This verse brings to a close God’s covenant with Noah.

God said to Noah (see verses 8, 12) interrupts God’s speech to introduce the conclusion. Some languages may find this repetition unnatural. In some cases it is preferable to say, for example, “God finished his talk to Noah” or “This is how God concluded.”

This is the sign: This, the same term used in verse 12, where it pointed forward to verses 13-16, now points back to those same verses. Sign of the covenant is as in verse 13. Established is the same as in verse 11. Between me and all flesh is a variation of the form used in verse 15 and means the same as there. That is upon the earth is as in verse 16. Here again the second person plural pronoun is required in some languages, in order to include Noah and his family among those who receive God’s covenant. One translation fills this part of the verse out somewhat to make this very clear: “… my promise that I am making with every one of you, and with all other living things, all of you who are in the world.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .