Genesis 15:6-16

6 And he believed in the LORD; and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

7 And He said unto him, "I am the LORD who brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give thee this land to inherit it."

8 And he said, "Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?"

9 And He said unto him, "Take Me a heifer of three years old, and a shegoat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon."

10 And he took unto Him all these, and divided them in the midst and laid each piece one against another; but the birds divided he not.

11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and lo, a horror of great darkness fell upon him.

13 And He said unto Abram, "Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years.

14 And also that nation whom they shall serve will I judge, and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried at a good old age.

16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full."

Genesis 15:6-16 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.