Acts 7:5

5 And he gave him no inheritance in it: no, not the pace of a foot. But he promised to give it him in possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.

Acts 7:5 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 7:5

And he gave him none inheritance in it
To be personally enjoyed by him; and which was a great trial to Abraham's faith, to be brought out of his country, and into another land, and which was promised to him and his; and yet, as not the whole, so not a single part of it was given him to possess:

no, not so much as to set his foot on:
so that when Sarah his wife died, he was obliged to buy a piece of ground for a burying place to bury her in: and which could not be said to be given him by the Lord, for he bought it with his money:

yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and
to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child;
which was another exercise of Abraham's faith, that he should have a whole country promised him and his seed, and yet had no seed given him; see ( Genesis 12:7 ) ( 13:15 ) ( Genesis 15:2 Genesis 15:3 Genesis 15:7 ) .

Acts 7:5 In-Context

3 And said to him: Go forth out of thy country and from thy kindred: and come into the land which I shall shew thee.

4 Then he went out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Charan. And from thence, after his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein you now dwell.

5 And he gave him no inheritance in it: no, not the pace of a foot. But he promised to give it him in possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.

6 And God said to him: That his seed should sojourn in a strange country, and that they should bring them under bondage and treat them evil four hundred years.

7 And the nation which they shall serve will I judge (said the Lord): and after these things they shall go out and shall serve me in this place.