For many stories, the meaning changes dramatically when read through different lenses. Looking at the context in which Thucydides writes might lead one to see it as a warning to Athenians not to repeat the mistakes of the past, while looking at the text as a separate entity reveals a depressing commentary on the predictability of human nature. But the rainbow covenant in Genesis 9 seems less volatile in interpretation. At every level of analysis, from word choice to speculation about the author's motivations, the same underlying message can be seen. Perhaps it is because of the universal guarantee this message provides. Because the rainbow is the ultimate sign of hope for forgiveness, which existed long before organized religion. The rainbow, and the covenant it represents, can give hope to many generations that God's wrath will eventually subside, no matter how serious the crime. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay When comparing Bible translations, there are surprisingly few major variations in the translation. For this reason, it is ironic that the biggest discrepancy comes from the most famous word in this passage: rainbow. While translations such as the New International Version and the New Living Translation use the word “rainbow,” the King James Bible, the American Standard Version, and the New Revised Standard Version all use the word “bow.” 3][4][5] The word in Hebrew, qeše?, usually refers to a hunting bow[6]. The word also appears figuratively in many other passages in the Bible. In books such as the Psalms, Hosea and Jeremiah it is used to represent "the judgment of God"[7]. In the flood, God's judgment had come upon the people in the form of rain (hence the rainbow). But the bow has nothing to fear, since «it is now “set aside”, hanging from the clouds, suggesting that the “battle”, the storm, is over”.[8] God's weapon is no longer aimed at humanity. . Instead, he is facing the other way. Although his anger was severe, it is over. Now is the time for mercy. At the simplest level, the words of Genesis 9 provide hope that God will stop punishing his people. In the Bible, the story of the rainbow appears to be a simple etiological legend. Genesis chapter 9 provides a very simple explanation of why rainbows exist. But the covenant it represents is much more significant when taken in context. The covenant of chapter 9 is the first mentioned in the Bible. It seems strange, then, that in the New Living Translation, God says that he is “confirming” his covenant with Noah (most other translations use the word establish).2 The Hebrew word “kum” can be translated either way [9]. But how could God confirm something that didn't yet exist? The answer is found in Genesis 1, with God's initial command to Adam and Eve: “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth" (Gen 1:28).2 This command is then repeated in Genesis 9:1 to Noah and his sons. Despite the evil committed before the flood, "the ancient Adamic Covenant (heqîm) would have been established with Noah, and everything that the Lord had entrusted and requested from Adam would have passed to Noah and his descendants".[10] it's the same God who just destroyed almost all of creation! But now his anger seems to have dissipated. Let humans start over from before the fall, before the wickedness of mankind doomed it to almost complete destruction. God returned all creation to humanity. He withdrew his anger and even “blessed” Noah and his sons.5 The hope provided here is not just the hope of partial absolution, but of complete forgiveness. Thisstory not only establishes the rainbow, but also the idea of ​​total forgiveness to start over, whatever the scale. It is the message of God's mercy that would have been a powerful source of strength for the original Jews who read it. This section of Genesis is often attributed to Pphon, believed to have been written after the fall of the monarchy in 586 BC[11]. During this period, many ancient stories were written or copied by former royal scribes to give hope to the Jews living in exile in Babylon11. This story likely resonated with his early Jewish readers because they felt their exile was punishment for their sins. The prophet Jeremiah writes that they are defeated "because they have committed outrages in Israel", committing adultery and blasphemy (Jer 29.23 NRSV)5. Surely many will have wondered if God would ever restore the people of Israel. Because the royal scribes also wrote down Genesis 1, they could use the same language to remind the people of the new beginning after the flood. Their desire to provide hope has followed the story of the flood as it has spanned the centuries, from when it was written, to the present day. No matter what problems a generation faces, everyone is always looking for a reason to hope for a better future. day. Maybe that's why the message of forgiveness in Genesis 9 is so pervasive, no matter how you look at it. From the smallest choice of words to the entire context in which it was written, its purpose neither changes nor diminishes. The first promise remains, made to all humanity, that God's wrath is not eternal. It is a story not only for an ancient Jewish nation, but also for the rest of humanity, both past and present. It is for this reason that it has stood the test of time and is still studied today from many different perspectives. Bibliography American Standard Version. Bible Explorer. 4th edition. Network. October 6, 2011 Brettler, Marc Z. Avanti. The New Oxford Annotated Bible. 4th edition. Ed. Michael D. Coogan. Oxford University Press, 2007. Print. Freedman, David Noel., Allen C. Myers, and Astrid B. Beck. "Bow and arrow." Eerdman's Dictionary of the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2000. 195-96. Press. Geerhardus, Vos, Biblical Theology. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1954. King James Bible. Ed John Bois, John Ward. Bible Explorer. 4th edition. Network. October 6, 2011. Life Application Study Bible. Wheaten IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2005. Print. New international version. New living translation. Trans: Daniel I. Block, Allan Ross, Gordon Wenham. Bible Explorer. 4th edition. Network. October 6, 2011. The New Oxford Annotated Bible. 4th edition. Ed. Michael D. Coogan. Oxford University Press, 2007. Print. Young, Roberto. Young's Analytical Concordance with the Bible: Based on the King James Version. Nashville: T. Nelson, 1982. Print. Walvoord, John F.; Zuck, Roy B.; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983-c1985, page 1:40. Young, Roberto. Young's Analytical Concordance with the Bible: Based on the King James Version. Nashville: T. Nelson, 1982. Print. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay [1] Life Application Study Bible. Wheaten IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2005. Print. New international version. p 34. [2] New living translation. Trans: Daniel I. Block, Allan Ross, Gordon Wenham. Bible Explorer. 4th edition. Network. October 6, 2011 [3] King James Bible. Ed John Bois, John Ward. Bible Explorer. 4th edition. Network. October 6, 2011 [4] American Standard Version. Bible Explorer. 4th edition. Network. 6 October 2011 [5] The Bible with,.