Genesis 9:9 kjv

And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;

Genesis 9:9 nkjv

"And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you,

Genesis 9:9 niv

"I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you

Genesis 9:9 esv

"Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you,

Genesis 9:9 nlt

"I hereby confirm my covenant with you and your descendants,

Genesis 9 verses

Genesis 9 9 Meaning

Genesis 9:9 declares God's sovereign establishment of His covenant, a binding divine promise, not only with Noah personally but explicitly extending to all his future descendants. This unilateral declaration signifies God's unwavering commitment to preserve and continue life on earth after the great flood, initiating a new era marked by divine faithfulness and the upholding of creation. It sets the foundational promise that forms the bedrock for subsequent divine covenants.

Genesis 9 9 Context

Genesis 9:9 appears immediately after the global flood, in the aftermath of humanity's restart. Chapter 8 describes the waters receding and Noah's family, along with all the animals, disembarking from the ark. Noah then builds an altar and offers burnt offerings to the LORD. God responds with a promise (Gen 8:21-22) that He would never again curse the ground on account of man or strike down every living thing as He had done. Chapter 9 begins with God blessing Noah and his sons, giving them instructions for populating the earth, including permission to eat meat, and establishing laws concerning bloodshed. Against this backdrop of new life and foundational decrees, God directly states His intent to establish His covenant, a pivotal moment in redemptive history that secures the continuity of life on earth and lays the groundwork for all subsequent covenants with humanity, particularly through Israel and ultimately through Christ. The covenant establishes boundaries on divine judgment and ensures the preservation of life on a broad scale, contrasting with chaotic flood narratives in contemporary Ancient Near Eastern beliefs where gods were capricious.

Genesis 9 9 Word analysis

• And behold (וְהִנֵּה, v'hinneh): This conjunction and interjection combination emphasizes a dramatic or significant declaration about to be made. It serves to draw the reader's attention to the crucial nature of the statement. This device is frequently used in biblical narrative to highlight divine pronouncements or revelatory moments.
• I myself (אֲנִי הִנְנִי, ani hin'ni): A powerful double emphasis on God's personal initiative and sovereign action. "I" (ani) is a pronoun emphasizing the subject, and "here I am" (hin'ni) functions as an emphatic affirmative, underscoring God's direct, active, and willing engagement in the establishment of the covenant. This is not a secondary action or an agreement solicited by man; it is a unilateral divine act.
• establish (מֵקִים, meqim): From the root קום (qum), meaning "to rise, stand up." In this context, it is the Hiphil participle, signifying "to cause to stand," "to set up," "to confirm," "to fulfill," or "to enact." It denotes permanence and certainty. God is not merely proposing, but actively and resolutely bringing His covenant into existence and upholding its terms. This choice of word stresses the divine agency and the enduring nature of the covenant.
• My covenant (בְּרִיתִי, beriti): This is the first explicit mention of a berit (covenant) in Scripture. The term berit (contract, agreement, covenant, league, alliance) signifies a formal, binding relationship established between two parties. Here, it is God's covenant, emphasizing its divine origin and absolute authority. Unlike many ancient Near Eastern treaties that were reciprocal or conditional, this covenant initiated by God is predominantly unilateral, a gracious promise of divine faithfulness that serves as the basis for His dealings with humanity. It underscores His benevolent control over creation.
• with you (אִתְּכֶם, itchem): Refers directly to Noah, indicating that he is the immediate recipient and representative of humanity with whom this covenant is being made.
• and with your offspring (וְאֶת־זַרְעֲכֶם, v'et-zar'achem): Zera' (seed, offspring, descendant, posterity) expands the scope beyond Noah himself. This emphasizes the covenant's generational aspect, encompassing all of Noah's future progeny, and by extension, all humanity. The concept of "seed" is fundamental in the biblical narrative, laying the groundwork for the promises of a specific seed through whom salvation will come (e.g., Abraham, David, ultimately Christ).
• after you (אֲחֲרֵיכֶם, acharechem): Further reinforces the forward-looking and perpetual nature of the covenant across time. It signifies that the covenant's promise and implications extend indefinitely to all succeeding generations.

Genesis 9 9 Bonus section

The universality of the Noahic covenant, extending to "all flesh" and "every living creature" (mentioned in vv.10, 15, 16), highlights God's ongoing care for all creation, not just humanity. This demonstrates God's consistent purpose of upholding the created order, setting a limit on His judgment through floods and securing a reliable rhythm for the natural world (Gen 8:22). The "I Myself" establishment underscores God's commitment to maintaining His creation and preventing chaos, offering a contrast to pagan narratives where divine actions were often capricious. This covenant serves as a preparatory promise, foreshadowing how God would later work through specific individuals and nations (like Abraham and Israel) to bless all the "families of the earth" through a singular "seed" (Gen 12:3), culminating in the New Covenant through Jesus Christ, who perfectly mediates and embodies God's covenant faithfulness and brings true, everlasting preservation and new creation.

Genesis 9 9 Commentary

Genesis 9:9 is a foundational verse that announces the first major covenant in the Bible, establishing a pivotal theme of divine interaction with humanity. This post-flood covenant is remarkably significant for several reasons: it is initiated purely by God's will ("I myself establish"), signifying His uncoerced grace and commitment; it is unconditional in its promise to preserve life on earth from another global flood; and its scope is universal, encompassing Noah, all his future human descendants, and, as clarified in the subsequent verses, every living creature on earth. The explicit statement of "My covenant" sets a theological precedent, defining God's consistent mode of operation throughout redemptive history – binding Himself by promise to His creation. It underscores divine faithfulness and benevolence, serving as a reassurance that despite human sinfulness, God has committed to the continued existence and preservation of the world until His ultimate purposes are fulfilled. This declaration of covenant stability provides hope and order for the renewed creation, preventing a return to primeval chaos through an overarching divine pledge.