Gen 9:8–11: I establish My covenant; never again

Says וַאֲנִי הִנְנִי מֵקִים אֶת־בְּרִיתִי אִתְּכֶם, "and I, behold, I am establishing my covenant with you": מֵקִים (meqim) is a Hiphil participle of qum, "stand," and 9:11 repeats it as וַהֲקִמֹתִי אֶת־בְּרִיתִי אִתְּכֶם, "and I will establish my covenant with you." The verb is "establish," not karat, "cut," the usual verb for making a covenant. Karat does occur in 9:11, of flesh: וְלֹא־יִכָּרֵת כָּל־בָּשָׂר עוֹד, "and all flesh shall not again be cut off" ("all life," BSB, for "all flesh").

Says The partners are Noah's sons, וְאֶת־זַרְעֲכֶם אַחֲרֵיכֶם, "and your seed after you," and וְאֵת כָּל־נֶפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה, "every living creature," birds, livestock, and beasts, מִכֹּל יֹצְאֵי הַתֵּבָה, "all that came out of the ark." The promise: וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה עוֹד מַבּוּל לְשַׁחֵת הָאָרֶץ, "and there shall not again be a flood to destroy the earth" (BDB "flood in time of Noah").

Implies The covenant is God's one-sided promise: God alone is the subject of "establish," animals that can undertake nothing are partners, and no condition is stated.

Uncertain Whether "establish" confirms a covenant already in place (made at creation, or promised at 6:18) or begins a new one. For confirming: the same verb and "my covenant" at 6:18. Objection: no earlier covenant with all flesh is narrated. No lean is taken here.