Genesis 15
Berean Standard Bible · Compare translations · 2083 BC – 2081 BC · The patriarchs · Tap a verse to copy, share or highlight ·
21 verses · 420 words · ~2 min read · ~3 min listen
Godʼs Covenant with Abram
1After these events, the word of the Lordcame to Abram in a vision:
2But Abram replied, “O Lord God, what can You give me, since I remain childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3Abram continued, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
4Then the word of the Lordcame to Abram, saying, “This one will not be your heir, but one who comes from your own body will be your heir.” 5And the Lordtook him outside and said, “Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.” Then He told him, “So shall your offspring be.”
6Abram believed the Lord, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
7The Lordalso told him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.”
God Confirms His Promise
8But Abram replied, “Lord God, how can I know that I will possess it?”
9And the Lordsaid to him, “Bring Me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a turtledove and a young pigeon.”
10So Abram brought all these to Him, split each of them down the middle, and laid the halves opposite each other. The birds, however, he did not cut in half. 11And the birds of prey descended on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. 12As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and suddenly great terror and darkness overwhelmed him.
13Then the Lordsaid to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. 14But I will judge the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will depart with many possessions. 15You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a ripe old age. 16In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
17When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, behold, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the halves of the carcasses. 18On that day the Lordmade a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates— 19the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”
Footnotes (3)
- a v5 Cited in Romans 4:18
- b v6 Cited in Romans 4:3,Romans 4:22,Galatians 3:6,and James 2:23
- c v14 Cited in Acts 7:6–7
Study notes on this chapter · 3
Abraham believed God and it was counted as righteousness
Paul builds his argument for justification by faith on Genesis 15:6 and on David's words about the one whose sin is covered. James quotes the same verse to argue that faith shows itself in works. Traditions differ on how to harmonize Paul and James, but each writer is quoting the same verse.
When: Genesis (traditionally c. 2000 BC); Romans c. AD 57; Galatians c. AD 48–55; James (c. AD 45–60 or later).
Ways people read this (3)
- Paul and James address different questions: how a person is counted righteous versus what genuine faith looks like.
- Paul and James use 'justify' in different senses (declared righteous versus shown to be righteous).
- Some interpreters see a genuine tension between the two letters that cannot be fully smoothed over.
Editorial note by BibleWay. Interpretations vary; dates are approximate scholarly estimates.
Four hundred years in a foreign land
God tells Abram that his descendants will be strangers in a land not theirs, enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years, and then come out with great possessions. Exodus records the oppression and the departure; Stephen recounts the prophecy in Acts. The length of time is debated because the Hebrew text gives 430 years in Exodus and Paul counts from Abraham to the law.
When: Promised to Abram (traditionally c. 2000 BC); fulfilled in the Exodus (c. 1446 or c. 1250 BC).
Ways people read this (2)
- The four hundred years is a round figure for the period in Egypt; the 430 years of Exodus 12:40 may count the whole sojourn from Abraham onward.
- Some ancient text traditions include Canaan in the 430 years.
Editorial note by BibleWay. Interpretations vary; dates are approximate scholarly estimates.
The land promised and the land possessed
God promised Abraham's descendants the land from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates. Joshua says that not one of all the good promises had failed, and Solomon's kingdom extended across that region. Christians disagree about whether the promise has been completely fulfilled, is still awaiting fulfillment, or has been transformed in Christ.
When: Abraham (traditionally c. 2000 BC); Joshua, c. 1400 BC; Solomon, c. 960 BC.
Ways people read this (4)
- The land promise was completely fulfilled under Joshua and Solomon (Joshua 21:43-45; 1 Kings 4:20-21).
- Land promises remain to be fulfilled in a future for the Jewish people.
- The promise expands in Christ to include the whole world (Romans 4:13) and the new creation.
- Jewish tradition holds that the land promise is an enduring covenant.
Editorial note by BibleWay. Interpretations vary; dates are approximate scholarly estimates.