וְזָכַרְתִּ֣י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֤ר בֵּינִי֙ וּבֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם וּבֵ֛ין כָּל־נֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּ֖ה בְּכָל־בָּשָׂ֑ר וְלֹֽא־יִֽהְיֶ֨ה עֹ֤וד הַמַּ֨יִם֙ לְמַבּ֔וּל לְשַׁחֵ֖ת כָּל־בָּשָֽׂר׃
(Genesis 9:15)
Memory as Grammar
Genesis 9:15 forms part of the covenant narrative following the flood, where God promises Noah and all living beings that the waters will never again destroy all flesh. This verse is syntactically rich, blending future verbal forms with covenantal terminology to create a theology of memory and assurance. The structure highlights divine initiative (וְזָכַרְתִּי), covenantal relationship (בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם), universal scope (בֵּין כָּל־נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה), and the negation of catastrophe (וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה עֹוד). This article will analyze the syntax of this verse in detail, demonstrating how grammar itself becomes a vessel of theology.
Clause Structure Breakdown
The verse is composed of two primary clauses, each with subordinate expansions:
- וְזָכַרְתִּי אֶת־בְּרִיתִי – “And I will remember My covenant.” Main clause with God as subject.
- אֲשֶׁר בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם וּבֵין כָּל־נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה בְּכָל־בָּשָׂר – Relative clause specifying the scope of the covenant: “which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh.”
- וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה עֹוד הַמַּיִם לְמַבּוּל – Negative future clause: “And the waters will never again become a flood.”
- לְשַׁחֵת כָּל־בָּשָׂר – Purpose infinitive: “to destroy all flesh.”
The verse thus moves from God’s act of remembrance → scope of the covenant → negation of future destruction.
Verbal Syntax and Aspect
The opening verb וְזָכַרְתִּי is a Qal perfect 1cs with prefixed waw-consecutive, functioning in context as a future action (“I will remember”). This is significant: divine remembrance is not a one-time act but a recurring promise embedded in the covenant. Syntax here conveys reliability: what is stated in perfect form is projected into the future as guaranteed action.
The second key verb, יִהְיֶה, is an imperfect 3ms (“it will be”), negated by לֹא and intensified by עוֹד (“again”). The structure וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה עוֹד declares permanent negation: the waters will not again become a flood. Syntaxically, this is an emphatic reassurance clause.
Nominal and Prepositional Phrases
Several prepositional phrases expand the scope of the covenant:
– בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם – “between Me and you.”
– וּבֵין כָּל־נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה – “and between every living soul.”
– בְּכָל־בָּשָׂר – “in all flesh.”
This layering of phrases creates a widening circle: from God and Noah → to all humans → to every creature. Syntax mirrors theology: the covenant is universal.
Relative Clause: Expanding the Covenant
The relative clause אֲשֶׁר בֵּינִי… syntactically modifies בְּרִיתִי (“My covenant”), clarifying what covenant is being remembered. By attaching a relative clause rather than a simple apposition, the text emphasizes relationality. The covenant is not abstract but embedded “between” God and creation. Syntax makes the covenant relational and universal.
Purpose Clause: The Absence of Destruction
The infinitive construct לְשַׁחֵת כָּל־בָּשָׂר (“to destroy all flesh”) attaches to the preceding clause, explaining what will not happen. Syntaxically, the infinitive of purpose expresses the prevented result: the waters will not again exist “to destroy.” The negation of possibility underscores divine restraint.
Agreement and Precision
The verse carefully maintains agreement between subjects and verbs:
– וְזָכַרְתִּי – first cs, matching divine speaker.
– יִהְיֶה – third ms, with הַמַּיִם as subject (a collective noun treated as singular).
The consistency of agreement adds to the clarity and solemnity of the promise.
Discourse Flow
The discourse progression follows a covenantal logic:
1. Divine initiative – God remembers.
2. Covenantal scope – specified through relative clause.
3. Negative promise – what will not recur.
4. Purpose restriction – destruction is ruled out.
The syntax itself embodies covenant order: assurance precedes restriction, divine faithfulness frames human security.
Parallelism with Other Covenant Texts
This verse shares structural parallels with other covenant passages:
– Use of relative clauses to expand covenant description.
– Negated imperfects to assure permanence.
– Inclusion of universal scope through cumulative prepositional phrases.
The syntax of Genesis 9:15 thus participates in a larger literary pattern, situating Noah’s covenant within Israel’s broader covenantal theology.
Theological Resonance in Syntax
The theological force of the verse lies not only in its content but in its grammar:
– The perfect + waw-consecutive form of וְזָכַרְתִּי guarantees divine remembrance as a future certainty.
– The negated imperfect (וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה עוֹד) encodes permanence: “never again.”
– The relative clause embeds relationship: covenant is “between.”
– The infinitive of purpose (לְשַׁחֵת) expresses prevention, showing divine sovereignty over chaos.
Syntax and theology converge: grammar carries God’s promise.
Extended Reflections: Syntax as a Covenant Marker
When read carefully, Genesis 9:15 demonstrates how covenant is linguistically marked. God’s remembrance is not merely theological but grammatical, embedded in a perfect verb projecting certainty. The repetition of בֵּין (“between”) in prepositional phrases establishes relational bonds in syntax itself. The negation with לֹא… עוֹד creates absolute assurance, while the infinitive purpose clause restricts potential destruction.
The text’s syntax thus functions as covenant marker, ensuring that worshippers, readers, and hearers recognize the reliability of God’s word not only in meaning but in grammatical structure. This intertwining of syntax and theology reveals that language itself is part of covenantal revelation.
The Architecture of Assurance
Genesis 9:15 is more than a divine promise—it is a syntactic architecture of assurance. Every clause contributes to its covenantal weight. The verse begins with divine remembrance (וְזָכַרְתִּי), affirming God’s active commitment. It expands through relational prepositional phrases, anchoring the covenant not only between God and Noah but between God and all creation. It negates catastrophe through emphatic syntax (וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה עוֹד), ensuring that the flood will never return. And it concludes with an infinitive of prevention, spelling out explicitly what is ruled out.
The syntax itself mirrors the covenant’s nature: permanent, relational, universal, and protective. By structuring the verse this way, the text invites us to see language as theology, where grammar carries the very promises of God. In this light, Genesis 9:15 becomes not only a declaration of mercy but also a testimony to the way sacred syntax embodies divine assurance. It is a covenant not only written in creation but also inscribed in grammar itself, teaching us that every word, every form, every clause is part of the divine architecture of remembrance and grace.