agreed-upon standards. When one partner broke the standards, consequences would result. When the standards were kept, blessings ensued. Here God is the maker of the covenant as the stronger of the partners. Noah simply accepts the covenant God offers to him. Other instances of covenant making will follow. Two important principles deserve mention at this point. First, punishment always follows sin. Second, God always desires to save and forgive rather than condemn. Genesis 8:20–9:17 seems to be an