Genesis 15:8

8 But Abram replied, “O Sovereign LORD, how can I be sure that I will actually 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 And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD counted him as righteous because of his faith.

7 Then the LORD told him, “I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as your possession.”

8 But Abram replied, “O Sovereign LORD, how can I be sure that I will actually possess it?”

9 The LORD told him, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”

10 So Abram presented all these to him and killed them. Then he cut each animal down the middle and laid the halves side by side; he did not, however, cut the birds in half.