Genesis 9:13

9:13 I will place ¹  my rainbow ²  in the clouds, and it will become ³  a guarantee of the covenant between me and the earth.

Genesis 17:11

17:11 You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskins. This will be a reminder ⁴  of the covenant between me and you.

Jeremiah 50:5

50:5 They will ask the way to Zion;

they will turn their faces toward it.

They will come ⁵  and bind themselves to the Lord

in a lasting covenant that will never be forgotten. ⁶ 

[9:13]  ¹ tn The translation assumes that the perfect verbal form is used rhetorically, emphasizing the certainty of the action. Other translation options include “I have placed” (present perfect; cf. NIV, NRSV) and “I place” (instantaneous perfect; cf. NEB).

[9:13]  ² sn The Hebrew word קֶשֶׁת (qeshet) normally refers to a warrior’s bow. Some understand this to mean that God the warrior hangs up his battle bow at the end of the flood, indicating he is now at peace with humankind, but others question the legitimacy of this proposal. See C. Westermann, Genesis, 1:473, and G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:196.

[9:13]  ³ tn The perfect verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here has the same aspectual function as the preceding perfect of certitude.

[17:11]  ⁴ tn Or “sign.”

[50:5]  ⁵ tc The translation here assumes that the Hebrew בֹּאוּ (bo’u; a Qal imperative masculine plural) should be read בָּאוּ (ba’u; a Qal perfect third plural). This reading is presupposed by the Greek version of Aquila, the Latin version, and the Targum (see BHS note a, which mistakenly assumes that the form must be imperfect).

[50:5]  ⁶ sn See Jer 32:40 and the study note there for the nature of this lasting agreement.