Genesis 15:7-8

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 15:8

And he said, Lord God ( Adonai Jehovah ; vide Genesis 15:2 ), whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it ? Not the language of doubt, though slight misgivings are not incompatible with faith (cf. 6:17 ; 2 Kings 20:8 ; Luke 1:34 ), and questioning with God "is rather a proof of faith than a sign of incredulity" (Calvin); but of desire for a sign in confirmation of the grant (Luther), either for the strengthening of his own faith, or for the sake of his posterity (Jarchi,... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Genesis 15:1-21

- The Faith of Abram1. דבר dābār, “a word, a thing;” the word being the sign of the thing.2. אדני 'ǎdonāy, “Adonai, the Lord;” related: “bring down, lay down.” This is the name usually read in place of Yahweh; but when, as in the present case, יהוה yehovâh and אדני 'ǎdonāy are in apposition, אלהים 'ĕlohı̂ym is read instead of the former. The Jews from a feeling of reverence avoided the utterance of this sacred name except on the most solemn occasions. This is said to have arisen from a... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Genesis 15:7

Genesis 15:7. I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees Thence God brought him by an effectual call; brought him by a gracious violence; snatched him as a brand out of the burning. Observe how God speaks of it as that which he gloried in. I am the Lord that brought thee out He glories in it as an act both of power and grace. To give thee this land to inherit it Not only to possess it, but to possess it as an inheritance, which is the surest title. The providence of God... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Genesis 15:8

Genesis 15:8. Whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? This inquiry did not proceed from distrust of God’s power or promise, but he desired a token for the strengthening of his own faith, and for the ratifying of the promise to his posterity, that they also might believe it. read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Genesis 15:1-21

Click image for full-size versionGod’s covenant with Abram (15:1-21)Earlier God had promised Abram a people and a land (see 12:2; 13:15). Abram’s faith concerning the promised land had been tested through drought and conflict, and his faith concerning the promised people was constantly being tested through his wife’s inability to have children. According to a custom of the time, a childless couple could adopt a person and make him heir to the family property. Abram therefore decided to adopt... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Genesis 15:8

Lord GOD. Hebrew. Adonai Jehovah. See Genesis 15:2 and App-4 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 15:7-8

"And he said unto him, I am Jehovah that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. And he said, O Lord Jehovah, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?"Significantly, (1) Jehovah (by that name) is already known to Abram; (2) also, the covenant is already in existence (Genesis 12:1ff); and what the narrative here is concerned with is the question of Abram as to how he could know that it would really be fulfilled. read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 15:8

Genesis 15:8. Whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?— "Whereby shall I be ascertained, that my posterity shall possess this land, in right of that inheritance which thou hast given to me?" For the higher confirmation, of his faith, he asks some miraculous sign and pledge of the certainty of an event, of which he himself was not personally to partake. It is also probable from Genesis 15:13-16, that Abram's request means no more, than that God would vouchsafe to let him know, when the... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 15:6-7

Moses did not reveal exactly what Abram believed (confidently trusted, relied upon) for which God reckoned him righteous. In Hebrew the conjunction waw with the imperfect tense verb following indicates consecutive action and best translates as "Then." When waw occurs with the perfect tense verb following, as we have here, it indicates disjunctive action and could read, "Now Abram had believed . . ." (cf. Genesis 1:2). God justified Abram (i.e., declared him righteous) because of his faith.... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 15:8

Abram requested a sign, a supernatural verification that God would indeed fulfill the distant promise. His request shows that he was taking God seriously."Requests for signs were not unusual in Old Testament times. They were not so much to discover God’s will as to confirm it." [Note: Davis, p. 186.] God responded by making a covenant with Abram (Genesis 15:9-12; Genesis 15:17)."Only after he had been counted righteous by his faith could Abraham enter into God’s covenant." [Note: Sailhamer, The... read more

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