Genesis 15:1-21

The Cutting of the Covenant

15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield ¹  and the one who will reward you in great abundance.” ² 

15:2 But Abram said, “O sovereign Lord, ³  what will you give me since ⁴  I continue to be ⁵  childless, and my heir ⁶  is ⁷  Eliezer of Damascus?” ⁸  15:3 Abram added, ⁹  “Since ¹⁰  you have not given me a descendant, then look, one born in my house will be my heir!” ¹¹ 

15:4 But look, ¹²  the word of the Lord came to him: “This man ¹³  will not be your heir, ¹⁴  but instead ¹⁵  a son ¹⁶  who comes from your own body will be ¹⁷  your heir.” ¹⁸  15:5 The Lord ¹⁹  took him outside and said, “Gaze into the sky and count the stars – if you are able to count them!” Then he said to him, “So will your descendants be.”

15:6 Abram believed ²⁰  the Lord, and the Lord ²¹  considered his response of faith ²²  as proof of genuine loyalty. ²³ 

15:7 The Lord said ²⁴  to him, “I am the Lord ²⁵  who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans ²⁶  to give you this land to possess.” 15:8 But ²⁷  Abram ²⁸  said, “O sovereign Lord, ²⁹  by what ³⁰  can I know that I am to possess it?”

15:9 The Lord ³¹  said to him, “Take for me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.” 15:10 So Abram ³²  took all these for him and then cut them in two ³³  and placed each half opposite the other, ³⁴  but he did not cut the birds in half. 15:11 When birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

15:12 When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, ³⁵  and great terror overwhelmed him. ³⁶  15:13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain ³⁷  that your descendants will be strangers ³⁸  in a foreign country. ³⁹  They will be enslaved and oppressed ⁴⁰  for four hundred years. 15:14 But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve. ⁴¹  Afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15:15 But as for you, ⁴²  you will go to your ancestors ⁴³  in peace and be buried at a good old age. ⁴⁴  15:16 In the fourth generation ⁴⁵  your descendants ⁴⁶  will return here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit.” ⁴⁷ 

15:17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking firepot with a flaming torch ⁴⁸  passed between the animal parts. ⁴⁹  15:18 That day the Lord made a covenant ⁵⁰  with Abram: “To your descendants I give ⁵¹  this land, from the river of Egypt ⁵²  to the great river, the Euphrates River – 15:19 the land ⁵³  of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 15:20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 15:21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.” ⁵⁴ 

Genesis 26:16

26:16 Then Abimelech said to Isaac, “Leave us and go elsewhere, ⁵⁵  for you have become much more powerful ⁵⁶  than we are.”

Ezekiel 16:6-8

16:6 “‘I passed by you and saw you kicking around helplessly in your blood. I said to you as you lay there in your blood, “Live!” I said to you as you lay there in your blood, “Live!” ⁵⁷  16:7 I made you plentiful like sprouts in a field; you grew tall and came of age so that you could wear jewelry. Your breasts had formed and your hair had grown, but you were still naked and bare.

16:8 “‘Then I passed by you and watched you, noticing ⁵⁸  that you had reached the age for love. ⁵⁹  I spread my cloak ⁶⁰  over you and covered your nakedness. I swore a solemn oath to you and entered into a marriage covenant with you, declares the sovereign Lord, and you became mine.

Matthew 19:30

19:30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Romans 5:20

5:20 Now the law came in ⁶¹  so that the transgression ⁶²  may increase, but where sin increased, grace multiplied all the more,

Romans 9:15-24

9:15 For he says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” ⁶³  9:16 So then, ⁶⁴  it does not depend on human desire or exertion, ⁶⁵  but on God who shows mercy. 9:17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh: ⁶⁶  “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may demonstrate my power in you, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” ⁶⁷  9:18 So then, ⁶⁸  God ⁶⁹  has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden. ⁷⁰ 

9:19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who has ever resisted his will?” 9:20 But who indeed are you – a mere human being ⁷¹  – to talk back to God? ⁷²  Does what is molded say to the molder, “Why have you made me like this?” ⁷³  9:21 Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay ⁷⁴  one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use? ⁷⁵  9:22 But what if God, willing to demonstrate his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects ⁷⁶  of wrath ⁷⁷  prepared for destruction? ⁷⁸  9:23 And what if he is willing to make known the wealth of his glory on the objects ⁷⁹  of mercy that he has prepared beforehand for glory – 9:24 even us, whom he has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

Romans 10:20

10:20 And Isaiah is even bold enough to say, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I became well known to those who did not ask for me.” ⁸⁰ 

Galatians 1:15-16

1:15 But when the one ⁸¹  who set me apart from birth ⁸²  and called me by his grace was pleased 1:16 to reveal his Son in ⁸³  me so that I could preach him ⁸⁴  among the Gentiles, I did not go to ask advice from ⁸⁵  any human being, ⁸⁶ 

Galatians 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Paul, ⁸⁷  an apostle (not from men, nor by human agency, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead)

Galatians 1:14-16

1:14 I ⁸⁸  was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my nation, ⁸⁹  and was ⁹⁰  extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. ⁹¹  1:15 But when the one ⁹²  who set me apart from birth ⁹³  and called me by his grace was pleased 1:16 to reveal his Son in ⁹⁴  me so that I could preach him ⁹⁵  among the Gentiles, I did not go to ask advice from ⁹⁶  any human being, ⁹⁷ 

[15:1]  ¹ sn The noun “shield” recalls the words of Melchizedek in 14:20. If God is the shield, then God will deliver. Abram need not fear reprisals from those he has fought.

[15:1]  ² tn Heb “your reward [in] great abundance.” When the phrase הַרְבּה מְאֹדֵ (harbeh mÿod) follows a noun it invariably modifies the noun and carries the nuance “very great” or “in great abundance.” (See its use in Gen 41:49; Deut 3:5; Josh 22:8; 2 Sam 8:8; 12:2; 1 Kgs 4:29; 10:10-11; 2 Chr 14:13; 32:27; Jer 40:12.) Here the noun “reward” is in apposition to “shield” and refers by metonymy to God as the source of the reward. Some translate here “your reward will be very great” (cf. NASB, NRSV), taking the statement as an independent clause and understanding the Hiphil infinitive absolute as a substitute for a finite verb. However, the construction הַרְבּה מְאֹדֵ is never used this way elsewhere, where it either modifies a noun (see the texts listed above) or serves as an adverb in relation to a finite verb (see Josh 13:1; 1 Sam 26:21; 2 Sam 12:30; 2 Kgs 21:16; 1 Chr 20:2; Neh 2:2).

[15:2]  ³ tn The Hebrew text has אֲדֹנָי יֱהוִה (’adonay yehvih, “Master, Lord”). Since the tetragrammaton (YHWH) usually is pointed with the vowels for the Hebrew word אֲדֹנָי (’adonay, “master”) to avoid pronouncing the divine name, that would lead in this place to a repetition of אֲדֹנָי. So the tetragrammaton is here pointed with the vowels for the word אֱלֹהִים (’elohim, “God”) instead. That would produce the reading of the Hebrew as “Master, God” in the Jewish textual tradition. But the presence of “Master” before the holy name is rather compelling evidence that the original would have been “Master, Lord,” which is rendered here “sovereign Lord.”

[15:2]  ⁴ tn The vav (ו) disjunctive at the beginning of the clause is circumstantial, expressing the cause or reason.

[15:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “I am going.”

[15:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “the son of the acquisition of my house.”

[15:2]  ⁷ tn The pronoun is anaphoric here, equivalent to the verb “to be” (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 23, §115).

[15:2]  ⁸ sn The sentence in the Hebrew text employs a very effective wordplay on the name Damascus: “The son of the acquisition (בֶּן־מֶשֶׁק, ben-mesheq) of my house is Eliezer of Damascus (דַּמֶּשֶׁק, dammesheq).” The words are not the same; they have different sibilants. But the sound play gives the impression that “in the nomen is the omen.” Eliezer the Damascene will be Abram’s heir if Abram dies childless because “Damascus” seems to mean that. See M. F. Unger, “Some Comments on the Text of Genesis 15:2-3,” JBL 72 (1953): 49-50; H. L. Ginsberg, “Abram’s ‘Damascene’ Steward,” BASOR 200 (1970): 31-32.

[15:3]  ⁹ tn Heb “And Abram said.”

[15:3]  ¹⁰ tn The construction uses הֵן (hen) to introduce the foundational clause (“since…”), and וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh) to introduce the main clause (“then look…”).

[15:3]  ¹¹ tn Heb “is inheriting me.”

[15:4]  ¹² tn The disjunctive draws attention to God’s response and the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, translated “look”) mirrors Abram’s statement in v. 3 and highlights the fact that God responded to Abram.

[15:4]  ¹³ tn The subject of the verb is the demonstrative pronoun, which can be translated “this one” or “this man.” That the Lord does not mention him by name is significant; often in ancient times the use of the name would bring legitimacy to inheritance and adoption cases.

[15:4]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “inherit you.”

[15:4]  ¹⁵ tn The Hebrew כִּי־אִם (ki-’im) forms a very strong adversative.

[15:4]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “he who”; the implied referent (Abram’s unborn son who will be his heir) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:4]  ¹⁷ tn The pronoun could also be an emphatic subject: “whoever comes out of your body, he will inherit you.”

[15:4]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “will inherit you.”

[15:5]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:6]  ²⁰ tn The nonconsecutive vav (ו) is on a perfect verbal form. If the composer of the narrative had wanted to show simple sequence, he would have used the vav consecutive with the preterite. The perfect with vav conjunctive (where one expects the preterite with vav consecutive) in narrative contexts can have a variety of discourse functions, but here it probably serves to highlight Abram’s response to God’s promise. For a detailed discussion of the vav + perfect construction in Hebrew narrative, see R. Longacre, “Weqatal Forms in Biblical Hebrew Prose: A Discourse-modular Approach,” Biblical Hebrew and Discourse Linguistics, 50-98. The Hebrew verb אָמַן (’aman) means “to confirm, to support” in the Qal verbal stem. Its derivative nouns refer to something or someone that/who provides support, such as a “pillar,” “nurse,” or “guardian, trustee.” In the Niphal stem it comes to mean “to be faithful, to be reliable, to be dependable,” or “to be firm, to be sure.” In the Hiphil, the form used here, it takes on a declarative sense: “to consider something reliable [or “dependable”].” Abram regarded the God who made this promise as reliable and fully capable of making it a reality.

[15:6]  ²¹ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:6]  ²² tn Heb “and he reckoned it to him.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix refers back to Abram’s act of faith, mentioned in the preceding clause. On third feminine singular pronouns referring back to verbal ideas see GKC 440-41 §135.p. Some propose taking the suffix as proleptic, anticipating the following feminine noun (“righteousness”). In this case one might translate: “and he reckoned it to him – [namely] righteousness.” See O. P. Robertson, “Genesis 15:6: A New Covenant Exposition of an Old Covenant Text,” WTJ 42 (1980): 259-89.

[15:6]  ²³ tn Or “righteousness”; or “evidence of steadfast commitment.” The noun is an adverbial accusative. The verb translated “considered” (Heb “reckoned”) also appears with צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah, “righteousness”) in Ps 106:31. Alluding to the events recorded in Numbers 25, the psalmist notes that Phinehas’ actions were “credited to him as righteousness for endless generations to come.” Reference is made to the unconditional, eternal covenant with which God rewarded Phinehas’ loyalty (Num 25:12-13). So צְדָקָה seems to carry by metonymy the meaning “loyal, rewardable behavior” here, a nuance that fits nicely in Genesis 15, where God responds to Abram’s faith by formally ratifying his promise to give Abram and his descendants the land. (See R. B. Chisholm, “Evidence from Genesis,” A Case for Premillennialism, 40.) In Phoenician and Old Aramaic inscriptions cognate nouns glossed as “correct, justifiable conduct” sometimes carry this same semantic nuance (DNWSI 2:962).

[15:7]  ²⁴ tn Heb “And he said.”

[15:7]  ²⁵ sn I am the Lord. The Lord initiates the covenant-making ceremony with a declaration of who he is and what he has done for Abram. The same form appears at the beginning of the covenant made at Sinai (see Exod 20:1).

[15:7]  ²⁶ sn The phrase of the Chaldeans is a later editorial clarification for the readers, designating the location of Ur. From all evidence there would have been no Chaldeans in existence at this early date; they are known in the time of the neo-Babylonian empire in the first millennium b.c.

[15:8]  ²⁷ tn Here the vav carries adversative force and is translated “but.”

[15:8]  ²⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:8]  ²⁹ tn See note on the phrase “sovereign Lord” in 15:2.

[15:8]  ³⁰ tn Or “how.”

[15:9]  ³¹ tn Heb “He”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:10]  ³² tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:10]  ³³ tn Heb “in the middle.”

[15:10]  ³⁴ tn Heb “to meet its neighbor.”

[15:12]  ³⁵ tn Heb “a deep sleep fell on Abram.”

[15:12]  ³⁶ tn Heb “and look, terror, a great darkness was falling on him.”

[15:13]  ³⁷ tn The Hebrew construction is emphatic, with the Qal infinitive absolute followed by the imperfect from יָדַע (yada’, “know”). The imperfect here has an obligatory or imperatival force.

[15:13]  ³⁸ tn The Hebrew word גֵּר (ger, “sojourner, stranger”) is related to the verb גּוּר (gur, “to sojourn, to stay for awhile”). Abram’s descendants will stay in a land as resident aliens without rights of citizenship.

[15:13]  ³⁹ tn Heb “in a land not theirs.”

[15:13]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “and they will serve them and they will oppress them.” The verb עִנּוּ, (’innu, a Piel form from עָנָה, ’anah, “to afflict, to oppress, to treat harshly”), is used in Exod 1:11 to describe the oppression of the Israelites in Egypt.

[15:14]  ⁴¹ tn The participle דָּן (dan, from דִּין, din) is used here for the future: “I am judging” = “I will surely judge.” The judgment in this case will be condemnation and punishment. The translation “execute judgment on” implies that the judgment will certainly be carried out.

[15:15]  ⁴² tn The vav with the pronoun before the verb calls special attention to the subject in contrast to the preceding subject.

[15:15]  ⁴³ sn You will go to your ancestors. This is a euphemistic expression for death.

[15:15]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “in a good old age.”

[15:16]  ⁴⁵ sn The term generation is being used here in its widest sense to refer to a full life span. When the chronological factors are considered and the genealogies tabulated, there are four hundred years of bondage. This suggests that in this context a generation is equivalent to one hundred years.

[15:16]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “they”; the referent (“your descendants”) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[15:16]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “is not yet complete.”

[15:17]  ⁴⁸ sn A smoking pot with a flaming torch. These same implements were used in Mesopotamian rituals designed to ward off evil (see E. A. Speiser, Genesis [AB], 113-14).

[15:17]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “these pieces.”

[15:18]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “cut a covenant.”

[15:18]  ⁵¹ tn The perfect verbal form is understood as instantaneous (“I here and now give”). Another option is to understand it as rhetorical, indicating certitude (“I have given” meaning it is as good as done, i.e., “I will surely give”).

[15:18]  ⁵² sn The river of Egypt is a wadi (a seasonal stream) on the northeastern border of Egypt, not to the River Nile.

[15:19]  ⁵³ tn The words “the land” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[15:21]  ⁵⁴ tn Each of the names in the list has the Hebrew definite article, which is used here generically for the class of people identified.

[26:16]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “Go away from us.”

[26:16]  ⁵⁶ sn You have become much more powerful. This explanation for the expulsion of Isaac from Philistine territory foreshadows the words used later by the Egyptians to justify their oppression of Israel (see Exod 1:9).

[16:6]  ⁵⁷ tc The translation reflects the Hebrew text, which repeats the statement, perhaps for emphasis. However, a few medieval Hebrew manuscripts, the Old Greek, and the Syriac do not include the repetition. The statement could have been accidentally repeated or the second occurrence could have been accidentally omitted. Based on the available evidence it is difficult to know which is more likely.

[16:8]  ⁵⁸ tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a participle.

[16:8]  ⁵⁹ tn See similar use of this term in Ezek 23:17; Prov 7:16; Song of Songs 4:10; 7:13.

[16:8]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “wing” or “skirt.” The gesture symbolized acquiring a woman in early Arabia (similarly, see Deut 22:30; Ruth 3:9).

[5:20]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “slipped in.”

[5:20]  ⁶² tn Or “trespass.”

[9:15]  ⁶³ sn A quotation from Exod 33:19.

[9:16]  ⁶⁴ sn There is a double connective here that cannot be easily preserved in English: “consequently therefore,” emphasizing the conclusion of what he has been arguing.

[9:16]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “So then, [it does] not [depend] on the one who desires nor on the one who runs.”

[9:17]  ⁶⁶ sn Paul uses a typical rabbinic formula here in which the OT scriptures are figuratively portrayed as speaking to Pharaoh. What he means is that the scripture he cites refers (or can be applied) to Pharaoh.

[9:17]  ⁶⁷ sn A quotation from Exod 9:16.

[9:18]  ⁶⁸ sn There is a double connective here that cannot be easily preserved in English: “consequently therefore,” emphasizing the conclusion of what he has been arguing.

[9:18]  ⁶⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:18]  ⁷⁰ tn Grk “So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires.”

[9:20]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “O man.”

[9:20]  ⁷² tn Grk “On the contrary, O man, who are you to talk back to God?”

[9:20]  ⁷³ sn A quotation from Isa 29:16; 45:9.

[9:21]  ⁷⁴ tn Grk “Or does not the potter have authority over the clay to make from the same lump.”

[9:21]  ⁷⁵ tn Grk “one vessel for honor and another for dishonor.”

[9:22]  ⁷⁶ tn Grk “vessels.” This is the same Greek word used in v. 21.

[9:22]  ⁷⁷ tn Or “vessels destined for wrath.” The genitive ὀργῆς (orghs) could be taken as a genitive of destination.

[9:22]  ⁷⁸ tn Or possibly “objects of wrath that have fit themselves for destruction.” The form of the participle could be taken either as a passive or middle (reflexive). ExSyn 417-18 argues strongly for the passive sense (which is followed in the translation), stating that “the middle view has little to commend it.” First, καταρτίζω (katartizw) is nowhere else used in the NT as a direct or reflexive middle (a usage which, in any event, is quite rare in the NT). Second, the lexical force of this verb, coupled with the perfect tense, suggests something of a “done deal” (against some commentaries that see these vessels as ready for destruction yet still able to avert disaster). Third, the potter-clay motif seems to have one point: The potter prepares the clay.

[9:23]  ⁷⁹ tn Grk “vessels.” This is the same Greek word used in v. 21.

[10:20]  ⁸⁰ sn A quotation from Isa 65:1.

[1:15]  ⁸¹ tc ‡ Several important witnesses have ὁ θεός (Jo qeos) after εὐδόκησεν (eudokhsen; so א A D Ψ 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï co) while the shorter reading is supported by Ì⁴⁶ B F G 629 1505 pc lat. There is hardly any reason why scribes would omit the words (although the Beatty papyrus and the Western text do at times omit words and phrases), but several reasons why scribes would add the words (especially the need to clarify). The confluence of witnesses for the shorter reading (including a few fathers and versions) adds strong support for its authenticity. It is also in keeping with Paul’s style to refrain from mentioning God by name as a rhetorical device (cf. ExSyn 437 [although this section deals with passive constructions, the principle is the same]). NA²⁷ includes the words in brackets, indicating some doubts as to their authenticity.

[1:15]  ⁸² tn Grk “from my mother’s womb.”

[1:16]  ⁸³ tn Or “to me”; the Greek preposition ἐν (en) can mean either, depending on the context.

[1:16]  ⁸⁴ tn This pronoun refers to “his Son,” mentioned earlier in the verse.

[1:16]  ⁸⁵ tn Or “I did not consult with.” For the translation “I did not go to ask advice from” see L&N 33.175.

[1:16]  ⁸⁶ tn Grk “from flesh and blood.”

[1:1]  ⁸⁷ tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[1:14]  ⁸⁸ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[1:14]  ⁸⁹ tn Or “among my race.”

[1:14]  ⁹⁰ tn Grk “was advancing beyond…nation, being.” The participle ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) was translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[1:14]  ⁹¹ sn The traditions of my ancestors refers to both Pharisaic and popular teachings of this time which eventually were codified in Jewish literature such as the Mishnah, Midrashim, and Targums.

[1:15]  ⁹² tc ‡ Several important witnesses have ὁ θεός (Jo qeos) after εὐδόκησεν (eudokhsen; so א A D Ψ 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï co) while the shorter reading is supported by Ì⁴⁶ B F G 629 1505 pc lat. There is hardly any reason why scribes would omit the words (although the Beatty papyrus and the Western text do at times omit words and phrases), but several reasons why scribes would add the words (especially the need to clarify). The confluence of witnesses for the shorter reading (including a few fathers and versions) adds strong support for its authenticity. It is also in keeping with Paul’s style to refrain from mentioning God by name as a rhetorical device (cf. ExSyn 437 [although this section deals with passive constructions, the principle is the same]). NA²⁷ includes the words in brackets, indicating some doubts as to their authenticity.

[1:15]  ⁹³ tn Grk “from my mother’s womb.”

[1:16]  ⁹⁴ tn Or “to me”; the Greek preposition ἐν (en) can mean either, depending on the context.

[1:16]  ⁹⁵ tn This pronoun refers to “his Son,” mentioned earlier in the verse.

[1:16]  ⁹⁶ tn Or “I did not consult with.” For the translation “I did not go to ask advice from” see L&N 33.175.

[1:16]  ⁹⁷ tn Grk “from flesh and blood.”