The Meaning of Genesis 9:12 Explained

Genesis 9:12

KJV: 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:

YLT: And God saith, 'This is a token of the covenant which I am giving between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, to generations age-during;

Darby: And God said, This is the sign of the covenant that I set between me and you and every living soul that is with you, for everlasting generations:

ASV: 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:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Genesis 9:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 9:1-17 - God's Covenant With Noah
As the human race started afresh on its career, God blessed it, as at the first. God always stands with us in a new start. The prohibition against the use of blood in food is often repeated. See Leviticus 17:11; Acts 15:29. In a very deep sense, the blood is the life. When we speak of being redeemed by the blood of Jesus, we mean that we have been saved by His sacrificed life. The blood maketh atonement for the soul. But while animal life might be used for food or sacrifice, human life was surrounded by the most solemn sanctions. A Covenant is a promise or undertaking resting on certain conditions, with a sign or token attached to it. The bow in the cloud, the Lord's Supper, the wedding ring are signs and seals of their respective covenants. Never witness a rainbow without remembering that as God hath sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth, so He will not withdraw His kindness. See Isaiah 54:9. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 9

1  God blesses Noah and his sons, and grants them flesh for food
4  Blood and murder are forbidden
8  God's covenant, of which the rainbow was constituted a pledge
18  Noah's family replenishes the world
20  Noah plants a vineyard,
21  Is drunken, and mocked by his son;
25  Curses Canaan;
26  Blesses Shem;
27  Prays for Japheth, and dies

What do the individual words in Genesis 9:12 mean?

And said God this [is] the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you and every creature living that [is] with you for generations perpetual
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים זֹ֤את אֽוֹת־ הַבְּרִית֙ אֲשֶׁר־ אֲנִ֣י נֹתֵ֗ן בֵּינִי֙ וּבֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם וּבֵ֛ין כָּל־ נֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתְּכֶ֑ם לְדֹרֹ֖ת עוֹלָֽם

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֱלֹהִ֗ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
זֹ֤את  this  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
אֽוֹת־  the  sign 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: אֹות  
Sense: sign, signal.
הַבְּרִית֙  of  the  covenant 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
נֹתֵ֗ן  make 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
בֵּינִי֙  between  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
וּבֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם  and  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
כָּל־  every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
נֶ֥פֶשׁ  creature 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
חַיָּ֖ה  living 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  that  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
אִתְּכֶ֑ם  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
לְדֹרֹ֖ת  for  generations 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: דֹּור 
Sense: period, generation, habitation, dwelling.
עוֹלָֽם  perpetual 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.