Notes for Gen 15:1LEB
The noun "shield" recalls the words of Melchizedek in 14:20. If Elohim is the shield, then Elohim will deliver. Abram need not fear reprisals from those he has fought.
Heb "your reward [in] great abundance." When the phrase הַרְבּה מְאֹדֵ (harbeh méod) follows a noun it invariably modifies the noun and carries the nuance "very great" or "in great abundance." (See its use in Gen 41:49LEB; Deut 3:5; Josh 22:8LEB; 2 Sam 8:8LEB;Sam 12:2LEB; 1 Kgs 4:29; 1 Kgs 10:10–11LEB; 2 Chr 14:13; 1 Kgs 32:27LEB; Jer 40:12LEB.) Here the noun "reward" is in apposition to "shield" and refers by metonymy to Elohim 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 13:1LEB; 1 Sam 26:21LEB; 2 Sam 12:30LEB; 2 Kgs 21:16LEB; 1 Chr 20:2LEB; Neh 2:2LEB).
Abram has just rejected all the spoils of war, and the Elohim promises to reward him in great abundance. In walking by faith and living with integrity he cannot lose.
Notes for Gen 15:2LEB
The Hebrew text has אֲדֹנָי יֱהוִה (’adonay yehvih, "Master, Elohim"). 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, "Elohim") instead. That would produce the reading of the Hebrew as "Master, Elohim" in the Jewish textual tradition. But the presence of "Master" before the Set-apart name is rather compelling evidence that the original would have been "Master, Elohim," which is rendered here "sovereign Elohim."
The vav (ו) disjunctive at the beginning of the clause is circumstantial, expressing the cause or reason.
Heb "I am going."
Heb "the son of the acquisition of my house."
For the custom of designating a member of the household as heir, see C. H. Gordon, "Biblical Customs and the Nuzu Tablets," Biblical Archaeologist Reader, 2:21–33.
The pronoun is anaphoric here, equivalent to the verb "to be" (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 23, §115).
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.
Notes for Gen 15:3LEB
Heb "And Abram said."
The construction uses הֵן (hen) to introduce the foundational clause ("since…"), and וְהִנֵּה (véhinneh) to introduce the main clause ("then look…").
Heb "is inheriting me."
Notes for Gen 15:4LEB
The disjunctive draws attention to Elohim’s response and the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, translated "look") mirrors Abram’s statement in v. 3 and highlights the fact that Elohim responded to Abram.
The subject of the verb is the demonstrative pronoun, which can be translated "this one" or "this man." That the Elohim 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.
Heb "inherit you."
The Hebrew כִּי־אִם (ki-’im) forms a very strong adversative.
Heb "he who"; the implied referent (Abram’s unborn son who will be his heir) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
The pronoun could also be an emphatic subject: "whoever comes out of your body, he will inherit you."
Heb "will inherit you."
Notes for Gen 15:5LEB
Heb "he"; the referent (the Elohim) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Notes for Gen 15:6LEB
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 Elohim’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 Elohim who made this promise as reliable and fully capable of making it a reality.
Heb "and he"; the referent (the Elohim) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
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.
Or "righteousness"; or "evidence of steadfast commitment." The noun is an adverbial accusative. The verb translated "considered" (Heb "reckoned") also appears with צְדָקָה (tsédaqah, "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 Elohim 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 Elohim 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).
This episode is basic to the NT teaching of Paul on justification (Romans 4). Paul weaves this passage and Psalm 32 together, for both use this word. Paul explains that for the one who believes in the Elohim, like Abram, Elohim credits him with righteousness but does not credit his sins against him because he is forgiven. Justification does not mean that the believer is righteous; it means that Elohim credits him with righteousness, so that in the records of heaven (as it were) he is declared righteous. See M. G. Kline, "Abram’s Amen," WTJ 31 (1968): 1-11.
Notes for Gen 15:7LEB
Heb "And he said."I am the Elohim. The Elohim 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 20:1LEB).
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.
Notes for Gen 15:8LEB
Here the vav carries adversative force and is translated "but."
Heb "he"; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
See note on the phrase "sovereign Elohim" in 15:2.
Or "how."
Notes for Gen 15:9LEB
Heb
"He"; the referent (the Elohim) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Notes for Gen 15:10LEB
Heb "he"; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Heb "in the middle."
Heb "to meet its neighbor."
For discussion of this ritual see G. F. Hasel, "The Meaning of the Animal Rite in Genesis 15, " JSOT 19 (1981): 61-78.
Notes for Gen 15:12LEB
Heb "a deep sleep fell on Abram."
Heb "and look, terror, a great darkness was falling on him."
Notes for Gen 15:13LEB
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.
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.
Heb "in a land not theirs."
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 1:11LEB to describe the oppression of the Israelites in Egypt.
Notes for Gen 15:14LEB
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.
Notes for Gen 15:15LEB
The vav with the pronoun before the verb calls special attention to the subject in contrast to the preceding subject.
You will go to your ancestors. This is a euphemistic expression for death.
Heb "in a good old age."
Notes for Gen 15:16LEB
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.
Heb "they"; the referent ("your descendants") has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
Heb "is not yet complete."
The sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit. The justice of Elohim is apparent. He will wait until the Amorites are fully deserving of judgment before he annihilates them and gives the land to Israel.
Notes for Gen 15:17LEB
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).
Heb "these pieces."
Notes for Gen 15:18LEB
Heb "cut a covenant."
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").
To your descendants I give this land. The Elohim here unconditionally promises that Abram’s descendants will possess the land, but he does not yet ratify his earlier promises to give Abram a multitude of descendants and eternal possession of the land. The fulfillment of those aspects of the promise remain conditional (see Gen 17:1–8LEB) and are ratified after Abraham offers up his son Isaac (see Gen 22:1–19LEB). For a fuller discussion see R. B. Chisholm, "Evidence from Genesis," A Case for Premillennialism, 35–54.
The river of Egypt is a wadi (a seasonal stream) on the northeastern border of Egypt, not to the River Nile.
Notes for Gen 15:19LEB
The words "the land" are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
Notes for Gen 15:21LEB
Each of the names in the list has the Hebrew definite article, which is used here generically for the class of people identified.