Gen. 15:1-21

1. Locate the passage

Since God’s Covenant with Abram was first established in 12:1-3, Abram has failed miserably by lacking faith and succeeded greatly by acting in faith. Throughout, God has been faithful, but Abram still does not have an heir. This passage is another restatement of the Covenant and it begins with God’s call to Abram to trust Him. He dismisses the fear that led Abram into sin (12:12), He reminds Abram of his protection (14:15-16), and his true source of blessing (12:2; cf. 12:16).

2. Genre

The passage is narrative and records the conversation between the Lord and Abram as God’s Covenant with Abram is restated and ratified.

3. Determine the structure of the passage

15:6 – Abram’s Response

4. Exegete the passage

The passage has two cycles of conversations between the Lord and Abram that follow a similar structure (promise – question – sign). The second cycle is told into two parts which are each introduced with the sun going down

Abram’s two questions are substantial questions of faith today:

• What will you give me?
• How can I know?

Even in believing in God, Abram twice questions Him in this pericope (15:3, 8)

15:1 – After Abram’s courageous rescue of Lot and faithful exchange with Melchizedek, the Lord appeared to him again in a vision.

• The Hb. מַחֲזֶה (“machazeh,” or “vision”) is rare and only occurs here and Num. 24:4 and Ezek. 13:7.
• This is the first occasion of a theophany through vision in Scripture.

15:1 – “Do not be afraid”

• This may reflect Abram’s previous faithlessness with Pharaoh (12:12)
• These are similar words Jesus said to His disciples

15:1 – “I am your shield”

• It’s ironic that Abram asks his first question, “what will you give me” immediately after the Lord just explained what He will give Abram.
• The obvious military metaphor draws on Abram’s previous military victory. Here the Lord is reminding Abram that He is Abram’s shield.

15:1 – I am … your reward”

• Perhaps a gentle reminder (rebuke?) that Abram does not need to look to sinful practices to profit (12:16)

15:2 – Despite Abram’s great wealth (13:2), he does not perceive himself to be “blessed” because he has no heir.

15:2 – “Lord God”

• This phrase contrasts the normal “LORD God” and is used only here and 15:8 in the book of Genesis.
• The phrase is used several times in the Davidic Covenant (2 Sam. 7:18, 18, 19, 20, 22, 28, 29) and is often used in prayers of intercession (Gen. 18:3, 27, 30-32; 19:18; 20:4; Deut. 9:26; Josh. 7:7; Judg. 16:28).

15:2 – “Eliezer”

• This is the first of two alternatives that Abram offers to God since he does not have a son through Sarai (17:18).

15:5 – “Count the stars”

• This is the second metaphor for Abram’s prolific offspring that he has not yet realized (13:16).

15:6 – “He believed God”

• The Hb. “aman” comes from the same root as the word “Amen.”
• It carries the idea of certainty. The word can also mean, “to be established.”
  • See Isa 7:9, where “Ahaz is told that unless he believes (Hiphil) he will not be established (Niphal), i.e. without faith he has no stability.”^[1]Jack B. Scott, “אָמַן,” ed. R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 52.
  • Both the word “believe” and “establish” in Isa 7:9 are from this same word.
  • Rom. 4:1-25; Gal. 3:6; James 2:23

15:6 – God “accounted it to him”

• The Hb. “chashab” carries the idea of judgment. It can mean to “account, valuate,” “esteem, consider,” or “impute.”
  • Ps. 106:31 – “that was accounted to him for righteousness”
• Abram’s belief was the basis of his consideration as righteous. It was that for which God was looking.
  • Of significance is the fact that righteousness is attributed here and not earned; God “counted” it as righteousness.

15:7 – This is a frequent Divine self-description. The phrase occurs 188 times in the OT.  This is the first occurrence. It anticipates the Covenant Name disclosure to Moses  in Ex. 3:13-14.

15:8 – Abram’s second question of the Lord

15:12 – A “deep sleep”

• “tardemah”
• This is the same word used of Adam in Gen. 2:21 when the Lord performed surgery.

15:13 – “Know with certainty”

• “know with knowledge”
• Both words from Hb. “yada”

15:15 – You will go to your fathers in peace

• The Lord’s promise of physical protection for Abram’s life
• Perhaps another reference to Abram not needing to fear

15:17 – This begins the 2^nd explanation of the Lord’s Covenant Promise to Abram

• These do not need to be seen as different traditions. Instead, due to the significance of this promise, the narrator emphasizes the significance of the event by repetition, which is a common practice in Hebrew.

5. Let the structure of the text drive the sermon

What did God give Abram? He gave him: His presence (vision), His assurance, His provision, His Promise, His Name, His Covenant – sealed with a sign

How will Abram know it? Abram will know what God said is true because God said it, God sealed it, and because Abram believed it!

• God said it; I’ve seen it; I believe it