Genesis 15:3

Genesis 15:3

And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.

a. NLT: You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.”

b. NIV: And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

c. YLT: And Abram saith, 'Lo, to me Thou hast not given seed, and lo, a domestic doth heir me.'

d. Amplified Bible: And Abram continued, Look, You have given me no child; and [a servant] born in my house is my heir.

e. Septuagint: And Abram said, [I am grieved] since thou hast given me no seed, but my home-born [servant] shall succeed me.

f. Stone Edition Chumash: “Then Abram said, “See, to me You have given no offspring; and see, my steward inherits me.”

1.”And Abram said…”

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

b. 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. “…Behold, to me thou hast given no seed…”

a. thou hast given [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.]

b. no [3808 * lo’] [Strong: a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

c. seed [2233 * zera] [Strong: from 2232; seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity:--X carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), sowing- time.]

1). This incident in Genesis 15 is the fourth time recorded in Scripture where either the word of the Lord God came to Abram or God appeared to him. Abram’s response to what God had said to him in verse one when he was his protector and reward, was, “You have given me no seed, I have no heir.” In light of the previous times that God had spoken to Abram, this was not an inappropriate statement.

a). Genesis 12:1-3 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee.

12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

(1)  Not only would he make of Abram a great nation [in order for a nation to come from him, he had to have children], but in him all the families of the earth would be blessed. Talk about a legacy

b). Genesis 12:6, 7 And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.

12:7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

(1)  In this passage God promises to give the land to Abram’s seed, His children.

c). Genesis 13:14-18 “And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:

13:15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever.

13:16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.

13:17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.

13:18 And Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built an altar unto the LORD.”

(1) So in light of the promises God had given Abram in the three previous encounters, it was appropriate for these questions regarding descendents to be asked.

3. “…and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.”

a. one born [1121 * ben] [Strong: from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, + spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]

b. in my house [1004 * bayith] [Strong: probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court, daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet, temple, web, + within(-out).]

c. is mine heir [3423 * ] [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.]