Abram said, “Behold, to me you have given no children: and, behold, one born in my house is my heir.”
Parallel translations
- KJV And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
- BSB Abram continued, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
- NKJV Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!”
- NASB Abram also said, “Since You have given me no son, one who has been born in my house is my heir.”
- NLT You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Abram pressed his concern that a household servant would inherit since God had given him no child. He laid his unmet hope plainly before the Lord.
Overview
Repeating his complaint, Abram underscores that the central promise of descendants seems impossible. By naming the servant as his presumed heir, he highlights the gap between word and reality. God does not rebuke this honesty but answers it directly, teaching that faith may voice its struggles while still waiting on God's faithfulness.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Gen 14:14When Abram heard that his relative was taken captive, he led out his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan.
- Prov 29:21He who pampers his servant from youth will have him become a son in the end.
- Eccl 2:7I bought male servants and female servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem;
- Heb 10:35–36Therefore don’t throw away your boldness, which has a great reward.
- Jer 12:1You are righteous, Yahweh, when I contend with you; yet I would reason the cause with you: why does the way of the wicked prosper? why are all they at ease who deal very treacherously?
- Gen 13:16I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can count the dust of the earth, then your offspring may also be counted.
- Prov 30:23for an unloved woman when she is married; and a servant who is heir to her mistress.
- Prov 13:12Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when longing is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.
- Gen 12:2I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing.
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 15:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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