Genesis 9

:9 I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed

We speak of the book of Genesis as one of the five books of Moses. However, the text was not written by Moses, or at least, it has been modified since it came from his hand. In fact, the scribes who wrote this text lived centuries after Moses. Three different scribes are responsible for the text in Genesis. Scholars have concluded, "It is thus impossible to speak in any strict sense of the author of Genesis." It was a compilation of written and oral traditions by scribes, or redactors, named J, E, and P. (The Interpreter's Bible, ed. by G. A. Buttrick et al [New York, Abingdon Press, 1952] vol. 1, p. 439-440)

These scribes did not understand any priesthood other than the Aaronic. They did fully understand covenants or temple ordinances pertaining to the higher priesthood. They had lost much of the doctrine related to the great prophet Enoch. Therefore, Joseph Smith had to change many verses to make up for doctrinal problems, especially in Genesis chapter 9.

Noah was to receive a new and everlasting covenant. It was new to him but it existed from everlasting to everlasting. The last recipient of the previous dispensation was Enoch. That is why the text was changed by the Prophet Joseph to read:

I will establish my covenant with you, which I made unto your father Enoch, concerning your seed after you. (JST Gen. 9:15)

Enoch continued his cry unto the Lord, saying:

I ask thee, O Lord, in the name of thine only Begotten, even Jesus Christ, that thou wilt have mercy upon Noah and his seed, that the earth might never more be covered by the floods.

And the Lord could not withhold; and he covenanted with Enoch, and sware unto him with an oath, that he would stay the floods that he would call upon the children of Noah.

And he sent forth an unalterable decree, that a remnant of his seed should always be found among all nations, while the earth should stand; (Moses 7:50-52)

"In the King James Version there is no hint of any covenant between God and Adam or any of the patriarchs between Adam and Noah, a space of time covering some fifteen hundred years. And even the covenant that is mentioned in connection with Noah is not spoken of as a gospel or a priesthood covenant. Thus the King James Bible leaves the impression that there was no visible connection between Adam, Enoch, Noah, Melchizedek, and Abraham.

"By contrast, the JST speaks of Adam's having had the priesthood and the gospel, and it shows that these were given also to Enoch, and then to Noah, and then to Melchizedek, and then to Abraham-the same covenant, the same priesthood, the same gospel." (Robert J. Matthews, A Bible! A Bible! [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1990], 122.)

Gen 9:13 my bow in the cloud... shall be for a token of a covenant

Bruce R. McConkie

The inference is that the rainbow is being shown forth for the first time and that for some reason unknown to us it had not been manifest before. (The Millennial Messiah: The Second Coming of the Son of Man [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1982], 415.)

Joseph Smith

The inhabitants of the earth are asleep: they know not the day of their visitation. The Lord hath set the bow in the cloud for a sign that while it shall be seen, seed time and harvest, summer and winter shall not fail; but when it shall disappear, woe to that generation, for behold the end cometh quickly. (James R. Clark, comp., Messages of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 6 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965-75), 1: 186.)

Joseph Smith

The Savior will not come this year, nor forty years to come. The bow has been seen in the cloud, and in that year that the bow is seen, seed time and harvest will be. But when the bow ceases to be seen, look out for a famine.

I have asked of the Lord concerning his coming, and while asking, the Lord gave me a sign and said: "In the days of Noah I set a bow in the heavens as a sign and token that in any year that the bow should be seen, the Lord would not come; but there should be seed time [and] harvest during that year. But whenever you see the bow withdraw, it shall be a token that there shall be famine, pestilence, and great distress among the nations." (Kent P. Jackson, comp. and ed., Joseph Smith's Commentary on the Bible [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1994], 113.)