Genesis 15:4

Genesis 15:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
• New International Version (NIV)Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: "This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.”

Context of Genesis 15:4

2Abram said, “Lord God, what reward will You give me, since I am [leaving this world] childless, and he who will be the owner and heir of my house is this [servant] Eliezer from Damascus?” 3And Abram continued, “Since You have given no child to me, one (a servant) born in my house is my heir.” Then behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This man [Eliezer] will not be your heir but he who shall come from your own body shall be your heir.” 5And the Lord brought Abram outside [his tent into the night] and said, “Look now toward the heavens and count the stars—if you are able to count them.” Then He said to him, “So [numerous] shall your descendants be.” 6Then Abram believed in (affirmed, trusted in, relied on, remained steadfast to) the Lord; and He counted (credited) it to him as righteousness (doing right in regard to God and man).

Genesis 15:4 word by word

וְהִנֵּ֨ה דְבַר־יְהוָ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹ֥א יִֽירָשְׁךָ֖ זֶ֑ה כִּי־אִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵצֵ֣א מִמֵּעֶ֔יךָ ה֖וּא יִֽירָשֶֽׁךָ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And, behold, the wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• unto him, sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• This shall not be thine heirיָרַשׁyârash yârêsh · to possess: possessH3423
• but he that shall come forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: produceH3318
• out of thine own bowelsמֵעֶהmê‛eh · bellyH4578

Cross-references for Genesis 15:4

• Genesis 17:16I will bless her, and indeed I will also give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”
• Genesis 21:12God said to Abraham, “Do not let it distress you because of Ishmael and your maid; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her and do what she asks, for your descendants will be named through Isaac.
• 2 Samuel 7:12When your days are fulfilled and you lie down [in death] with your fathers (ancestors), I will raise up your descendant after you, who shall be born to you, and I will establish his kingdom.
• 2 Samuel 16:11Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Look, my son [Absalom] who came from my own body, is seeking my life; how much more [reason] now [does] this Benjamite [have to curse me]? Let him alone and let him curse, for [it could be that] the Lord has told him [to do it].
• 2 Chronicles 32:21And the Lord sent an angel who destroyed every brave warrior, commander, and officer in the camp of the king of Assyria. So the king returned to his own land in shame. And when he entered the house (temple) of his god, some of his own children killed him there with the sword.
• Philemon 1:12I have sent him back to you in person, that is, like sending my very heart.

Commentaries on Genesis 15:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-21Verses 1-21 - The Faith of Abram 1. 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…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 2-6Verses 2-6 Though we must never complain of God, yet we have leave to complain to him; and to state all our grievances. It is ease to a burdened spirit, to open its case to a faithful and compassionate friend. Abram's complaint is, that he had no child; that he was never likely to have any; that the want of a son was so great a trouble to him, that it took away all his comfort. If we suppose that Abram looked no further than outward comfort, this…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-6God confirmed that the promise to Abram was for his own children. Then God showed Abram the stars as a sign of the many descendants he would have (22:17; 26:4). The apostle Paul quotes this promise in Romans 4:18 to emphasize Abram’s strong faith.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. 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.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 15:4

• Blessing
• Children
• Concubinage
• Condescension of God
• Faith
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• Chronology
• Count
• Covenant
• Exceeding
• Fear
• Heir
• Horror
• Surety
• Tell
• Accommodation

Commentaries on Genesis 15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings