Genesis 15:4 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.
Genesis 15:4 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."
Genesis 15:4 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."
Genesis 15:4 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."
Genesis 15:4 nlt
Then the LORD said to him, "No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir."
Genesis 15 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference (Short Note) |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7 | Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” | First mention of 'offspring' (seed) promise. |
| Gen 13:15 | for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. | Land promise linked to 'offspring'. |
| Gen 15:2-3 | But Abram said, "O Lord God, what will you give me...? Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household is my heir." | Abraham's previous complaint and assumption. |
| Gen 15:5 | And he brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." | Promise of countless descendants reiterated. |
| Gen 17:6 | I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. | Further clarification of lineal descent. |
| Gen 17:16 | I will bless her and give you a son from her... and she shall be a mother of nations. | God specifically names Sarah as the mother. |
| Gen 17:19 | But God said, "No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac." | God names the biological heir (Isaac). |
| Gen 21:12 | But God said to Abraham, "...through Isaac shall your offspring be named." | Clarification that the covenant line is Isaac. |
| Gen 18:10 | The Lord said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son." | Divine promise of son to aged Sarah. |
| Isa 55:10-11 | For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven... so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty... | God's word is powerful and accomplishes purpose. |
| Num 23:19 | God is not a man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. | God's faithfulness and unchanging promises. |
| Psa 33:9 | For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. | The power and effectiveness of God's word. |
| Luke 1:37 | For nothing will be impossible with God. | Highlights the miraculous nature of divine work. |
| Rom 4:18 | In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations... | Abraham's faith in light of biological impossibility. |
| Rom 4:19 | He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old)... | Abraham's physical inability for a biological heir. |
| Rom 4:20-21 | No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God... being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. | Abraham's unwavering faith in God's promise. |
| Rom 9:7-8 | not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel... it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise. | Line of promise distinct from natural descent. |
| Gal 3:16 | Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, "And to offsprings," referring to many, but referring to one, "And to your offspring," who is Christ. | The ultimate fulfillment of the 'seed' in Christ. |
| Gal 3:29 | And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. | Believers in Christ are spiritual heirs. |
| Heb 11:11-12 | By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age... Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead... were born descendants... | Sarah's faith and the miraculous conception. |
| Gen 6:9 | Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God. | 'Word of the Lord' in 15:4 emphasizes direct revelation like previous patriarchal encounters. |
| Gen 12:1 | Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country..." | Echoes the direct divine calling of Abraham. |
Genesis 15 verses
Genesis 15 4 Meaning
Genesis 15:4 reveals God's specific and definitive word to Abram, directly addressing his concern about his heir. God emphatically declares that Eliezer, Abram's household steward, will not inherit the divine promises. Instead, God promises a biological son, one who will literally come forth "from Abram's own body," confirming that this divinely chosen descendant will be Abram's true heir. This precise revelation ensures Abram understands the miraculous and distinct nature of God's provision for his lineage.
Genesis 15 4 Context
Genesis chapter 15 records a critical moment in God's covenant relationship with Abram. Following a victorious battle (Gen 14), God appears to Abram to reaffirm His protective presence and the promise of a great reward (Gen 15:1). Abram, however, vocalizes his primary concern: despite all promises, he remains childless and contemplates making Eliezer of Damascus, his trusted household servant, his legal heir—a common ancient Near Eastern practice in the absence of a natural son (Gen 15:2-3). Verse 4 is God's immediate and direct response to this specific concern and human solution, overriding it with a divinely ordained, biological lineage. This declaration sets the stage for the formal covenant ceremony that follows in the rest of the chapter, providing further assurance and specific details about the promised heir and land. The historical and cultural context underscores Abram's human anxieties and highlights God's supernatural plan that supersedes contemporary societal norms concerning inheritance.
Genesis 15 4 Word analysis
- And behold (וְהִנֵּה, wəhinnēh): A Hebrew interjection (behold) often used to draw immediate attention to something new, unexpected, or of great significance about to be revealed. It signals a momentous divine pronouncement.
- the word of the Lord (דְבַר יְהוָה, dəḇar YHWH): Signifies a direct, authoritative, and personal communication from God Himself. It's not a dream or a vision but a specific verbal message, indicating its absolute reliability and truth. YHWH (the LORD) emphasizes God's covenant name, indicating a promise rooted in His unique nature and power.
- came to him (הָיָה אֵלָיו, hāyāh ’êlāw): Literally "was to him" or "came upon him." This indicates a direct, specific, and intimate divine encounter, emphasizing that the message was uniquely for Abram and was revealed in a profound way.
- saying (לֵאמֹר, lê’mōr): Introduces the precise words God spoke.
- "This man (זֶה, zeh): Refers implicitly but certainly to Eliezer, whom Abram had just named as his current potential heir (Gen 15:3). This highlights God's direct response to Abram's unspoken or newly verbalized thoughts.
- shall not be your heir (לֹא יִירָשְׁךָ, lō yîrāšəḵā): A strong, definite negation ("not") indicating a complete rejection of Abram's current assumption and the prevalent custom. God is ruling out this human arrangement entirely. Yîrāšəḵā (from yarash) means "to take possession of," "to inherit."
- but (כִּי אִם, kî ’im): A strong adversative conjunction, meaning "surely," "only," or "indeed, but." It emphatically contrasts the previous statement with the forthcoming divine declaration, highlighting God's exclusive alternative.
- one who comes (אֲשֶׁר יֵצֵא, ’ăšer yēṣē’): Literally "who goes out," indicating direct origination.
- from your own body (מִמֵּעֶיךָ, mimê‘eḵā): A Hebrew idiom that literally means "from your inward parts" or "from your bowels/loins." It unequivocally denotes a biological, natural, lineal descendant—a son conceived by Abram. This excludes adoption or even a distant relative.
- shall be your heir (הוּא יִירָשֶׁךָ, hū yîrāšəḵā): Reaffirms the positive outcome, confirming that the heir will come, and specifically from Abram's own biological lineage. The emphatic pronoun hū ("he") underlines the certainty and specificity of God's promise.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying...": This phrase signals an immediate and direct divine intervention into Abram's thought process and anxieties. It emphasizes that this is not a human idea but a supernatural revelation from the sovereign God. The term "word of the Lord" establishes the divine authority and unchangeable nature of the promise that follows.
- "This man shall not be your heir...": This is a direct counter-argument to Abram's cultural and personal reasoning. God explicitly negates the human solution (Eliezer) for the inheritance, challenging Abram's understanding of how God's promises would be fulfilled. It sets up the divine path as distinct from human arrangements, common in the Ancient Near East for childless couples.
- "...but one who comes from your own body shall be your heir.": This is the core of the revelation, offering the true, divinely ordained solution. By specifying a "biological" heir, God introduces an element that requires a miracle given Abram's (and Sarah's) advanced age, thus emphasizing God's omnipotence and faithfulness to fulfill promises even against all natural odds. It signifies the covenant will be passed down through a very specific, unique lineage chosen by God Himself, leading to the birth of Isaac.
Genesis 15 4 Bonus section
The Nuzi tablets, ancient Mesopotamian legal documents, contain agreements where a childless couple might adopt a servant as an heir with the understanding that if a natural son were born, the adopted heir would cede his position. Abram's anxiety about Eliezer and God's explicit denial aligns perfectly with these ancient customs, highlighting God's direct and specific intervention that overturns human legal and cultural norms, underscoring that His plan for Abraham’s seed was unique and divinely ordained, not by common human arrangement. This deepens the emphasis on the miraculous aspect of the promise and the sovereign will of God. It's a testament that God's covenant fulfillment is entirely from Him, showcasing His power and faithfulness rather than relying on human contrivances. This emphasis prepares for the profound significance of Isaac's birth, setting apart God's chosen line from the outset.
Genesis 15 4 Commentary
Genesis 15:4 stands as a pivotal moment, dispelling Abram's pragmatic human solution concerning an heir and unequivocally replacing it with a divinely determined plan. Abram's consideration of Eliezer, while culturally permissible, revealed his human limitations in comprehending the miraculous nature of God's promise. This verse showcases God's sovereignty; He is not bound by human customs or biological constraints.
The phrase "word of the Lord" underscores the authority and certainty of the declaration, leaving no room for doubt or reinterpretation. God is not merely confirming a generic descendant but is highly specific: the heir will issue directly "from your own body." This particularity elevates the promise from a simple lineage to a supernatural work of God, foretelling the later miraculous birth of Isaac to Abram and Sarah in their old age. This act sets God's covenant people apart, establishing a lineage born of divine intervention rather than mere natural reproduction or societal adoption. The rejection of Eliezer and affirmation of a biological heir ensures that the glory of the fulfilled promise rests solely on God's power, building Abram's faith and trust in a God who performs the impossible.
This principle continues through scripture: God's plans are perfect and do not rely on human contrivances (e.g., Isaac vs. Ishmael, Jacob vs. Esau). This divine intervention and specification of the heir's origin foreshadows the unique birth of Christ, the ultimate "seed" of Abraham (Gal 3:16), through a supernatural conception.