God talking in 3rd-person; Genesis 9:16

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Hi,
Why is God talking in the 3rd person in Genesis 9:16?
I’m using RSV-2CE
Thanks
 
It is helpful to post the passage so we don’t have to look it up.

Genesis 9:16
When the bow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature—every mortal being that is on earth.

To put it in context:
Genesis 9:8-17
8 God said to Noah and to his sons with him:
9 See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you
10 and with every living creature that was with you: the birds, the tame animals, and all the wild animals that were with you—all that came out of the ark.
11 I will establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all creatures be destroyed by the waters of a flood; there shall not be another flood to devastate the earth.
12 God said: This is the sign of the covenant that I am making between me and you and every living creature with you for all ages to come:
13 I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
14 When I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow appears in the clouds,
15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and every living creature—every mortal being—so that the waters will never again become a flood to destroy every mortal being.
16 When the bow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature—every mortal being that is on earth.
17 God told Noah: This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and every mortal being that is on earth.
 
There’s always a surprise in scripture, isn’t there?

Well, it seems that verse 17 irons out the apparent problem in verse 16.

Although it’s a bit unexpected, it could be Noah speaking in v 16.
 
jpjd, I’ll do that from now on, thanks for the heads up.
There’s always a surprise in scripture, isn’t there?

Well, it seems that verse 17 irons out the apparent problem in verse 16.

Although it’s a bit unexpected, it could be Noah speaking in v 16.
Crumpy, I don’t see verse 17 “ironing it out” for me. It could be Noah, but with the punctuation and arrangement, it seems strange that this would be so.
 
He’s actually referring to the covenant between every living creature and YHWH, “I Am.”

If you want to know more about how formal covenants of various types were set up in the ancient Near East and Middle East, and how that is reflected in the Bible and makes sense of obscure points there, you probably want to read Scott Hahn’s big fat academic covenant book, with all the big fat academic citations of other big fat covenant books and articles.

(This is the kind of book where it helps to check your local libraries first, or to request it through them, so you don’t have to pay a big fat price.)
 
He’s actually referring to the covenant between every living creature and YHWH, “I Am.”

If you want to know more about how formal covenants of various types were set up in the ancient Near East and Middle East, and how that is reflected in the Bible and makes sense of obscure points there, you probably want to read Scott Hahn’s big fat academic covenant book, with all the big fat academic citations of other big fat covenant books and articles.

(This is the kind of book where it helps to check your local libraries first, or to request it through them, so you don’t have to pay a big fat price.)
I read the passage last night and was going to post that I thought it was God pointing out that the covenant was between God - “I am” - and the rest of creation.

If we translate Elohim (God) as “I am”, then it is almost as if it is in the first person, no?

-Tim-
 
He’s actually referring to the covenant between every living creature and YHWH, “I Am.”

If you want to know more about how formal covenants of various types were set up in the ancient Near East and Middle East, and how that is reflected in the Bible and makes sense of obscure points there, you probably want to read Scott Hahn’s big fat academic covenant book, with all the big fat academic citations of other big fat covenant books and articles.

(This is the kind of book where it helps to check your local libraries first, or to request it through them, so you don’t have to pay a big fat price.)
What is the name of this big fat covenant book?
 
I read the passage last night and was going to post that I thought it was God pointing out that the covenant was between God - “I am” - and the rest of creation.

If we translate Elohim (God) as “I am”, then it is almost as if it is in the first person, no?

-Tim-
Elohim = Mighty Ones, which often (always?) translates to “God” This is a title.
YHWH, / I Am is the Name. “Adonai” is often substituted in so as not to utter the Name. Adonai is often (always?) rendered as LORD (not “Lord”) in English for the Tetragrammaton.

If it says God, then I would assume it’s not “I Am”
 
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