural occurrence, but in its higher meaning it is a proof or indication of God's immediate working. On proper occasions, therefore, it will be supernatural, because the proof of God's direct agency will most fitly be some act such as God alone can accomplish. More frequently it is something natural. Thus the sign to the shepherds of the birth of a Saviour, who was "the anointed Jehovah" (Luke 2:11), was their finding in a manger a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, a thing of the most simple and ordinary kind. We may dismiss, then, all such curious speculations as that no rain fell before the flood, or that some condition was wanting necessary for producing this glorious symbol. What Noah needed was a guarantee and a memorial which, as often as rain occurred, would bring back to his thoughts the Divine promise; and such a memorial was best taken from the natural accompaniments of rain. We may further notice with Maimonides that the words are not, as in our version, "I do set," but my how I have set in the cloud: that is, the bow which God set in the cloud on that day of creation in which He imposed upon air and water those laws which produce this phenomenon, is now to become the sign of a solemn compact made with man by God, whereby He gives man the assurance that neither himself nor his works shall ever again be swept away by a flood. . . .

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 12. - And God said, This is the token - אות (vide Genesis 1:14; 4:15) - of the covenant which I make - literally, am giving (cf. Genesis 17:2) - between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations. Le'doroth (vide Genesis 6:9); olam (from alam, to hide, to conceal), pr. that which is hidden; hence, specially, time of which either the beginning or the end is uncertain or undefined, the duration being usually determined by the nature of the case (vide Gesenius, 'Hebrews Lex.,' sub voce). Here the meaning is, that so long as there were circuits or generations of men upon the earth, so long would this covenant endure.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

And God
אֱלֹהִ֗ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

said,
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“This
זֹ֤את (zōṯ)
Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

is the sign
אֽוֹת־ (’ō·wṯ-)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 226: A signal, as a, flag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence

of the covenant
הַבְּרִית֙ (hab·bə·rîṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1285: A covenant

I
אֲנִ֣י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

am making
נֹתֵ֗ן (nō·ṯên)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

between Me and you
בֵּינִי֙ (bê·nî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 996: An interval, space between

and every
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

living
חַיָּ֖ה (ḥay·yāh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life

creature
נֶ֥פֶשׁ (ne·p̄eš)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

with you,
אִתְּכֶ֑ם (’it·tə·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among

[a covenant] for all generations
לְדֹרֹ֖ת (lə·ḏō·rōṯ)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1755: A revolution of time, an age, generation, a dwelling

to come:
עוֹלָֽם׃ (‘ō·w·lām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5769: Concealed, eternity, frequentatively, always

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OT Law: Genesis 9:12 God said This is the token (Gen. Ge Gn)