Genesis 15: Credited as righteousness

Abram believes the LORD and it is credited to him as righteousness, and God binds Himself by covenant to give the land.

Chapter 15 of 5021 verses4 sectionsBSB

Where Genesis 15 sits

Genesis66 books · 1,189 chaptersRevelation

In the story: Act III, Promise: Genesis 12–50; Job
In the Bible: Old Testament · The Law · chapter 15 of 50 in Genesis
In Genesis: Terah's line: Abraham, 11:27–25:11 · part of One family
Before: Genesis 14: Abram and Melchizedek
After: Genesis 16: The God who sees Hagar

Genesis 15 summary

After these events the LORD tells Abram not to fear, for He is his shield and reward; when Abram laments that a servant will be his heir, God promises a son of his own and offspring as many as the stars, and Abram believes. God then promises the land, and when Abram asks how he can know, God has him lay out divided animals; in a deep sleep Abram hears that his offspring will be strangers and slaves for four hundred years, then come out with great wealth; God will judge the nation they serve, and they will return in the fourth generation, when the Amorites' sin is full. A smoking firepot and a flaming torch pass between the pieces as the LORD makes a covenant giving the land from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates.

Genesis 15 in context

Speaking: Moses, narrating; the LORD speaks in a vision, and Abram answers
Written for: Israel, the very offspring who had served four hundred years and come out with great wealth, now told why
Around it: Follows Abram's refusal of Sodom's reward (ch. 14); Sarai's attempt to get an heir through Hagar follows (ch. 16)

How Genesis 15 points to Christ

Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness, words written not only for Abraham but for all who believe in Him who raised Jesus (Rom 4:3, 22–25; Gal 3:6–9)

The sections of Genesis 15

He believed the LORD
God promises childless Abram a son and offspring as the stars; Abram believes, and it is credited to him as righteousness.
15:1–6
How can I know?
The LORD promises Abram the land; asked for assurance, He has Abram lay out divided animals for a covenant rite.
15:7–11
Four hundred years
In a deep sleep Abram learns that his offspring will suffer 400 years abroad, then come out with wealth and return.
15:12–16
Between the pieces
A smoking firepot and a flaming torch pass between the pieces as the LORD covenants the land to Abram's offspring.
15:17–21

Read Genesis 15

God’s Covenant with Abram

¹After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:

“Do not be afraid, Abram.

I am your shield,

your very great reward.”

²But Abram replied, “O Lord GOD, what can You give me, since I remain childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” ³Abram continued, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

⁴Then the word of the LORD came to Abram, saying, “This one will not be your heir, but one who comes from your own body will be your heir.” ⁵And the LORD took him outside and said, “Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.” Then He told him, “So shall your offspring be.”

⁶Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

⁷The LORD also told him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.”

God Confirms His Promise

⁸But Abram replied, “Lord GOD, how can I know that I will possess it?”

⁹And the LORD said to him, “Bring Me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a turtledove and a young pigeon.”

¹⁰So Abram brought all these to Him, split each of them down the middle, and laid the halves opposite each other. The birds, however, he did not cut in half. ¹¹And the birds of prey descended on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. ¹²As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and suddenly great terror and darkness overwhelmed him.

¹³Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. ¹⁴But I will judge the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will depart with many possessions. ¹⁵You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a ripe old age. ¹⁶In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”

¹⁷When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, behold, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the halves of the carcasses. ¹⁸On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—¹⁹the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, ²⁰Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, ²¹Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”

Berean Standard Bible, 21 verses. The BSB is in the public domain.

Around Genesis 15

Also in Terah's line: Abraham

On the road

The Gospel

Places

Ur
Euphrates
Damascus
Egypt

Read alongside

Romans 4:3–5 To the one who believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, faith is credited as righteousness.
Galatians 3:6–9 Those who have faith are sons of Abraham.
James 2:23 Abraham believed God, and he was called a friend of God.
Jeremiah 34:18 Passing between the parts of a divided calf as a covenant oath.
Exodus 20:2 “I am the LORD … who brought you out” echoes 15:7.

Chapters that point here

Exodus 1
Exodus 3
Leviticus 18
Numbers 34
Deuteronomy 7
Deuteronomy 9
Deuteronomy 20
Revelation 7

How Genesis 15 connects

Faith · Genesis 15:6 (Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23)
The Seed Line · Genesis 15:5 (Romans 4:18)
Land · Genesis 15:18–21 · Joshua says the LORD gave all the land He swore to the fathers (Josh 21:43–45).
The Exodus Line · Genesis 15:13–16 (Acts 7:6–7)
Promise · Genesis 15:5, kept in Romans 4:18; Hebrews 11:12
Promise · Genesis 15:13–14, kept in Exodus 12:40–41; Acts 7:6–7
Promise · Genesis 15:18, kept in Joshua 21:43–45
Covenant with Abraham · Genesis 15:7–21 · Ratified by God alone passing between the pieces: the land pledged to Abram's natural offspring after four centuries of waiting. Before it stands 15:6, where the promise of offspring is believed and Abram is justified by faith.

Doctrines Genesis 15 teaches

Justification · Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3–5; Galatians 3:6
Saving faith · Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:18–22
God's decree · Genesis 15:13–16

Questions on Genesis 15

What did Abram do in 15:6, and what was it credited to him as?
Show the answer
Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness (15:6). Paul quotes the verse to show that righteousness is credited in the same way to all who believe (Rom 4:3, 22–25).
What does God foretell about Abram's offspring in 15:13–16?
Show the answer
His offspring will be strangers in a land not their own, enslaved and mistreated four hundred years; then God will judge that nation, they will leave with many possessions, and they will return in the fourth generation, when the Amorites’ iniquity is complete (15:13–16).
Which phrase opens 15:1 and ties it to the battle before it?
Show the answer
“After these events” (15:1). The phrase links the vision to Abram’s battle and his refusal of Sodom’s reward in chapter 14, and God answers as his shield and his very great reward.

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