Genesis 15:8

8 He replied, "ADONAI, God, how am I to know that I will possess it?"

Genesis 15:8 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 15:8

And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall
inherit it?
] Not as questioning or doubting whether he should or not; but this he asked for the further confirmation of his faith in the promise, and for the sake of his posterity, that they might more easily and strongly believe that they should inherit the land given and promised to them; nor is it culpable to ask a sign of God with such a view; good men have done it, as Gideon, ( Judges 6:36-40 ) , and Hezekiah, ( 2 Kings 20:8-11 ) , without being blamed for it; yea, Ahaz is blamed for not asking one, ( Isaiah 7:10-13 ) .

Genesis 15:8 In-Context

6 He believed in ADONAI, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

7 Then he said to him, "I am ADONAI, who brought you out from Ur-Kasdim to give you this land as your possession."

8 He replied, "ADONAI, God, how am I to know that I will possess it?"

9 He answered him, "Bring me a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a dove and a young pigeon."

10 He brought him all these, cut the animals in two and placed the pieces opposite each other; but he didn't cut the birds in half.