Genesis 15:4

4 And behold, the word of Yahweh [came] to him saying, "This [person] will not {be your heir}, but {your own son will be your heir}."

Genesis 15:4 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 15:4

And behold, the word of the Lord [came] unto him
Either having disappeared, and then came a second time, or he again spoke unto him:

saying, this shall not be thine heir;
this Eliezer, this servant of thine, as thou hast made him, or hast intended to make him, giving up all hopes of having issue by Sarai:

but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine
heir;
that is, one shall inherit all thou hast, that shall be begotten by thee; an own son of Abram's, and not a servant born in his house; one that should spring out of his own loins: the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "out of thy womb", that is, out of his wife's, which was his; the phrase designs a genuine and legitimate son of his, who would be legally his heir.

Genesis 15:4 In-Context

2 Then Abram said, "O Yahweh, my Lord, what will you give me? {I continue to be} childless, and {my heir} is Eliezer of Damascus."

3 And Abram said, "Look, you have not given me a descendant, and here, {a member of my household} [is] {my heir}."

4 And behold, the word of Yahweh [came] to him saying, "This [person] will not {be your heir}, but {your own son will be your heir}."

5 And he brought him outside and said, "Look toward the heavens and count the stars if you are able to count them." And he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."

6 And he believed in Yahweh, and he reckoned it to him [as] righteousness.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "inherit you"
• [b]. Literally "he who goes out from your body, he will inherit you"