15:1 the word of Yahweh came to Abram A phrase common to the prophetic books. Its use here places Abram among the prophets. See vv. 4; 20:7.

vision The Hebrew word used here, chazon, usually refers to a revelation received by a prophet.

I am your shield A common metaphor for divine protection (see Pss 3:4; 18:3, 31, 36).

15:2 O Yahweh, my Lord This Hebrew title, adonay yhwh, is rarely used in the Pentateuch (see Gen 15:8; Deut 3:24; 9:26). The combination of the titles literally means, “my lord, Yahweh”—phrasing a servant would use to address his master.

Names of God in the Old Testament Table

what will you give me Not a request for material possessions, but a rhetorical question.

15:3 you have not given me a descendant Abram’s response reflects the tension between his faith in God’s promise and his desire to know more about its fulfillment. See note on Gen 12:7.

a member of my household is my heir It was not uncommon in ancient Near Eastern culture for a trusted servant to become heir to a childless couple.

15:4 but your own son God confirms that His promise relates to Abram’s biological offspring.

15:5 count the stars The reference to the stars (compare 22:17; 26:4) is similar to how the 12 tribes of Israel will later be described (37:9).

15:6 he believed in Yahweh A clear statement of faith. Paul uses this as an example of salvation by faith (Rom 4:1–8).

Faith

righteousness Abram’s response of faith confirms Yahweh’s choice of him for the covenant. An ot parallel to this episode occurs in Neh 9:7–8.

15:7 Yahweh, who brought you out from Ur of See note on Gen 11:28; note on 12:1.

this land to you, to possess The land of Canaan is tied to the covenant promises.

15:8 how shall I know This is not an expression of doubt that would undermine Abram’s statement of faith in v. 6. Yahweh now offers Abram land—such transactions in the ancient Near East required a covenant ceremony (compare ch. 23). Abram is asking for this ceremony.

Ancient Near Eastern Covenant Parallels Table

15:10 cut them in pieces down the middle The animals are cut in half, and the halves are separated. The most common expression for making a covenant in the ot uses the Hebrew word karath (meaning “to cut”). This is because covenants usually involved literally cutting animals. This type of covenant practice was common in the ancient Near East.

15:12 a deep sleep The Hebrew term used here, tardemah, refers to a divinely induced stupor or extremely heavy sleep (see 2:21).

terrifying The Hebrew word used here, emah, elsewhere describes the sense of dread felt in Yahweh’s presence (see Exod 15:16; Exod 23:27; Psa 88:15; Job 13:21). In this passage, the word describes the darkness, not Abram.

15:13 four hundred years It is difficult to fit these 400 years into biblical chronology.

15:14 the nation that they serve I will judge See Exod 7–12; note on Exod 7:3.

they shall go out with great possessions This is fulfilled when the Egyptians send the Hebrew people away with great wealth (Exod 12:33–36).

15:15 to your ancestors in peace This expression for death conveys an optimistic belief about the afterlife. While the ot at times can seem to lack this optimism, the righteous are depicted as hoping that God would remove them from she’ol—the Hebrew word for the grave or underworld (e.g., 1 Sam 2:6; Prov 15:24; Pss 30:3; 49:15; 73:23–26).

Old Testament Theology of the Afterlife

15:16 the fourth generation See note on Gen 15:13.

the guilt of the Amorites This phrase shows that Yahweh does not later displace those occupying the promised land because of favoritism—He makes a judgment against their abhorrent practices (see Lev 18:24–25; 20:23–24). The phrase shows that God does not displace those occupying the land because of favoritism—He has a judgment against their abhorrent practices (see Lev 18:24–25; 20:23–24).

15:17 a flaming torch passed between Fire in the Bible is often associated with the presence of God (Exod 3:2; 24:17; Deut 4:11; 5:4–5). God’s presence was fiery during the exodus and throughout the wilderness wanderings (Exod 14:24; Num 14:14; Neh 9:12, 19). Here, the passage of the fire ratified the covenant.

Fire as a Motif of Divine Presence

15:18 your offspring See note on Gen 12:7.

the river of Egypt The river (nahar in Hebrew) mentioned here is not the Nile, which is referred to with the Hebrew word ye'or elsewhere in the ot (41:1; Exod 2:3, 5); rather, this river is the Wadi el-ʿArish.

15:19 the Kenites This people group seems to be named after Cain (Gen 4:1,22). This seminomadic tribe was known for metalworking and are connected to the Midianites and Amalekites (compare Judg 1:16; 4:11; Num 24:21–22; 1 Sam 15:1–6).

Kenizzites This group of people are connected to the Edomites—descendants of Esau (Gen 36:4, 11, 15, 42).

Kadmonites This people group is not mentioned elsewhere in the ot, but may be the same as the Kedemites (a phrase which may be rendered “people of the east”) noted in several passages. The Kedemites were seminomadic and ventured as far north as Aram (Syria) and as far south as the Red Sea (Judg 6:3,33; 7:12; 8:10).

15:20 Perizzites See note on Gen 13:7.

Rephaim See note on 14:5.

15:21 Amorites See note on 10:16.

Canaanites A general term for a wide range of people groups.

Girgashites, and the Jebusites See note on 10:16.