In the Genesis flood narrative, a rainbow was the sign of God’s covenant with Noah.
After the Flood, Genesis describes God establishing a covenant with Noah, his descendants, and every living creature. The rainbow is placed in the clouds as a reminder of that covenant and of the promise that a flood would not again destroy all life on earth.
The passage presents the rainbow as a visible sign associated with the sky and clouds. It is not described as a new physical object created after the Flood; rather, the narrative gives it a covenant meaning within the story.
The rainbow has consequently become one of the most recognizable images connected with Noah’s Ark. The covenant extends beyond Noah’s immediate family in the text, explicitly including future generations and the living creatures associated with the earth.