Genesis 15:3

3 He continued, "Since you haven't given me any children, the head of my household will be my heir."

Genesis 15:3 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 15:3

And Abram said, behold, to me thou hast given no seed
He had bestowed many temporal blessings on him, as well as spiritual ones, having given himself in covenant, and all things in it, but he had not given him a child:

and lo, one born in my house is mine heir;
meaning either Eliezer or his son, whom he had made his heir, or intended to make him, since he had no child; or of course he would have been to, Lot his nephew having no sons; and this Eliezer descending from Aram, the youngest son of Shem, was like to be next heir, if Abram should have no child of his own, as Dr. Lightfoot observes ^F7.

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 Works, vol. 1. p. 695.

Genesis 15:3 In-Context

1 After these events, the LORD's word came to Abram in a vision, "Don't be afraid, Abram. I am your protector. Your reward will be very great."

2 But Abram said, "LORD God, what can you possibly give me, since I still have no children? The head of my household is Eliezer, a man from Damascus."

3 He continued, "Since you haven't given me any children, the head of my household will be my heir."

4 The LORD's word came immediately to him, "This man will not be your heir. Your heir will definitely be your very own biological child."

5 Then he brought Abram outside and said, "Look up at the sky and count the stars if you think you can count them. He continued, "This is how many children you will have."