Genesis 15:8

8 He said, "Lord Yahweh, whereby will I know that I will inherit 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 Yahweh; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.

7 He said to him, "I am Yahweh who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land to inherit it."

8 He said, "Lord Yahweh, whereby will I know that I will inherit it?"

9 He said to him, "Take me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon."

10 He took him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each half opposite the other; but he didn't divide the birds.