Genesis

Genesis 15:4–8

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.”a

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

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.”

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

Footnotes

  • a 15:5 Cited in Romans 4:18|ROM 4:18
  • b 15:6 Cited in Romans 4:3|ROM 4:3, Romans 4:22, Galatians 3:6, and James 2:23

Read all of Genesis 15

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 15:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Thenוְהִנֵּ֨הwə·hin·nêhConjunctive waw; InterjectionH2009 lo! behold!
the wordדְבַר־ḏə·ḇar-Noun - masculine singular constructH1697 speech, word
of the LORDיְהוָ֤הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
came toאֵלָיו֙’ê·lāwPreposition; third person masculine singularH413 motion to
sayingלֵאמֹ֔רlê·mōrPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH559 utter, say
Thisזֶ֑הzehPronoun - masculine singularH2088 this, that
one will notלֹ֥אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
be your heirיִֽירָשְׁךָ֖yî·rā·šə·ḵāVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; second person masculine singularH3423 take possession of, inherit, dispossess
butכִּי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
oneה֖וּאhūPronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
whoאֲשֶׁ֣ר’ă·šerPronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
comes fromיֵצֵ֣אyê·ṣêVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH3318 go or come out
your own bodyמִמֵּעֶ֔יךָmim·mê·‘e·ḵāPreposition-m; Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singularH4578 internal organs, inward parts (intestines, bowels), belly
will be your heirיִֽירָשֶֽׁךָ׃yî·rā·še·ḵāVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; second person masculine singularH3423 take possession of, inherit, dispossess

Genesis 15:5

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Andוַיּוֹצֵ֨אway·yō·w·ṣêConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH3318 go or come out
himאֹת֜וֹ’ō·ṯōwDirect object marker; third person masculine singularH853 mark of the accusative
outsideהַח֗וּצָהha·ḥū·ṣāhArticle; Noun - masculine singular; third person feminine singularH2351 the outside
and saidוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙way·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Nowנָ֣אnāInterjectionH4994 I (we) pray, now
lookהַבֶּט־hab·beṭ-Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singularH5027 look
to the heavensהַשָּׁמַ֗יְמָהhaš·šā·may·māhArticle; Noun - masculine plural; third person feminine singularH8064 sky, aloft
and countוּסְפֹר֙ū·sə·p̄ōrConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH5608 count
the starsהַכּ֣וֹכָבִ֔יםhak·kō·w·ḵā·ḇîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH3556 star
if youאִם־’im-ConjunctionH518 if
are ableתּוּכַ֖לtū·ḵalVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH3201 be able, have power, prevail, endure
Then He toldוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
himל֔וֹlōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
Soכֹּ֥הkōhAdverbH3541 thus, here
your offspringזַרְעֶֽךָ׃zar·‘e·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH2233 sowing, seed, offspring
beיִהְיֶ֖הyih·yehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be

Genesis 15:6

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Abram believedוְהֶאֱמִ֖ןwə·he·’ĕ·minConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH539 confirm, support
the LORDבַּֽיהוָ֑הYah·wehPreposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
and it was creditedוַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָway·yaḥ·šə·ḇe·hāConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person feminine singularH2803 think, account
to himלּ֖וֹlōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
as righteousnessצְדָקָֽה׃ṣə·ḏā·qāhNoun - feminine singularH6666 righteousness

Genesis 15:7

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
also toldוַיֹּ֖אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
himאֵלָ֑יו’ê·lāwPreposition; third person masculine singularH413 motion to
Iאֲנִ֣י’ă·nîPronoun - first person common singularH589 I
am the LORDיְהוָ֗הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
whoאֲשֶׁ֤ר’ă·šerPronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
brought youהוֹצֵאתִ֙יךָ֙hō·w·ṣê·ṯî·ḵāVerb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular; second person masculine singularH3318 go or come out
out of Urמֵא֣וּרmê·’ūrPreposition-m; Noun - proper - feminine singularH218 Ur
of the Chaldeansכַּשְׂדִּ֔יםkaś·dîmNoun - proper - masculine pluralH3778 Chaldean
to giveלָ֧תֶתlā·ṯeṯPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH5414 give, put, set
youלְךָ֛lə·ḵāPreposition; second person masculine singular
thisהַזֹּ֖אתhaz·zōṯArticle; Pronoun - feminine singularH2063 this
landהָאָ֥רֶץhā·’ā·reṣArticle; Noun - feminine singularH776 earth, land
to possessלְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃lə·riš·tāhPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person feminine singularH3423 take possession of, inherit, dispossess

Genesis 15:8

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Butוַיֹּאמַ֑רway·yō·marConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Lordאֲדֹנָ֣י’ă·ḏō·nāyNoun - proper - masculine singularH136 lord
GODיֱהוִ֔הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3069 Yahweh
howבַּמָּ֥הbam·māhPreposition-b; InterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
can I knowאֵדַ֖ע’ê·ḏa‘Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH3045 know
thatכִּ֥יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
I will possess itאִֽירָשֶֽׁנָּה׃’î·rā·šen·nāhVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular; third person feminine singularH3423 take possession of, inherit, dispossess

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Genesis 15:4 Genesis 17:16 · 2 Samuel 7:12 · Galatians 4:28 · Genesis 21:12 · 2 Chronicles 32:21

Genesis 15:5 Hebrews 11:12 · Romans 4:18 · Deuteronomy 1:10 · Exodus 32:13 · Genesis 22:17 · Deuteronomy 10:22 · Jeremiah 33:22 · 1 Chronicles 27:23 · Psalm 147:4 · Romans 9:7–8 · Genesis 12:2 · Genesis 16:10

Genesis 15:6 James 2:23 · Galatians 3:6–14 · Romans 4:9 · Romans 4:20–25 · Romans 4:3–6 · Hebrews 11:8 · Psalm 106:31 · Romans 4:11

Genesis 15:7 Genesis 12:1 · Acts 7:2–4 · Nehemiah 9:7–8 · Psalm 105:44 · Genesis 13:15–17 · Romans 4:13 · Psalm 105:42

Genesis 15:8 Luke 1:18 · Luke 1:34 · Isaiah 7:11 · 2 Kings 20:8 · Judges 6:17–24 · Psalm 86:17 · Judges 6:36–40 · Genesis 24:13–14 · 1 Samuel 14:9–10 · Genesis 24:2–4

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.