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:

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God addresses Noah and every surviving creature immediately following the flood, declaring the establishment of a permanent agreement.

The words — The phrase זֹאת אֽוֹת־ הַ/בְּרִית (zot 'ot-ha berit) literally translates to "this [is] the sign of the covenant," directly linking a physical marker to the promise. The verb נֹתֵן (noten) means "I am making," emphasizing God's unilateral initiation of the agreement.

The thread — This covenant-sign pattern appears in Genesis 17:11 with circumcision, Exodus 12:13 with the Passover blood, and Matthew 26:26 with the bread and cup. Each passage uses a tangible object to guarantee a divine pledge.

Why it lands — The text explicitly states that God is making a covenant for all generations with every living creature. It requires the reader to acknowledge a binding, multi-generational commitment initiated by God rather than human effort.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיֹּ֣אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said אֱלֹהִ֗ים'E.lo.HimGod זֹ֤אתzotthis אֽוֹת־'ot-[is] [the] sign of הַבְּרִית֙ha./be.Ritthe/ covenant אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-which אֲנִ֣י'a.NiI נֹתֵ֗ןno.Ten[am] making בֵּינִי֙bei./Nibetween/ me וּבֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔םu./Vei.nei./Khemand/ between/ you וּבֵ֛יןu./Veinand/ between כָּל־kol-every נֶ֥פֶשׁNe.feshcreature חַיָּ֖הchai.Yahliving אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherwhich אִתְּכֶ֑ם'i.te./Khem[is] with/ you לְדֹרֹ֖תle./do.Rotfor/ generations of עוֹלָֽם׃o.Lamperpetuity

King James 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:

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.
Matthew 26:26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body.”
Exodus 12:13 The blood on the houses where you are staying will be a sign; when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No plague will fall on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
Genesis 9:17 So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between Me and every creature on the earth.”
Exodus 13:16 So it shall serve as a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead, for with a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”
1 Corinthians 11:23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread,
Joshua 2:12 Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD that you will indeed show kindness to my family, because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign