Genesis 9:17

17 God said to Noach, "This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between myself and every living creature on the earth."

Genesis 9:17 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 9:17

And God said to Noah, this is the token of the covenant,
&c.] Which is repeated for the greater confirmation and certainty of it, since the fears of men would be apt to run very high, especially while the flood was fresh in memory; which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the
earth:
see ( Genesis 9:9-11 ) , it is highly probable, that from the rainbow being the token of the covenant between God and Noah, and the creatures, sprung the fable of the Chinese concerning their first emperor, Fohi, who seems to be the same with Noah, and whom they call the son of heaven, and say he had no father; which is this, that his mother, walking on the bank of a lake near Lanthien, in the province of Xensi, trod upon a large footstep of a man impressed upon the sand, and from thence, being surrounded with the rainbow, conceived and brought forth Fohi ^F24.

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 Martin. Sinic. Hist. p. 11.

Genesis 9:17 In-Context

15 I will remember my covenant which is between myself and you and every living creature of any kind; and the water will never again become a flood to destroy all living beings.

16 The rainbow will be in the cloud; so that when I look at it, I will remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of any kind on the earth."

17 God said to Noach, "This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between myself and every living creature on the earth."

18 The sons of Noach who went out from the ark were Shem, Ham and Yefet. Ham is the father of Kena'an.

19 These three were the sons of Noach, and the whole earth was populated by them.