Genesis 15:3

3 You haven't given me a child," Avram continued, "so someone born in my house 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 Some time later the word of ADONAI came to Avram in a vision: "Don't be afraid, Avram. I am your protector; your reward will be very great."

2 Avram replied, "ADONAI, God, what good will your gifts be to me if I continue childless; and Eli'ezer from Dammesek inherits my possessions?

3 You haven't given me a child," Avram continued, "so someone born in my house will be my heir."

4 But the word of ADONAI came to him: "This man will not be your heir. No, your heir will be a child from your own body."

5 Then he brought him outside and said, "Look up at the sky, and count the stars - if you can count them! Your descendants will be that many!"