In God's covenant with Noah after the flood, the rainbow is described as a bow.
Genesis 9 says that God sets a bow in the clouds as a sign of the covenant with Noah, his descendants, and every living creature. The promise is that a flood will not again destroy all life on earth in the same way.
The Hebrew word used in the passage is related to a bow, the weapon. This creates a vivid image of a weapon placed in the sky, with its direction interpreted by some readers as symbolizing the end of divine warfare or judgment. English translations commonly say “rainbow,” making the natural phenomenon explicit.
The covenant is broader than a promise made only to Noah's family. Genesis repeatedly includes animals and the earth within its scope. The rainbow therefore functions in the story as a visible covenant sign connected with preservation and the future of life.