BIBLE DICTIONARY + WORD STUDY
How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.
GREEK · G2463
iris — rainbow
ἶρις, -ιδος, ἡ [in LXX: Exo.30:24 (קִדָּה)*, (קֶשֶׁת, Gen.9:13, Eze.1:28, is rendered by τόξον) ;] 1. Iris, the messenger of the gods. 2. a rainbow or halo: Rev.4:3 10:1. 3. The plant Iris (cf. Ex., l.with).† (AS)
2 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H7198
qe.shet — bow
1) bow 1a) bow (for hunting, battle) 1b) bowmen, archers 1c) bow (fig. of might) 1d) rainbow
71 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →Caused by the reflection and refraction of the rays of the sun shining on falling rain. It was appointed as a witness of the divine faithfulness (Gen. 9:12-17). It existed indeed before, but it was then constituted as a sign of the covenant. Others, however (as Delitzsch, Commentary on Pentateuch), think that it “appeared then for the first time in the vault and clouds of heaven.” It is argued by those holding this opinion that the atmosphere was differently constituted before the Flood. It is referred to three other times in Scripture (Ezek. 1:27, 28; Rev. 4:1-3; 10:1).
Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.
