A rainbow appears as the sign of God’s covenant after the Flood in the Genesis account. In Genesis 9:12–17, God places the rainbow in the clouds as a reminder of the covenant with Noah, his descendants, and every living creature.
The covenant promises that a flood will not again destroy all life on Earth. The rainbow is therefore presented as a covenant sign, not as the object of worship or as a navigational marker for the ark. The passage repeatedly connects it with the clouds and with remembrance.
The story follows Noah’s departure from the ark, the building of an altar, and the blessing given to Noah and his sons. It also places the covenant in a universal frame by including animals as well as humans.
The rainbow should not be confused with the dove carrying an olive leaf, which is an earlier sign in the narrative that the waters had receded.