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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 15:2-6

We have here the assurance given to Abram of a numerous offspring which should descend from him, in which observe, I. Abram's repeated complaint, Gen. 15:2, 3. This was that which gave occasion to this promise. The great affliction that sat heavy upon Abram was the want of a child; and the complaint of this he here pours out before the Lord, and shows before him his trouble, Ps. 142:2. Note, Though we must never complain of God, yet we have leave to complain to him, and to be large and... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 15:7-11

We have here the assurance given to Abram of the land of Canaan for an inheritance. I. God declares his purpose concerning it, Gen. 15:7. Observe here, Abram made no complaint in this matter, as he had done for the want of a child. Note, Those that are sure of an interest in the promised seed will see no reason to doubt of a title to the promised land. If Christ is ours, heaven is ours. Observe again, When he believed the former promise (Gen. 15:6) then God explained and ratified this to him.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 15:2

And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless ,.... As if he should say, what signifies what thou givest me of temporal blessings, if thou withholdest from me the blessing of a child; from whom it might be hoped and believed would spring the promised Messiah, in whom all nations of the earth shall be blessed. All my wealth and riches, victories and honours, are of no avail to me, while I am deprived of this favour; and since I am advanced in years, and going the way... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 15:3

And Abram said, behold, to me thou hast given no seed ,.... He had bestowed many temporal blessings on him, as well as spiritual ones, having given himself in covenant, and all things in it, but he had not given him a child: and lo, one born in my house is mine heir ; meaning either Eliezer or his son, whom he had made his heir, or intended to make him, since he had no child; or of course he would have been to, Lot his nephew having no sons; and this Eliezer descending from Aram, the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 15:4

And behold, the word of the Lord came unto him ,.... Either having disappeared, and then came a second time, or he again spoke unto him: saying, this shall not be thine heir ; this Eliezer, this servant of thine, as thou hast made him, or hast intended to make him, giving up all hopes of having issue by Sarai: but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir ; that is, one shall inherit all thou hast, that shall be begotten by thee; an own son of Abram's,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 15:5

And he brought him forth abroad ,.... Out of his tent into the open air, which was done through his call, and at his direction; or by an impulse upon his mind; or this might not be real and local, only vision: and said, look now towards heaven ; either with his bodily eyes, or with the eyes of his mind: and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them ; this looks as if it were in a vision that this was said to him, and what follows done in the day, since it was in the daytime,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 15:6

And he believed in the Lord ,.... The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan are,"in the Word of the Lord;'in the essential Word of the Lord, in Christ the Lord his righteousness; he believed in the promise of God, that he should have a seed, and a very numerous one; he believed that the Messiah would spring from his seed; he believed in him as his Saviour and Redeemer; he believed in him for righteousness, and he believed in his righteousness as justifying him before God: and he counted it to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 15:7

And he said unto him ,.... After he had expressed his faith in him, and in his word, and the blessedness of a justifying righteousness came openly upon him, and he was declared a justified person: I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees ; not only called him, but brought him out of it; not out of a furnace there, as the Jews fable; but out of a place so called, an idolatrous one, where fire was worshipped, and from whence it might have its name; God had brought him... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 15:2

What wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless - The anxiety of the Asiatics to have offspring is intense and universal. Among the Hindoos the want of children renders all other blessings of no esteem. See Ward. And the steward of my house - Abram, understanding the promise as relating to that person who was to spring from his family, in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed, expresses his surprise that there should be such a promise, and yet he is about to die childless!... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 15:5

Look now toward heaven - It appears that this whole transaction took place in the evening; see on Genesis 13:14 ; (note). Abram had either two visions, that recorded in Genesis 15:1 , and that in Genesis 15:12 , etc.; or what is mentioned in the beginning of this chapter is a part of the occurrences which took place after the sacrifice mentioned Genesis 15:9 , etc.: but it is more likely that there was a vision of that kind already described, and afterwards a second, in which he... read more

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