5 And he brought him forth H3318 abroad, H2351 and said, H559 Look H5027 now toward heaven, H8064 and tell H5608 the stars, H3556 if thou be able H3201 to number H5608 them: and he said H559 unto him, So H3541 shall thy seed H2233 be.
The LORD H3068 your God H430 hath multiplied H7235 you, and, behold, ye are this day H3117 as the stars H3556 of heaven H8064 for multitude. H7230
Who G3739 against G3844 hope G1680 believed G4100 in G1909 hope, G1680 that G1519 he G846 might become G1096 the father G3962 of many G4183 nations, G1484 according G2596 to that which was spoken, G2046 So G3779 shall G2071 thy G4675 seed G4690 be. G2071
That in blessing H1288 I will bless H1288 thee, and in multiplying H7235 I will multiply H7235 thy seed H2233 as the stars H3556 of the heaven, H8064 and as the sand H2344 which is upon the sea H3220 shore; H8193 and thy seed H2233 shall possess H3423 the gate H8179 of his enemies; H341
Remember H2142 Abraham, H85 Isaac, H3327 and Israel, H3478 thy servants, H5650 to whom thou swarest H7650 by thine own self, and saidst H1696 unto them, I will multiply H7235 your seed H2233 as the stars H3556 of heaven, H8064 and all this land H776 that I have spoken H559 of will I give H5414 unto your seed, H2233 and they shall inherit H5157 it for ever. H5769
And I will make of thee H6213 a great H1419 nation, H1471 and I will bless H1288 thee, and make H1431 thy name H8034 great; H1431 and thou shalt be a blessing: H1293
As the host H6635 of heaven H8064 cannot be numbered, H5608 neither the sand H2344 of the sea H3220 measured: H4058 so will I multiply H7235 the seed H2233 of David H1732 my servant, H5650 and the Levites H3881 that minister H8334 unto me.
And I will make H7235 thy seed H2233 to multiply H7235 as the stars H3556 of heaven, H8064 and will give H5414 unto thy seed H2233 all these H411 countries; H776 and in thy seed H2233 shall all the nations H1471 of the earth H776 be blessed; H1288
And thy seed H2233 shall be as the dust H6083 of the earth, H776 and thou shalt spread abroad H6555 to the west, H3220 and to the east, H6924 and to the north, H6828 and to the south: H5045 and in thee and in thy seed H2233 shall all the families H4940 of the earth H127 be blessed. H1288
Neither, G3761 because G3754 they are G1526 the seed G4690 of Abraham, G11 are they all G3956 children: G5043 but, G235 In G1722 Isaac G2464 shall G2564 thy G4671 seed G4690 be called. G2564 That is, G5123 They which are the children G5043 of the flesh, G4561 these G5023 are not G3756 the children G5043 of God: G2316 but G235 the children G5043 of the promise G1860 are counted G3049 for G1519 the seed. G4690
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 15
Commentary on Genesis 15 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 15
Ge 15:1-21. Divine Encouragement.
1. After these things—the conquest of the invading kings.
the word of the Lord—a phrase used, when connected with a vision, to denote a prophetic message.
Fear not, Abram—When the excitement of the enterprise was over, he had become a prey to despondency and terror at the probable revenge that might be meditated against him. To dispel his fear, he was favored with this gracious announcement. Having such a promise, how well did it become him (and all God's people who have the same promise) to dismiss fears, and cast all burdens on the Lord (Ps 27:3).
2. Lord God, what wilt thou give?—To his mind the declaration, "I am thy exceeding great reward" [Ge 15:1], had but one meaning, or was viewed but in one particular light, as bearing on the fulfilment of the promise, and he was still experiencing the sickness of hope deferred.
3. Eliezer of Damascus … one born in my house is mine heir—According to the usage of nomadic tribes, his chief confidential servant, would be heir to his possessions and honors. But this man could have become his son only by adoption; and how sadly would that have come short of the parental hopes he had been encouraged to entertain! His language betrayed a latent spirit of fretfulness or perhaps a temporary failure in the very virtue for which he is so renowned—and absolute submission to God's time, as well as way, of accomplishing His promise.
4. This shall not be thine heir—To the first part of his address no reply was given; but having renewed it in a spirit of more becoming submission, "whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it" [Ge 15:8], he was delighted by a most explicit promise of Canaan, which was immediately confirmed by a remarkable ceremony.
9-21. Take me an heifer, &c.—On occasions of great importance, when two or more parties join in a compact, they either observe precisely the same rites as Abram did, or, where they do not, they invoke the lamp as their witness. According to these ideas, which have been from time immemorial engraven on the minds of Eastern people, the Lord Himself condescended to enter into covenant with Abram. The patriarch did not pass between the sacrifice and the reason was that in this transaction he was bound to nothing. He asked a sign, and God was pleased to give him a sign, by which, according to Eastern ideas, He bound Himself. In like manner God has entered into covenant with us; and in the glory of the only-begotten Son, who passed through between God and us, all who believe have, like Abram, a sign or pledge in the gift of the Spirit, whereby they may know that they shall inherit the heavenly Canaan.