Genesis 15:4

4 And anon the word of the Lord was made to him, and said, This shall not be thine heir, but thou shalt have him heir, that shall go out of thy womb. (And at once the word of the Lord came to him, saying, Nay, he shall not be thy heir, but thou shalt have an heir who shall come from thy womb.)

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 And Abram said, Lord God, what shalt thou give to me? I shall go without free children, and this Damascus, son of Eliezer, the procurator of mine house, shall be mine heir. (And Abram said, Lord God, what shalt thou give me? for I have no children, and this Eliezer of Damascus, the procurator of my household, shall be my heir.)

3 And Abram added, Soothly thou hast not given seed to me, and, lo! my born servant shall be mine heir. (And Abram said again, Yea, thou hast not given me any children, or any descendants, and so this slave, born in my house, must be my heir.)

4 And anon the word of the Lord was made to him, and said, This shall not be thine heir, but thou shalt have him heir, that shall go out of thy womb. (And at once the word of the Lord came to him, saying, Nay, he shall not be thy heir, but thou shalt have an heir who shall come from thy womb.)

5 And the Lord led out Abram, and said to him, Behold thou (the) heaven(s), and number the stars, if thou mayest. And the Lord said to Abram, So thy seed shall be. (And the Lord led Abram outside, and said to him, Look thou up at the night sky, and count the stars, if thou mayest. And then the Lord said to Abram, So shall be thy descendants.)

6 Abram believed to God, and it was reckoned to him to rightwiseness. (And Abram believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.)