In Genesis, what did the rainbow represent after Noah’s flood?

In Genesis, the rainbow represented God’s covenant after Noah’s flood.

Genesis 9 presents the rainbow as the sign of a covenant between God and the earth. The promise says that floodwaters would not again destroy all life on earth in the same way, and the rainbow would serve as a reminder of that commitment.

The covenant is broader than Noah’s household: Genesis includes every living creature in the agreement. The passage therefore gives the rainbow a theological and universal role within the story.

The rainbow appears after Noah leaves the ark and offers a sacrifice. It is not described as a navigational marker or as part of the ark’s construction. Those are later interpretations or artistic additions rather than the Genesis explanation.