Genesis 15:1-4

God's Covenant with Abram

1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: ¹"Fear not, Abram, I am ²your shield; your reward shall be very great."

2 But Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue^[a] childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?"

3 And Abram said, "Behold, you have given me no offspring, and ³a member of my household will be my heir."

4 And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: "This man shall not be your heir; ⁴your very own son^[b] shall be your heir."

Genesis 15:1-4 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 15

This chapter informs us of a gracious appearance of God to Abram, and of a kind promise made unto him, Ge 15:1; of Abram's request for an heir, Ge 15:2,3; of an answer to it, that he should have one, and even a numberless seed, Ge 15:4,5; which he gave credit to, Ge 15:6; upon which he has a fresh promise of the land of Canaan, Ge 15:7; of his inheriting of which he desires a sign, and this was given him, Ge 15:8-12; and at the same time it was predicted to him how long his posterity should be afflicted in a land not theirs, and afterwards come out with great substance, Ge 15:13-16; and the grant of the land of Canaan to his seed is renewed, Ge 15:17-21.

Genesis 15:1-4 In-Context

1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great."

2 But Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?"

3 And Abram said, "Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir."

4 And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: "This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir."

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

6 And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

7 And he said to him, "I am the LORD who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess."

8 But he said, "O Lord GOD, how am I to know that I shall possess it?"

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 26:24; Daniel 10:12; Luke 1:13, 30
• 2. Psalms 3:3; Psalms 18:2; Psalms 84:11; Psalms 119:114
• 3. Genesis 14:14
• 4. Genesis 17:16

Footnotes

• [a]. Or I shall die
• [b]. Hebrew what will come out of your own loins