Genesis 9:11 kjv
And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.
Genesis 9:11 nkjv
Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth."
Genesis 9:11 niv
I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth."
Genesis 9:11 esv
I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth."
Genesis 9:11 nlt
Yes, I am confirming my covenant with you. Never again will floodwaters kill all living creatures; never again will a flood destroy the earth."
Genesis 9 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 6:18 | But I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall come into the ark... | God's initial promise of covenant to Noah before the flood. |
| Gen 9:9-10 | Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you and with every living creature... | Contextual verses expanding the covenant recipients. |
| Gen 9:12 | God said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you...forever..." | The rainbow given as the perpetual sign of this covenant. |
| Gen 9:15 | ...I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. | God's faithfulness in remembering His covenant. |
| Gen 9:16-17 | The bow shall be in the cloud...I will remember the everlasting covenant... | Reiteration of the covenant's eternal nature and God's promise. |
| Gen 8:21-22 | I will never again curse the ground because of man...while the earth remains... | Prior promise of regular seasons, preventing a repeat of full earth curse. |
| Num 23:19 | God is not a man, that he should lie...Has he said, and will he not do it? | Highlights God's unchanging nature and reliability in fulfilling promises. |
| Deut 7:9 | Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant... | Affirms God's faithful character in keeping His agreements. |
| Ps 89:34 | My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of my lips. | God's absolute commitment to His word and covenant. |
| Isa 54:9-10 | For this is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more cover the earth... | Reaffirms the Noahic covenant's perpetuity and uses it to illustrate God's enduring kindness to Zion. |
| Jer 31:31-34 | ...I will make a new covenant...I will put my law within them...I will remember their sin no more. | Foreshadows the New Covenant, showing God's continuing pattern of covenant-making. |
| Ezek 16:60 | I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish with you an everlasting covenant. | Example of God remembering and re-establishing everlasting covenants. |
| Heb 8:6 | ...He is the mediator of a better covenant, enacted on better promises. | The New Covenant is superior, built on divine faithfulness. |
| Heb 8:7-8 | For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. | Highlights the nature of God's progression in covenants, yet the Noahic is unconditional. |
| 2 Pet 3:5-7 | ...the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word...stored up for fire... | Contrasts the global judgment by water (past) with future judgment by fire, emphasizing God's methods of destruction. |
| Matt 24:37-39 | For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. | Jesus references the flood as a historical event, a parallel to future judgment. |
| Gen 1:28 | Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth... | The creation mandate for procreation and dominion, protected by the Noahic covenant. |
| Gen 6:7 | ...I will blot out man whom I have created...from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds... | Describes the universal scope of the pre-flood destruction. |
| Col 1:17 | And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. | Implies divine power in sustaining creation, related to covenant promise. |
| Rom 1:20 | For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities...have been clearly seen... | Creation (preserved by Noahic covenant) testifies to God's nature. |
| Ps 104:9 | You set a boundary that they may not pass over, that they may not again cover the earth with water. | Poetic reference to God's control over water, potentially alluding to the flood covenant. |
| Jas 1:17 | Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. | Underscores God's unwavering character, basis of covenant dependability. |
Genesis 9 verses
Genesis 9 11 Meaning
This verse serves as a solemn declaration of God's covenant with Noah and all living beings. It unequivocally states that God is establishing a binding agreement, promising that never again will all living creatures, humanity included ("all flesh"), be annihilated by a global flood, and no such flood will ever again occur to destroy the entire earth. It is an unconditional divine guarantee, ensuring the perpetual preservation of terrestrial life against universal watery judgment.
Genesis 9 11 Context
Genesis 9:11 is part of the "Noahic Covenant", a foundational agreement made by God with Noah and his family, representing all humanity, and with all living creatures. This covenant follows the devastating global flood, an event of divine judgment upon rampant wickedness that purged the earth of all life, save those preserved in the ark. Having endured this cataclysm, Noah's family, the new progenitors of humanity, emerges into a world cleansed yet fundamentally reliant on divine mercy. The covenant established here sets the framework for the continued existence and re-population of the earth. Historically, the divine establishment of such a broad, unconditional covenant after a major natural disaster distinguishes the biblical narrative from ancient Near Eastern flood myths, where deities might act capriciously or flood simply to punish. The Hebrew text presents a benevolent God who, despite executing righteous judgment, extends grace and a guaranteed future for creation.
Genesis 9 11 Word analysis
- I establish (וַהֲקִמֹתִי - vahaqimoti): This word from the Hebrew root qum (קוּם) means "to stand up," "to raise," or "to confirm/fulfill." In this context, it emphasizes God's active and decisive role in bringing this covenant into existence and ensuring its stability and fulfillment. It conveys the divine initiative and authority in making such an enduring promise.
- my covenant (בְּרִיתִי - beriti): The Hebrew term berit (בְּרִית) denotes a binding agreement or treaty. This specific berit is unconditional and initiated solely by God. The possessive suffix ("my") highlights that it is God's personal, sovereign promise, stemming from His own nature and decree, not dependent on human performance. It assures continued relationship and order.
- with you (אִתְּכֶם - itkhem): "You" refers primarily to Noah and his family. However, the subsequent verses (Gen 9:9-10) clarify that this covenant is also established with their future descendants, and crucially, with "every living creature of all flesh" on the earth. This underlines the covenant's universal scope, embracing all post-flood terrestrial life.
- that never again (לֹא יִכָּרֵת עוֹד - lo yikkaret od): A strong double negative in Hebrew. Lo means "no/not," and od means "again/still." Yikkaret comes from karat (כָּרַת), meaning "to cut off." While karat is commonly used with berit (covenant) meaning "to cut a covenant" (by means of sacrificial cutting), here it means "to cut off" in the sense of exterminating or ending existence. The phrase signifies absolute finality – this destruction will never recur.
- all flesh (כָּל-בָּשָׂר - kol-basar): This refers to all living creatures possessing flesh, encompassing both humans and animals, as defined repeatedly during the flood narrative (e.g., Gen 6:17; 7:15). It underscores the breadth of God's protection and concern for all life forms on earth.
- be cut off by the waters of the flood (בְּמֵי הַמַּבּוּל - b'mei hammabbul): Specifies the precise agent and extent of the previous judgment. Mabbul (מַבּוּל) is the distinct Hebrew term used uniquely for the Genesis global flood. It explicitly promises cessation of universal death by water. This does not preclude other forms of judgment or destruction in the future.
- and never again shall there be a flood (וְלֹא-יִהְיֶה עוֹד מַבּוּל - v'lo yihyeh od mabbul): This phrase repeats the absolute negative ("never again") from earlier in the verse, strongly reinforcing the promise. It emphasizes that a cataclysm of the mabbul (global flood) magnitude will not happen again. The repetition is for emphasis and divine solemnity.
- to destroy the earth (לְשַׁחֵת הָאָרֶץ - l'shakhet ha'aretz): Shakhet (שָׁחַת) means "to corrupt," "to spoil," or "to destroy." The earth here refers to the land surface that hosts life. The purpose of the flood was the thorough destruction of life upon the earth. God now promises no such universal destruction by floodwaters will reoccur.
Genesis 9 11 Bonus section
The Noahic Covenant, confirmed in Genesis 9:11, is a universal and perpetual covenant, distinct from other biblical covenants (e.g., Abrahamic, Mosaic, New Covenant) which often have a more specific scope (e.g., a chosen people or specific spiritual promises). Its universality is explicitly stated, extending not only to Noah and his descendants (all humanity) but also to every living creature on the earth. Its perpetual nature ensures a stable environment for God’s redemptive plan to unfold, guaranteeing that His plan for humanity and creation will not be thwarted by another worldwide watery judgment. This covenant, symbolized by the rainbow, serves as a testament to God's enduring grace and reliability, showcasing His faithfulness to His word and His continued commitment to the order and preservation of creation despite humanity's sinfulness.
Genesis 9 11 Commentary
Genesis 9:11 articulates the enduring assurance of divine grace and faithfulness after the global judgment of the flood. God’s unilateral "establishment" of this covenant highlights His sovereign power and initiative. It's an unconditional promise made out of His character, not contingent on human merit or action. The dual declaration, "never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth," provides unequivocal certainty. This repetition emphasizes the absolute nature of the promise, reassuring humanity and all creation that life will continue without the threat of another universal watery cataclysm. This foundational covenant sets the stage for future human existence, guaranteeing stability for procreation and flourishing (as commanded in Gen 9:1,7). While it safeguards against a global deluge, it doesn't preclude localized floods or other forms of judgment by different means, as illustrated by later biblical passages (e.g., judgment by fire). The Noahic Covenant stands as a perpetual testament to God's unwavering commitment to the sustenance of creation, an overarching act of grace that establishes the rhythm and safety of life on Earth. It practically reminds us of God's trustworthiness in His word, even when faced with dire circumstances or overwhelming fears.