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Genesis 15 Commentary

Please choose a passage:

Genesis 15:1-4

Abram questions God because he is still childless and without an heir. God reassures him.

Genesis 15:5-6

Abram believed God’s promise and because of his faith, God counted him righteous.

Genesis 15:10-12

The covenant ceremony is prepared. God causes Abram to fall into a deep sleep.

Genesis 15:13-16

God shows Abram that Israel will be enslaved (in Egypt) for 400 years. Then they will return to the promised land. Abram is told he will live a good long life.

Genesis 15:17-21

God appeared and made the covenant with Abram. God again promises the land to Abram’s descendants and gives the details.

Additional Resources

Genesis is a book about many beginnings. The beginnings of the world, the human race, sin and redemption, and the nation of Israel to name a few. In fact, the word Genesis from the Greek means “origin,” and in Hebrew it means “beginning.” The book of Genesis contains the events of the flood, tower of Babel, Sodom and Gomorrah, and the lives of the Patriarchs.

In the beginning, God created everything by simply speaking, “God said…and it was so” (Genesis 1:6-7, 9, 11, 14-15). This is not a scientific technical account of creation, but it shows a loving God creating a universe and mankind to rule it and fellowship with God. Man was formed especially from the ground and given the breath of life from God. The woman was made from the man’s rib (Genesis 2:7).

After man fell into sin, things began to spin out of control quickly. Cain murdered his brother Abel and the human race became so violent that God decided to destroy them all with a flood. God saved one righteous man (Noah) and his family in an ark filled with animals to deliver the human race from extinction. God chose Abraham and blessed a special group of people named “Israel.” God began to unfold a plan of salvation from a coming famine by sending Joseph to rule in Egypt. The failure of man in every circumstance is met by the salvation of God. We fail, but the good news is God saves us.

Chapter Context

In Genesis chapter 15, the unconditional Abrahamic covenant is confirmed, and the spiritual seed is promised. Abram was leading a more settled life at Hebron, yet he still had no son of his own. Abram requested surety that the promised land would be given to his descendants. God makes a covenant with Abram, promising him descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, even though Sarai had not birthed children. God also promised that the land would belong to Abram’s offspring. God confirms the covenant with a sacrificial ceremony. God explains that before Abram’s seed could inherit Canaan, they would spend 400 years in a foreign land (Egypt). From chapter 15 we learn faith is the key that unlocks the door of promises. God counted Abram as righteous just because he believed. And God rewarded Abram because he acted upon his belief.