Genesis 18:23-33

Genesis 18:23-33

18:23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

18:24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

18:25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the do right?

18:26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake.

18:27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold mow, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:

18:28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.

18:29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty’s sake.

18:30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.

18:31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.

18:32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.

18:33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

a. For decades I have heard the above Scripture quoted and used to defend the opinion that God was not going to judge America for it’s wickedness. The logic used was this: There are millions of righteous in America because of the Christians in this nation, and if Sodom would have been spared for ten righteous, then America surely will be spared because of the millions of Christians [righteous] in America. There is no question that Sodom would have been spared if ten righteous had been found, but does that same standard automatically transfer to present day America? I think not, and I believe the following study will prove me right.

b. Contrast the above standard found in Genesis 18:23-33 where ten righteousness would save the whole city with the standard in Ezekiel 14:12-21. In Ezekiel the LORD is telling Ezekiel that when Jerusalem is judged by God, only the righteousness of the individual would save that individual, even if those people were Noah, Daniel, and Job. It would not save anybody else.

1). Ezekiel 14:12-21 The word of the LORD came again to me, saying,

14:13 Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grieviously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread threreof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it:

14:14 Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls, by their righteousness, saith the Lord God.

14:15 If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts:

14:16 Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the LORD God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.

14:17 Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:

14:18 Though these three men were in it, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves.

14:19 Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast:

14:20 Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the LORD God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.

14:21 For thus saith the LORD God; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?

a). We can see clearly that there are differences of standards between Sodom and Jerusalem. In Sodom ten righteous would have spared the whole city from judgment. In Jerusalem, during Ezekiel’s day even if Noah, Daniel, and Job would have been there, only their own individual righteousness would have delivered their own selves, not even family members. The differences in the standards are because of the different amounts of light or revelation given to the two communities. Israel was given much more light than Sodom.

c. This principle is clearly revealed in the ministry of Jesus. When Jesus moved his headquarters to Capernaum in Matthew 4:13-16, the result was the people saw great light.

1). Matthew 4:13-16 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:

4:14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

4:15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;

4:16 The people which sat in darkness waw great light; and them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

d. Later on in his ministry, Jesus condemned the three main cities in this area, Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum because of the spiritual light shown to them and yet they still would not repent. Jesus said that the judgment upon Sodom would be less severe than for these cities because Sodom received less light.

1). Mathew 11:20-24 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:

11:21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works, which were don in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

11:22 But I say unto you, I shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the  day of judgment, than for you.

11:23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

11:24 But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

2). This principle is also mentioned in Luke 12:47, 48.

e. In respect to Ezekiel 14:12-21, some would propose that if Ezekiel had interceded for Jerusalem like Abraham had for Sodom, God would have spared Jerusalem. This is not the case because about 6 years previous God had told Jeremiah not to pray for Jerusalem because he would not hear him.

1). Jeremiah 11:11-14 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.

11:12 Then shall the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble.

11:13 For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to burn incense unto Baal.

11:14 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time they cry unto me for their trouble.

2). I am not for a minute saying that God will not hear our prayers or that we should not pray for our nation. By all means we should pray.

f. The argument that God will not judge America because of the tens of millions of Christians [righteous] in the United States is not applicable because this is a standard for a community that has received little light, such as Sodom. The only thing that needs to be determined is if America has received more light than Sodom & Gomorrah, or Israel, or the cities around the sea of Galilee. In answer to this question I want to cite a Supreme Court case from 1892, The Church of the Holy Trinity v. U.S.

1). “This is a religious people. This is historically true. From the discovery of this continent to the present hour, there is a single voice making this affirmation…There is no dissonance in these declarations. There is a universal language pervading them all, having one meaning; they affirm and reaffirm that this is a religious nation. These are not individual sayings, declarations of private persons: they are organic utterances; they speak the voice of the entire people… in Updegraph v. The Commonwealth, it was decided that, ‘Christianity, general Christianity, is, and always has been, a part of the common law…not Christianity with an established church…but Christianity with liberty of conscience to all men.’ And in The People v. Ruggles, Chancellor Kent, the great commentator on American law, speaking as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New York, said: ‘The people of this State, in common with the people of this country, profess the general doctrines of Christianity, as the rule of their faith and practice…We are a Christian people, and the morality of the country is deeply engrafted upon Christianity, and not upon the doctrines or worship of those impostors [other religions].’ And in the famous case of Vidal v. Girard’s Executors, this Court…observed: ‘It is also said, and truly, that the Christian religion is a part of the common law…’ These, and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation.”

g. If anything, the fact that there are tens of millions of Christians in the United States and our culture has continued to decay in spite of us being here shows our disobedience and our failure to be “the salt of the earth” that Jesus was speaking of in Matthew 5:13.

Genesis 15:21

Genesis 15:21

And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

a. NLT: Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”

b. NIV: Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”

c. YLT: and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Girgashite, and the Jebusite.'

d. Amplified Bible: The Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

e. Septuagint: and the Amorites, and the Chananites, and the Evites, and the Gergesites, and the Jebusites.

f. Stone Edition Chumash: the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Girgashite, and the Jebusite.”

1. “And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”

a. the Amorite [567 * ‘Emoriy] [Strong:  probably a patronymic from an unused name derived from 559 in the sense of publicity, i.e. prominence; thus, a mountaineer; an Emorite, one of the Canaanitish tribes:--Amorite.]

b. the Canaanites [3669 * Kna’aniy] [Strong: patrial from 3667; a Kenaanite or inhabitant of Kenaan; by implication, a pedlar (the Canaanites standing for their neighbors the Ishmaelites, who conducted mercantile caravans):--Canaanite, merchant, trafficker.]

c. the Girgashites [1622 * Girgashiy] [Strong: patrial from an unused name (of uncertain derivation); a Girgashite, one of the native tribes of Canaan:--Girgashite, Girgasite.]

d. the Jebusites [2983 * Yebuwciy] [Strong: patrial from 2982; a Jebusite or inhabitant of Jebus:--Jebusite(-s).]

Genesis 15:17

Genesis 15:17

 

And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.

 

a. NLT: After the sun went down and darkness fell, Abram saw a smoking firepot and a flaming torch pass between the halves of the carcasses. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

 

b. NIV: When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. [THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.]

 

c. YLT: And it cometh to pass -- the sun hath gone in, and thick darkness hath been -- and lo, a furnace of smoke, and a lamp of fire, which hath passed over between those pieces. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

 

d. Amplified Bible:  When the sun had gone down and a [thick] darkness had come on, behold, a smoking oven and a flaming torch passed between those pieces. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

 

e. Septuagint: And when the sun was about to set, there was a flame, and behold a smoking furnace and lamps of fire, which passed between these divided pieces. 

 

f. Stone Edition Chumash: So it happened: The sun set, and it was very dark. Behold, there was a smoky furnace and a torch of fire which passed between these pieces. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE CHUMASH Copyright 1998, 2000 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ldt.]

 

1. “And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark…”

 

a. And it came to pass [Strong: 1961 ah haw-yaw a primitive root (Compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-)self, require, X use.]

b. [that when the] sun [Strong: 8121 shemesh, sheh'-mesh; from an unused root meaning to be brilliant; the sun; by implication, the east; figuratively, a ray, i.e. (architectural) a notched battlement:— east side(-ward), sun (rising), west(-ward), window.]

c. went down [Strong: 935 bôwʼ, bo; a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications):—abide, apply, attain, × be, befall, besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, × certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, × doubtless again, eat, employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, have, × indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, × (well) stricken (in age), × surely, take (in), way.

d. [and it] was [Strong: 1961 ah haw-yaw a primitive root (Compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-)self, require, X use.]

e. dark [Strong: 5939 ʻălâṭâh, al-aw-taw'; feminine from an unused root meaning to cover; dusk:—dark, twilight.]

1). An interesting fact previously covered in Genesis 15:12 of this encounter between Almighty God and Abram is that in verse 5, it appears to be night and yet in verse 12 the sun begins to go down. I have trouble believing that it took Abram the rest of the evening, the next morning and all day the next day to cut up the animals and finish right before the sun went down the next day. Now there may be a simple explanation for this, but because God is in the picture I don’t believe it is simple. Jewish tradition says that God took Abram outside the realm of reason and nature. (Stone Edition of the Chumash. Note under Genesis 15:5). I don’t think it is out of the question to believe that God brought Abram to a place where he could see the stars in the daytime. Supernatural travel has happened to more than a few individuals in Scripture. Elijah, Enoch, Phillip, Jesus, Paul, John. If God can bring a person to heaven such as John and Paul why not to a place where he can see the stars in the daytime.

 

2. “…behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.”

 

a. behold [Strong: 2009  hinneh hin-nay' prolongation for 2005; lo!:--behold, lo, see.]

b. a smoking [Strong: 6227 ʻâshân, aw-shawn'; from H6225; smoke, literally or figuratively (vapor, dust, anger):—smoke(-ing).]

c. furnace [Strong: 8574 tannûwr, tan-noor'; from H5216; a fire-pot:—furnace, oven.]

 

1). Significant uses of this Hebrew word.

 

a). Psalm 21:9 Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.

 

b). 2 Samuel 22:7-9 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.

22:8 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth.

22:9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

 

c). Isaiah 31:9 And he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the LORD, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.

 

d). Malachi 4:1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

 

d. [and a] burning [Strong: 784 ʼêsh, aysh; a primitive word; fire (literally or figuratively):—burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.]

 

e. lamp [Strong: 3940 lappîyd, lap-peed'; or לַפִּד lappid; from an unused root probably meaning to shine; a flambeau, lamp or flame:—(fire-) brand, (burning) lamp, lightning, torch.

1). Significant uses of this Hebrew word.

 

a). Exodus 20:18  And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.

 

b). Isaiah 62:1 For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.

 

2). Other descriptions of God using comparable words.

 

a). Hebrews 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.

 

b). Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

 

c). Exodus 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire; to give them light; to go by day and night.

 

f. that [Strong: 834 'aher ash-er' a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.]

g. passed [Strong: 5674 ‘âbar, aw-bar'; a primitive root; to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation):—alienate, alter, × at all, beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-) come (on, over), conduct (over), convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail, gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way, in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle, overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over) pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over, through), (cause to, make) proclaim(-amation), perish, provoke to anger, put away, rage, raiser of taxes, remove, send over, set apart, shave, cause to (make) sound, × speedily, × sweet smelling, take (away), (make to) transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-) faring man, be wrath.]

h. between [Strong: 996 bêyn, bane; (sometimes in the plural masculine or feminine); properly, the constructive form of an otherwise unused noun from H995; a distinction; but used only as a preposition, between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, either...or:—among, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), + from (the widest), × in, out of, whether (it be...or), within.]

i. those [Strong: 428 'el-leh ale'-leh prolonged from 411; these or those:--an- (the) other; one sort, so, some, such, them, these (same), they, this, those, thus, which, who(-m).]

j. pieces [Strong: 1506 gezer, gheh'-zer; from H1504; something cut off; a portion:—part, piece.]

 

1). The participants who walked in between the pieces in this case were “a smoking furnace and a burning lamp”. Abram did not participate because he was in a deep sleep. So who were these two participants? There are many times in Scripture where the Presence of the Lord is shown by fire. I personally believe they were two of the Persons of Godhead, the LORD God and the LORD God, the pre-incarnate Christ and the Father God. Previous to the Incarnation, which occurred almost 2000 years later, these two participants were the LORD God and the LORD God. Though Judaism has known for thousands of years that the LORD was who passed between the pieces, the full revelation was not given to them. In the book of Galatians the Apostle Paul wrote about this Covenant. The promises uttered in the Covenant were promised by God to the pre-incarnate Christ, who was “the seed”, and to Abraham.

 

a). Galatians 3:16, 17 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

3:17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

 

2). According to Jeremiah 34:18, the participants of the covenant walked between the animal parts  and spoke the words of the covenant.

 

a). Jeremiah 34:18 And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me, when they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof,

 

3). Remember, Abram did not participate, he did not walk through the parts. According to the Scriptures, Abram was in a deep sleep.

 

a). Genesis 15:12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.

 

b). Old Testament Bible History, Alfred Edersheim, p.64. “Then it was that the covenant was made; not, as usually, by both parties passing between the divided sacrifice, but by Jehovah alone, God, undertook all the obligations, while the other received all the benefits.”

 

4). An added element that is not mentioned in this passage is one of the actions on the behalf of the participants in covenants, and most assuredly happened here.  It is the lifting up of the hand. It is mentioned in Genesis 14:22 where Abram, speaking to the King of Sodom says, “I have lift up my hand unto the most high God.” Although the writing down of the following particular element of this covenant did not occur until centuries later, when Ezekiel wrote it under the inspiration of God, it no doubt reflects what happened centuries earlier when this covenant was cut. When the persons of the Godhead were passing through the covenant pieces, they were swearing with uplifted hands to fulfill their responsibilities of the covenant.

 

a). Ezekiel 47:14 And ye shall inherit it, one as well as another: concerning the which I lifted up mine hand to give it unto your fathers: and this land shall fall unto you for inheritance.

Genesis 15:11

Genesis 15:11

And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.

a. NLT: Some vultures swooped down to eat the carcasses, but Abram chased them away.

b. NIV: Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.

c. YLT: and the ravenous birds come down upon the carcases, and Abram causeth them to turn back.

d. Amplified Bible: And when the birds of prey swooped down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

e. Septuagint: And birds came down upon the bodies, [even] upon the divided parts of them, and Abram sat down by them. 

f. Stone Edition Chumash: Birds of prey descended upon the carcases, and Abram drove them away.

1. “And when the fowls came down upon the carcases…”

a. and when the fowls [5861 * ‘ayit] [Strong: from 5860; a hawk or other bird of prey:--bird, fowl, ravenous (bird).]

b. came down [3381 * yarad] [Strong:  a primitive root; to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to bring down (in all the above applications); -X abundantly, bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down, fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, X indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to, let) run down, sink, subdue, take down.]

c. upon the carcases [6297 * peger] [Strong: from 6296; a carcase (as limp), whether of man or beast; figuratively, an idolatrous image:--carcase, corpse, dead body.]

2. “…Abram drove them away.”

a. Abram [87 * ‘Abram] [Strong: contracted from 48; high father; Abram, the original name of Abraham:--Abram.]

b. drove them away [5380 * nashab] [Strong: a primitive root; to blow; by implication, to disperse:--(cause to) blow, drive away.]

1). After Abram killed the animals and divided them, vulture arrived and attempted to do what vultures do.  They attempted to begin to devour the freshly killed animals. Although this is definitely a real event it also represents a spiritual truth. The fowls of course represent satanic attempts to destroy the sacrificial offering, and Abram kept them away.

a). Matthew 13:4 And when he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

b). Matthew 13:19 “When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart…”

Genesis 15:10

Genesis 15:10

And he took him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.

a. NLT: So Abram presented all these to him and killed them. Then he cut each animal down the middle and laid the halves side by side; he did not, however, cut the birds in half.

b. NIV: Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half.

c. YLT: and he taketh to him all these, and separateth them in the midst, and putteth each piece over against its fellow, but the bird he hath not divided;

d. Amplified Bible: And he brought Him all these and cut them down the middle [into halves] and laid each half opposite the other; but the birds he did not divide.

e. Septuagint: So he took to him all these, and divided them in the midst, and set them opposite to each other, but the birds he did not divide.

f. Stone Edition Chumash: He took all these to Him: He cut them in the center, and placed each piece opposite its counterpart. The birds, however, he did not cut up.

1. “And he took him all these…”

a. and he took [3947 * laqach] [Strong: a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications):--accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, X many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.]

2. “…and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another...”

a. and divided [1334 * bather] [Strong: a primitive root, to chop up:--divide.]

b. in the midst [8432 * tavek] [Strong: from an unused root meaning to sever; a bisection, i.e. (by implication) the centre:--among(-st), X between, half, X (there- ,where-), in(-to), middle, mid(-night), midst (among), X out (of), X through, X with(-in).]

c. and laid [5414 * Nathan] [Strong: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, + cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander, strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to) God, yield.]

d. each [376 * ‘iysh] [Strong: contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation):--also, another, any (man), a certain, + champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-)man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), + none, one, people, person, + steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy.]

e. piece [1335 * bether] [Strong: from 1334; a section:--part, piece.]

f. one against [7125 * qir’ah] [Strong: from 7122; an encountering, accidental, friendly or hostile (also adverbially, opposite):--X against (he come), help, meet, seek, X to, X in the way.]

g. another [7453 * rea’] [Strong: from 7462; an associate (more or less close):--brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover, neighbour, X (an-)other.]

3. “…but the birds divided he not.”

a. the birds [6833 * tsippowr] [Strong: from 6852; a little bird (as hopping):--bird, fowl, sparrow.]

b. he divided [1334 * bather] [Strong: a primitive root, to chop up:--divide.]

1). There is no Hebrew word in the text for “not”. I trust the scholars.

2). Old Testament Bible History, Alfred Edersheim, pp. 63, 64. “To confirm Abram’s faith, Jehovah now gave Abram a sign and a seal, He entered into a covenant with him. For this purpose the Lord directed Abram to bring an heifer, a she-goat, and a ram, each of three years old, also a turtle-dove and a young pigeon. These sacrifices…were to be divided, and the pieces laid one against the other, as the custom was in making a covenant, the covenanting parties always passing between them, as it were to show that now there was no longer to be division, but that what had been divided was to be considered as one between them.

3). Unger’s Bible Dictionary, p.224. “Covenants were not only concluded with an oath, but after an ancient custom, confirmed by slaughtering and cutting a victim into two halfs, between which the parties passed, to intimate that if either of them broke the covenant it would fare with him as with the slain and divided beast.”

Genesis 15:8

Genesis 15:8

And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?

a. NLT: But Abram replied, “O Sovereign LORD, how can I be sure that I will actually possess it?”

b. NIV: But Abram said, “Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?”

c. YLT: and he saith, 'Lord Jehovah, whereby do I know that I possess it?'

d. Amplified Bible: But he [Abram] said, Lord God, by what shall I know that I shall inherit it?

e. Septuagint: And he said, Master [and] Lord, how shall I know that I shall inherit it?

f. Stone Edition Chumash: And said,”Mu Lord, HASHEM/ELOHIM: Whereby shall I know that I amd to inherit it?”

1. “And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?”

a. he said [559* ‘amar] [Strong: [Strong: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech), utter, X verily, X yet.]

b. Lord [136 * ‘Adonay] [Strong: am emphatic form of 113; the Lord (used as a proper name of God only):--(my) Lord.]

c. GOD [3069 * Yhovah] [Strong:  a variation of 3068 (used after 136, and pronounced by Jews as 430, in order to prevent the repetition of the same sound, since they elsewhere pronounce 3068 as 136):--God.]

d. whereby [4100 * mah] [Strong: a primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses:--how (long, oft, (- soever)), (no-)thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.]

e. shall I know [3045 * yada] [Strong: a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.) (as follow):--acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), X will be, wist, wit, wot.]

f. I shall inherit it [3423 * yarash] [Strong:  a primitive root; to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel, to impoverish, to ruin:--cast out, consume, destroy, disinherit, dispossess, drive(-ing) out, enjoy, expel, X without fail, (give to, leave for) inherit(-ance, -or) + magistrate, be (make) poor, come to poverty, (give to, make to) possess, get (have) in (take) possession, seize upon, succeed, X utterly.]

1). Abram then asked for proof he was getting this land. This is similar to other men of God asking for proof, such as Gideon and Hezakiah.

a). Judges 6:36-40 And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,

6:37 Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.

6:38 And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.

6:39 And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.

6:40 And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

b). 2 Kings 20:8-11 And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the Lord the third day?

20:9 And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?

20:10 And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.

20:11 And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the Lord: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.

2). In our dayIf someone in our day wanted to give you something of incredible value, say a 100 plus room mansion with 10,000 acres to go with it in Wyoming, and then give you along with that another 10 million dollars. If you just had a conversation to go by, you wouldn’t think much of the promise. But if this person was Bill Gates and you knew he the kind of wealth he spoke of and much more and he took you to a lawyer who drew up all the papers required and then took you to Congress and he signed it in front of both houses of Congress and they signed it. Then he took you to the White House and he signed it again in front of the President of the United States and then the President signed it. Then he took you to the Supreme Court and he signed it again in front of all the nine Justices and all the nine justices signed also. You would probably believe it was going to happen. The reality is though that in light of all the legal hoops that were just jumped through in order to give you assurance of Bill Gates promise, you still would not have one millioneth of the assurance that Abram had when God responded to Abram’s question, “LORD God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?”

3). God Almighty responded by making a Covenant with Abram, and really, that is what Abram was asking for, because at that time the Covenant was the highest form of legal document.

4). The Blood Covenant, H. Clay Trumbull, p.4. “…the rite of blood-covenanting: a form of mutual  covenanting, by which two person enter into the closest, the most enduring, and the most sacred of compacts, as friends and brothers, or as more than brothers, through the inter-comingling of their blood…”

Genesis 15:6

Genesis 15:6

And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

a. NLT: And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD counted him as righteous because of his faith.

b. NIV: Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

c. YLT: And he hath believed in Jehovah, and He reckoneth it to him -- righteousness.

d. Amplified Bible: And he [Abram] believed in (trusted in, relied on, remained steadfast to) the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness (right standing with God).

e. Septuagint: And Abram believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.

f. Stone Edition Chumash: And he trusted in HASHEM, and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.

1.”And he believed in the LORD…”

a. believed [539 * ‘aman] [Strong’s: to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse; to render firm or faithful, to trust or believe…”]

1). The Blood Covenant, H. Clay Trumbull, p.220: “The Hebrew word ‘heemeen’ , here translated “believed in”, carries the idea of an unqualified committal of self to another. It is from the root aman with the two fold idea of “to be faithful” and “to trust”.

b. in the LORD [3068 * Yhovah] [Strong: from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

1). I personally believe this is a reflection of what has been going on in Abrams heart since before he left Ur, that he had been believing God the whole time and that he grew in his faith. I think this is demonstrated by Paul and James in their writings about this verse in the next section. However, if in verse 5 there was a supernatural event such as Abram taken to outer space or he was able to miraculously see the stars in the middle of the day, I can see it causing Abram’s believing, his faith  to grow stronger.

2. “…and he counted it to him for righteousness.”

a. he counted [2803 * chashab] [Strong: a primitive root; properly, to plait or interpenetrate, i.e. (literally) to weave or (gen.) to fabricate; figuratively, to plot or contrive (usually in a malicious sense); hence (from the mental effort) to think, regard, value, compute:--(make) account (of), conceive, consider, count, cunning (man, work, workman), devise, esteem, find out, forecast, hold, imagine, impute, invent, be like, mean, purpose, reckon(-ing be made), regard, think.]

b. for righteousness [6666 * tsdaqah] [Strong: from 6663; rightness (abstractly), subjectively (rectitude), objectively (justice), morally (virtue) or figuratively (prosperity):--justice, moderately, right(-eous) (act, -ly, -ness).]

1). This verse is quoted by the Apostle Paul in his powerful explanation of New Covenant righteousness. One of the main arguments here is the covenantal reality that Abraham was declared righteous by God before circumcision, in order to establish the precedent that those of us in the New Covenant can receive that same righteousness by having faith in Christ and not being circumcised.

a). Romans 4:1-11 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

4:2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

4:4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

4:6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

4:7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

4:8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

4:9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.

4:10 How was it then reckoned ? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcision.

2). There was in Abram as Trumbull writes, “an unqualified committal of self” to God. It is also described in James in his explanation of the relationship between faith and works.

a). James 2:21-23 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made complete?

2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

3). The flip side to this principle is that the heart that is committed in faith is justified without works and will also produce works that will complete or perfect that faith, as James said previously in this same epistle.

b). James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

4). Our righteousness is also given to us throught faith in Christ Jesus.

a). Romans 3:21, 22   But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

3:22  Even the righteousness of God which is  by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Genesis 15:5

Genesis 15:5

And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

a. NLT: Then the LORD took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”

b. NIV: He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars, if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.

c. YLT: and He bringeth him out without, and saith, 'Look attentively, I pray thee, towards the heavens, and count the stars, if thou art able to count them;' and He saith to him, 'Thus is thy seed.'

d. Amplified Bible: And He brought him outside [his tent into the starlight] and said, Look now toward the heavens and count the stars—if you are able to number them. Then He said to him, So shall your descendants be.

e. Septuagint: And he brought him out and said to him, Look up now to heaven, and count the stars, if thou shalt be able to number them fully, and he said, Thus shall thy seed be.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Writings/Prophets: And He took him outside, and said, “Gaze, now, toward the heavens, and count the stars if you are able to count them!” And He said to him, “So shall your offspring be!”

1. “And he brought him forth abroad and said…”

a. brought him forth [3318 * yatsa] [Strongs: a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.:--X after, appear, X assuredly, bear out, X begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), + be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence, out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out), going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out, lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, X scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring out, stand out, X still, X surely, take forth (out), at any time, X to (and fro), utter.] [Gesenius:to go out, to go forth, to be brought forth.]

b. abroad [2351 * chuwts, chuts] [Strong: from an unused root meaning to sever; properly, separate by a wall, i.e. outside, outdoors:--abroad, field, forth, highway, more, out(-side, -ward), street, without.] [Gesenius: the outside, what ever is without] [AMG: It indicates a direction or location, to the outside.]

1). An interesting fact of this encounter between Almighty God and Abram is that in verse 5, it appears to be night and yet in verse 12 the sun begins to go down. I have trouble believing that it took Abram the rest of the evening, the next morning and all day the next day to cut up the animals and finish right before the sun went down the next day. Now there may be a simple explanation for this, but because God is in the picture I don’t believe it is simple. Jewish tradition says that God took Abram outside the realm of reason and nature. (Stone Edition of the Chumash. Note under Genesis 15:5). I don’t think it is out of the question to believe that God brought Abram to a place where he could see the stars in the daytime. Supernatural travel has happened to more than a few individuals in Scripture. Elijah, Enoch, Phillip, Jesus, Paul, John. If God can bring a person to heaven such as John and Paul why not to a place where he can see the stars in the daytime.

c. and said [559 * ‘amar] [Strong:  a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech), utter, X verily, X yet.]

2. “…Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him…”

a. Look [5027 * nabat] [Strong: a primitive root; to scan, i.e. look intently at; by implication, to regard with pleasure, favor or care:--(cause to) behold, consider, look (down), regard, have respect, see.]

b. toward heaven [8064 * shamayim] [Strong: from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve):--air, X astrologer, heaven(-s).]

c. and tell [5608 * caphar] [Strong: a primitive root; properly, to score with a mark as a tally or record, i.e. (by implication) to inscribe, and also to enumerate; intensively, to recount, i.e. celebrate:--commune, (ac-)count; declare, number, + penknife, reckon, scribe, shew forth, speak, talk, tell (out), writer.]

d. the stars [3556 * kowkab] [Strong: probably from the same as 3522 (in the sense of rolling) or 3554 (in the sense of blazing); a star (as round or as shining); figuratively, a prince:--star((-gazer)).]

e. if thou be able [3201 * yakol] [Strong: a primitive root; to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might):--be able, any at all (ways), attain, can (away with, (-not)), could, endure, might, overcome, have power, prevail, still, suffer.]

f. to number them [5608 * caphar] See “and tell” above.

g. and he said unto him [559 * ‘amar] [Strong:  a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech), utter, X verily, X yet.]

3. “…So shall thy seed be.”

a. so [3541 * koh] [Strong: from the prefix k and 1931; properly, like this, i.e. by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now:--also, here, + hitherto, like, on the other side, so (and much), such, on that manner, (on) this (manner, side, way, way and that way), + mean while, yonder.]

b. shall thy seed be [2233 * zera] [Strong: from 2233; seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity:--X carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), sowing- time.]