Bible Encyclopedia: Rainbow

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

RAINBOW

ran'-bo (qesheth, translated "a bow"; iris, "rainbow"): As most of the rainfall in Palestine is in the form of short heavy showers it is often accompanied by the rainbow. Most beautiful double bows are often seen, and occasionally the moon is bright enough to produce the bow. It is rather remarkable that there are so few references to the rainbow in the Bible. The Hebrew qesheth is the ordinary word for a bow, there being no special word for rainbow.

The interpretation of the significance of the bow in the sky is given at the close of the story of the flood, where it is called "the token of the covenant" of Yahweh with Noah that there should be no more flood: "I do set my bow in the cloud,.... and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh" (Genesis 9:13, 15). This addition to the story of the flood is not found in other mythical accounts. The foundation for the interpretation of the bow in this way seems to be that while His bow is hung in the sky God must be at peace with His people. The glory of God is likened to "the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain" (Ezekiel 1:28). The rainbow forms a striking part of the vision in Revelation 4:3: "And there was a rainbow round about the throne."

Alfred H. Joy

Greek

2463. iris -- a rainbow
... a rainbow. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: iris Phonetic Spelling:
(ee'-ris) Short Definition: a rainbow Definition: a rainbow or halo. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2463.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

7198. qesheth -- a bow
... Word Origin perhaps from qush Definition a bow NASB Word Usage archers* (3), arrows
(1), bow (54), bowman* (1), bowmen (1), bows (13), bowshot* (1), rainbow (1 ...
/hebrew/7198.htm - 6k

Library

The Rainbow
... BIBLE STORIES AND RELIGIOUS CLASSICS THE RAINBOW. Triumphal arch, that
fill'st the sky When storms prepare to part, I ask not proud ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/the rainbow.htm

The Rainbow.
... IV. CREATION. Hymn 82 The rainbow. John Newton 7,7,7,7,7,7. The rainbow. When
the sun, with cheerful beams,. Smiles upon a low'ring sky; ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/olney hymns/hymn 82 the rainbow.htm

The Rainbow.
... Book VIII. Chapter XLI."The Rainbow. When the old man had thus spoken,
Aquila answered: "As you yourself proposed that any one ...
/.../unknown/recognitions of clement /chapter xli the rainbow.htm

I Mark'da Rainbow in the North,
... The Treasury of Sacred Song. Book First CCLXXI I mark'da rainbow in the north,. ... Brighter
than rainbow in the north,. More cheery than the matin lark,. ...
/.../palgrave/the treasury of sacred song/cclxxi i markd a rainbow.htm

Noah's Flood
... lived. We may puzzle ourselves concerning the rainbow of which the text
speaks. ... God. Whether man had ever seen a rainbow before. ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon iv noahs flood.htm

An Advance Step in the Royal Programme
... There is a rainbow around the throne. The radiance of light shining out from this
One on the throne makes a rainbow. ... That rainbow is always before His face. ...
/.../quiet talks on the crowned christ of revelation/v an advance step in the.htm

Letter xvii. Harmony of Christian Character.
... of architecture; and the sensation of delight is still more exquisite, on viewing
the harmonious combination of colors, as exhibited in the rainbow, or the ...
/.../letter xvii harmony of christian.htm

From the Fourth Chapter.
... "And there was a rainbow about the throne."] Moreover, the rainbow round
about the throne has the same colours. The rainbow is called ...
/.../commentary on the apocolypse of the blessed john/from the fourth chapter.htm

The Sign for Man and the Remembrancer for God
... These blessings and commands are followed by this remarkable section, which deals
with God's covenant with Noah, and its token in the rainbow. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the sign for man and.htm

From the Fall to the Flood.
... from it. The Sacrifice and Rainbow Covenant. Upon leaving ... The rainbow was
given as a pledge of the promise made him. It was to be ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter ii from the fall.htm

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Rainbow

the token of the covenant which God made with Noah when he came forth from the ark that the waters should no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. The right interpretation of (Genesis 9:13) seems to be that God took the rainbow, which had hitherto been but a beautiful object shining in the heavens when the sun's rays fell on falling rain, and consecrated it as the sign of his love and the witness of his promise. Ecclus. 43:11. The rainbow is a symbol of God's faithfulness and mercy. In the "rainbow around the throne," (Revelation 4:3) is seen the symbol of hope and the bright emblem of mercy and love, all the more true as a symbol because it is reflected from the storm itself.

ATS Bible Dictionary

Rainbow

Genesis 9:13-15. This beautiful phenomenon is owing to the refraction of the beams of the sun in passing the drops of falling rain; the rays are separated into the prismatic colors, and then reflected from the cloud opposite to the sun and the spectator. We need not suppose that the rainbow was unknown before the flood; but God then appointed it to be the cheering seal of his covenant with the earth, which is as steadfast as the natural laws from which the rainbow springs.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Caused by the reflection and refraction of the rays of the sun shining on falling rain. It was appointed as a witness of the divine faithfulness (Genesis 9:12-17). It existed indeed before, but it was then constituted as a sign of the covenant. Others, however (as Delitzsch, Commentary on Pentateuch), think that it "appeared then for the first time in the vault and clouds of heaven." It is argued by those holding this opinion that the atmosphere was differently constituted before the Flood. It is referred to three other times in Scripture (Ezek. 1:27, 28; Revelation 4:1-3; 10:1).

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(n.) A bow or arch exhibiting, in concentric bands, the several colors of the spectrum, and formed in the part of the hemisphere opposite to the sun by the refraction and reflection of the sun's rays in drops of falling rain.

Thesaurus

Rainbow (6 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. RAINBOW. ran ... bow. It is rather remarkable
that there are so few references to the rainbow in the Bible. ...
/r/rainbow.htm - 10k

Beauty (98 Occurrences)
... beauty. Common consent awards beauty to the rainbow. ... coloring. In fact all
matter has color of which the rainbow is only specimen. ...
/b/beauty.htm - 45k

Bow (248 Occurrences)
... humility. 11. (vt) Anything bent, or in the form of a curve, as the rainbow.
12. ... NIV). Genesis 9:16 The rainbow will be in the cloud. ...
/b/bow.htm - 42k

Appears (38 Occurrences)
... (Root in WEY NAS RSV NIV). Genesis 9:14 It will happen, when I bring a cloud over
the earth, that the rainbow will be seen in the cloud, (See NIV). ...
/a/appears.htm - 17k

Cloud (119 Occurrences)
... A rainbow was on his head. ... Genesis 9:13 I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it
will be for a sign of a covenant between me and the earth. ...
/c/cloud.htm - 51k

Yellow (6 Occurrences)
... 1. (superl.) Being of a bright saffron like color; of the color of gold or brass;
having the hue of that part of the rainbow, or of the solar spectrum, which ...
/y/yellow.htm - 9k

Jasper (8 Occurrences)
... Jasper (8 Occurrences). Revelation 4:3 that looked like a jasper stone and a sardius.
There was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald to look at. ...
/j/jasper.htm - 10k

Legs (50 Occurrences)
... legs? (BBE). Revelation 10:1 I saw a mighty angel coming down out of the
sky, clothed with a cloud. A rainbow was on his head. His ...
/l/legs.htm - 21k

Wrapped (40 Occurrences)
... (WEB ASV RSV NIV). Revelation 10:1 I saw a mighty angel coming down out of
the sky, clothed with a cloud. A rainbow was on his head. ...
/w/wrapped.htm - 18k

Bible Concordance

Rainbow (6 Occurrences)

Revelation 4:3 that looked like a jasper stone and a sardius. There was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald to look at.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Revelation 10:1 I saw a mighty angel coming down out of the sky, clothed with a cloud. A rainbow was on his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 9:13 I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be for a sign of a covenant between me and the earth.
(WEB NIV)

Genesis 9:14 It will happen, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow will be seen in the cloud,
(WEB NIV)

Genesis 9:16 The rainbow will be in the cloud. I will look at it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."
(WEB NIV)

Ezekiel 1:28 As the appearance of the bow that is in a cloud in a day of rain, so 'is' the appearance of the brightness round about.
(See NAS NIV)

Subtopics

Rainbow

Rainbow: A Sign That the Earth Will No Longer be Destroyed by Flood

Rainbow: Symbolical

Related Terms

Beauty (98 Occurrences)

Bow (248 Occurrences)

Appears (38 Occurrences)

Cloud (119 Occurrences)

Yellow (6 Occurrences)

Jasper (8 Occurrences)