Genesis identifies a rainbow as the sign of God’s covenant with Noah after the Flood.
In Genesis 9, God establishes a covenant with Noah, his descendants, and every living creature that a flood will not again destroy all life on earth. The rainbow in the clouds serves as the visible sign of that covenant.
The passage presents the rainbow as a reminder associated with the covenant, not merely as a decorative feature of the story. It follows Noah’s departure from the Ark and the offering he makes after reaching dry land. The covenant extends beyond Noah’s immediate family to the wider living world.
The rainbow is often combined in art with the dove and olive branch, but those symbols belong to different moments in the narrative. The dove and leaf indicate receding waters; the rainbow marks the later covenant. This separation helps prevent a common mix-up when identifying the story’s symbols.