Gen 6:17–18: the flood and the first "covenant"

Says וַאֲנִי הִנְנִי מֵבִיא אֶת־הַמַּבּוּל מַיִם עַל־הָאָרֶץ: "and I, behold, I am bringing the flood, waters, on the earth" ("floodwaters," BSB; BDB "flood in time of Noah"; Swete τὸν κατακλυσμὸν ὕδωρ), לְשַׁחֵת כָּל־בָּשָׂר אֲשֶׁר־בּוֹ רוּחַ חַיִּים, "to ruin all flesh in which is the breath of life," מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם, "from under the heavens"; כֹּל אֲשֶׁר־בָּאָרֶץ יִגְוָע, "all that is on the earth shall perish." 6:18 opens וַהֲקִמֹתִי אֶת־בְּרִיתִי אִתָּךְ, "and I will establish my covenant with you," a Hiphil of the verb "stand": the noun's first use in Genesis. BDB lists "between God and man" and "covenant, as a divine constitution or ordinance with signs or pledges"; Swete has στήσω τὴν διαθήκην μου. The verb and noun return in 9:9, 11 and 17 (xref.Gen.6.18.Gen.9.8-Gen.9.17.heb).

Implies The noun is first used here, as "my covenant," with no terms stated in 6:18; terms are stated in 9:8–17, after the flood.

Says The NT speaks of the flood as a past judgment: 2 Pet 2:5, "He brought the flood on its ungodly people"; Matt 24:39, "the flood came and swept them all away."

Uncertain How far the flood reached. (1) The whole earth: ground, "all flesh," "under the heavens," "all that is on the earth"; objection, "all" and "the earth" can name a land and its people. (2) The known world or a region: ground, that narrower use; objection, the chapter repeats its widest terms. The NT use does not settle it. No lean is taken here.