Meaning, commentary and cross references
Genesis 9:13
“I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.”In other translations
KJV · King James Version
I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
NIV · New International Version
I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
WEB · World English Bible
I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be a sign of a covenant between me and the earth.
What does Genesis 9:13 mean?
John Gill · Exposition of the Entire Bible, on Genesis 9:13
I do set my bow in the cloud,.... Or "I have given", or "have set it" (p); which seems as if it was at that instant set; this is the same we call the "rainbow": and so Horace (q) calls it "arcus pluvius": it is called a "bow", because of its form, being a semicircle, and a "rainbow", because it is seen in a day of rain, and is a sign of it, or of its being quickly over, Ezekiel 1:28 and this appears in a moist dewy cloud, neither very thick nor very thin, and is occasioned by the rays of the sun opposite to it, refracted on it: and this God calls "his bow", not only because made by him, for, notwithstanding the natural causes of it, the cloud and sun, the disposition of these to produce it…
John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Context: Genesis 9:10–16 (WEB)
10and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the livestock, and every animal of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ship, even every animal of the earth. 11I will establish my covenant with you: All flesh will not be cut off any more by the waters of the flood. There will never again be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12God 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: 13I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be a sign of a covenant between me and the earth. 14When I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow will be seen in the cloud, 15I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh, and the waters will no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16The 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.”
Cross references
- Ezekiel 1:28
As the appearance of the rainbow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the LORD’s glory. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke.
- Revelation 4:3
that looked like a jasper stone and a sardius. There was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald to look at.
- Revelation 10:1
I saw a mighty angel coming down out of the sky, clothed with a cloud. A rainbow was on his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.