God established a covenant (berith) with Noah and his descendants after the flood (Gen 9:1–17). Most scholars consider this covenant to be a confirmation of the covenant anticipated in Gen 6:18. However, Wenham argues that the righteous Noah and God were already in a covenant relationship at the time of the flood (see “Place within the Book” on Gen 6). Covenants between kings and their subjects were common throughout the ancient Near East. As binding agreements, they helped define each party’s