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		Always Being Ready     Noach   (Gen 6:9 - 11:32)

B'resheet/Genesis 9:13   I have set My rainbow in the cloud and it shall be as a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.

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Almost everyone loves seeing a rainbow; children point and ask what it is and what it means. Answers featuring explanations of light diffracted by passing through drops of water may be scientifically correct but do little to satisfy young and inquiring minds. This may account for the many - some charming, sweet and amusing, others rather less so - stories about how to get to the end of the rainbow, what you might find there, or what happens to you at that moment. Nevertheless, by including it in the post-flood conversation between The Name ...

HaShem: literally, Hebrew for 'The Name' - an allusion used to avoid pronouncing the Tetragrammaton, the so-called 'ineffable' name of G–d
HaShem and Noah, the Torah invests the rainbow with a more serious import. From the seventy-six appearances of the noun קֶשֶׁת in Tanakh - here as קַשְׁתִּי with a 1cs possessive pronoun, from the root קוֹשׁ, to be curved or bent (Davidson) - all but two, our text and Ezekiel 1:28, refer to a bow used as a weapon for shooting arrows; these two alone speak of a rainbow in the sky, among the clouds: "Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the L-RD" (Ezekiel 1:28, ESV). In both cases, the appearance of the rainbow seems deliberate: as a sign in the sky for Noah and his family; as a manifestation of HaShem's glory in Ezekiel's vision.

An immediate question that sparks a disagreement between the classic commentators is whether the rainbow has always existed or made its first appearance at this point in history. Who Is ...

Abraham Ibn Ezra: (1089-1167 CE), born in Tudela, Spain; died in the South of France after wandering all around the shores of the Mediterranean and England; a philosopher, astronomer, doctor, poet and linguist; wrote a Hebrew grammar and a commentary on the Bible
Ibn Ezra takes a plain reading of the text, saying simply, "I have just done so"; that is to say: since the flood, since "the fountains of the great deep burst apart, and the floodgates of the sky broke open" (B'resheet 7:11, NJPS), releasing huge amounts of water onto the earth and into the atmosphere. He does point out, however, that Who Is ...

Sa'adia Gaon: Sa'adia ben Yosef Gaon (882/892-942 CE); prominent rabbi, philosopher and exegete; born in Egypt, studied in Tiberais, Gaon of Sura, Babylonia, fought assimilation among the richer Jews; active opponent of Karaite Judaism
Saadia Gaon thinks differently: "that the bow He had set in the heavens at the beginning of creation would now become a sign." The latter position is also adopted by the Who Is ...

Ramban: Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman Girondi or Nachmanides (born in Gerona, 1194; died in Israel 1270), Spanish rabbi, author and physician; defended Judaism in the Christian debates in Barcelona before making aliyah
Ramban, who writes: "Not 'I am setting' but 'I have set'. We should understand this passage as follows: 'The bow that I set in the clouds on the day I created the world shall be, from this this day forward, a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.'" The Who Is ...

Sforno: Rabbi Ovadiah Sforno (1470-1550 CE), Italian rabbi, philosopher and physician; born in Cesena, he went to Rome to study medicine; left in 1525 and after some years of travel, settled in Bologna where he founded a yeshiva which he conducted until his death
Sforno too is in this camp, asserting, "I have set - I set it originally that it be part of nature." The Who Is ...

The Radak: Rabbi David Kimḥi (1160-1235 CE), rabbi, biblical commentator, philosopher and grammarian; born in Narbonne, France; best known for his commentaries on the Prophets, he also wrote a philosphical commentary on Bresheet that makes extensive use of the Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel; influenced by a strong supporter of Ibn Ezra and Maimonides
Radak tries to pour oil on troubled waters, suggesting that "the rainbow was certainly not visible during the forty days of unrelenting rain, so this is a promise that the bow would definitely be visible (again) from now on."

Whether pre-existing or created at this point, our text is specific that the rainbow is לְאוֹת בְּרִית, "for a sign of the covenant"; it is now, in a way that it has not been before, a sign that points to something more significant that simply the physical phenomenon. Nahum Sarna writes that "the rainbow is an already existing natural phenomenon that is henceforth invested with new symbolic significance as an eternal and universal testimony to G-d's constancy and mercy. This conception has no parallel in biblical literature; no other celestial body is similarly endowed." The early Sages connect our text to the Ezekiel verse and propose that קַשְׁתִּי, "My bow" means "My likeness, something that is comparable to Me. Is that really possible? In truth, the bow resembles God as the straw resembles the grain: it is but a faint reflection of G-d's glory" (B'resheet Rabbah 35:3). Gunther Plaut comments: "The Torah believes that G-d is the proximate cause of all natural events and that manifestations of the natural order are invested with divine portent. The text sees the bow both as a sign of G-d's rulership over the natural order and as a permanent signature of G-d's promise. The rainbow is thought to remind G-d of this promise and to remind us of the grace and forbearance of the Creator."

Rabbi Who Is ...

Hirsch: Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808-1888 CE), German rabbi, author and educator; staunch opponent of the Reform movement in Germany and one of the fathers of Orthodox Judaism
Hirsch argues that, "just as G-d showed Abraham the starry heavens and said: 'so shall your offspring be' (B'resheet 15:5); just as He showed Moshe and Aharon the new moon and with the words, 'the new moon shall be for you' (Shemot 12:2), consecrated this monthly phenomenon - which, of course, had been in existence since the beginning of the world - so the rainbow can also have been a well-known phenomenon in the sky and now became designated by G-d to be a sign of His covenant with Man and the world." The Who Is ...

Abravanel: Don Isaac Abravanel (1437-1508 CE), Statesman and biblical commentator; born in Lisbon, died in Venice; wrote commentaries on the whole of the Hebrew Scriptures
Abravanel asks, "What kind of token could it be when the rainbow is a wholly natural phenomenon caused by the refraction of the sun's rays through raindrops, to which the prophet refers when he says: 'As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain' (Ezekiel 1:28)?" Umberto Cassuto explains that "verse 13 tells us that the purpose of the sign in the cloud is established now. In verses 14-15, it is stated that it would be so not only now but also in the future. Verse 16 announces that the bow would fulfil this purpose not merely for a given period in the future, but forever."¹

In what way is the sign important forever? Ovadia Sforno says that "the bow will be a sign to the righteous in each generation, that their generation is guilty, as our sages say, 'Did the rainbow appear in your days?' (b. Ketubot 77b), so that the righteous might pray, admonish and teach the people knowledge of G-d." Who Is ...

Nechama Leibowitz: (1905-1997 CE), born in Riga, graduate of the University of Berlin, made aliyah in 1931; professor at Tel Aviv University; taught Torah for over 50 years
Nechama Leibowitz: cites HaShem saying "For this to Me is like the waters of Noah: As I swore that the waters of Noah nevermore would flood the earth, so I swear that I will not be angry with you or rebuke you" (Isaiah 54:9, Buble(NJPS)) and reminds us that - in the Musaf Amidah on Yom Teruah - "on the day of judgement too when we stand before the judge of the universe and beseech His mercy in judgement we recall Noah and the promise given to him through the covenant." Leon Kass comments that "the rainbow, a natural phenomenon visible to all, is here, through speech, given a more than natural meaning, understandable only by human beings. Like the covenant itself, the rainbow regarded as a sign betokens a world more gracious than that of nature on her own."² HaShem's grace is promised even though by that promise HaShem voluntarily takes on a limit to His own freedom of action: "the bow serves as an important sign of G-d's ongoing, deep commitment to the life of the creation and in such a way that G-d is limited regarding its possible futures."³

What we can seen, then, is that "the rainbow and the signs of other biblical covenants consecrate already common events and invest them with new and sacred significance."⁴ HaShem's covenant with Abraham was accompanied by "a smoking oven, and a flaming torch" (B'resheet 15:17); Matan Torah, the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai, was accompanied by "thunder, and lightning, and a dense cloud upon the mountain" (Shemot 19:16) as HaShem descended on the mountain. Avraham and Israel were given these dramatic signs so that they would be ready to step out in faith and obedience to fulfil HaShem's words. Isaiah's cry that HaShem "would but tear open the heavens and come down, so that mountains would quake before You -- as when fire kindles brushwood, and fire makes water boil -- to make Your name known to Your adversaries so that nations will tremble at Your Presence" (Isaiah 63:19-64:1, NJPS) is realised when Yeshua is baptised: "when He came up out of the water, immediately He saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove" (Mark 1:10, ESV). By this sign, Yeshua's time of waiting was now over; He was ready for service to HaShem and ministry among His people.

Yeshua gives us signs so that we might be ready for His return. He told us about "wars and rumors of wars ... for nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places" (Matthew 24:6-7), all of which we see around us today. There is nothing new about warfare between men; similarly agricultural failure and geological activity have always been part of this world - however, their magnitude, frequency and effect are rapidly increasing, together with the speed and detail of their reporting. These are, however, all signs of the end-times - in which we have firmly been since Yeshua "went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom" (Matthew 4:23, ESV). Rav Sha'ul warned Timothy that "in the last days there will come times of difficulty" (2 Timothy 3:1, ESV), while the writer to the Hebrews is explicit that while Hashem has spoken in the past through the prophets, "in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son" (Hebrews 1:2, ESV). Other signs - such as the great tribulation - are only just starting to appear, but will be followed by signs in the heavens: "the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken" (Matthew 24:29, ESV). Making the same connection to the times of Noah - "as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man" (v. 37, ESV) - Yeshua tells us that "He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" (v. 31, ESV).

In the meantime, we are told to be aware of "the signs of the times" (16:3) in the same way as we check the weather forecast. Do I need a coat today - is it going to rain? Will Yeshua be coming back today - am I ready for His inspection of my life? It is important to ask ourselves how many other signs are around us every day. For what should we be looking and how do we know? When Yeshua does return, everyone will know and no mistake. Yeshua is clear that "all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (24:30, ESV). Right now most things are indicative rather than substantive. The rebirth of the state of Israel in 1948 was a clear sign that the end of the end is rapidly approaching, but it hasn't quite happened yet; 9/11 and October 7^th were also clear signs in more recent times. Get ready, be ready! Although life in the secular world carries on regardless - and it certainly does - we must make sure that we are ready and that we invite many others, as the Spirit leads and empowers, to accept Yeshua's invitation and join the kingdom of G-d before it is too late.

1. - Umberto Cassuto, A Commentary on the Book of Genesis: Part Two - From Noah to Abraham, (Jerusalem, Magnes Press, 1984), page 134.

2. - Leon R. Kass, The Beginning of Wisdom: Reading Genesis (Chicago, IL: Chicago University Press, 2003), page 190.

3. - Terence Fretheim, "Genesis" in The New Interpreter's Bible Commentary, Vol I, edited by Leander E. Keck, (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2015), page 82.

4. - Bruce K. Waltke with Cathi J. Fredricks, Genesis: A Commentary, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2001), page 146.

Further Study: Ezekiel 37:24-28; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5; Revelation 4:1-5

Application: Do you see people around you "eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage" (Matthew 24:38) as if there were no tomorrow to worry about? Don't be a party-pooper and rain on their parade, but do pray for and reach out to these folk to help them to hear Yeshua calling them to climb on board His ark before the floodwaters rise!

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© Jonathan Allen, 2025

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