King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
¶ And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house [is] this Eliezer of Damascus?
Complete Jewish Bible:
Avram replied, "ADONAI, God, what good will your gifts be to me if I continue childless; and Eli'ezer from Dammesek inherits my possessions?
Berean Standard Bible:
But Abram replied, “O Lord GOD, what can You give me, since I remain childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”
American Standard Version:
And Abram said, O Lord Jehovah, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and he that shall be possessor of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And Abram{H87} said{H559}, Lord{H136} GOD{H3069}, what wilt thou give{H5414} me, seeing I go{H1980} childless{H6185}, and the steward{H1121}{H4943} of my house{H1004} is this{H1931} Eliezer{H461} of Damascus{H1834}?
Cross-References (KJV):
Acts 7:5
- And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not [so much as] to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when [as yet] he had no child.
Genesis 25:21
- And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she [was] barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Psalms 127:3
- Lo, children [are] an heritage of the LORD: [and] the fruit of the womb [is his] reward.
Genesis 44:1
- ¶ And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks [with] food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth.
Genesis 39:4
- And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all [that] he had he put into his hand.
Genesis 39:6
- And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was [a] goodly [person], and well favoured.
Proverbs 17:2
- ¶ A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Genesis 15:2
1. Themes:
- Faith and doubt: Abram's response to God's promise reflects a struggle between faith in God's promises and the reality of his current situation, which is childlessness.
- Promise and fulfillment: This verse is part of a larger narrative where God promises Abram descendants as numerous as the stars, which is a central theme in the Abrahamic covenant.
- Inheritance and legacy: Abram is concerned about his legacy, as he has no offspring to inherit his estate, which was a significant concern in the ancient world.
2. Historical Context:
- Patriarchal society: In the cultural context of the time, inheritance was passed on through the male line, making Abram's lack of a biological heir a serious issue.
- Slavery and servant succession: Abram's mention of Eliezer, a servant, as his potential heir reflects the practice where a trusted servant could inherit property in the absence of direct descendants.
- The role of God's promise: Abram's conversation with God occurs after God has already promised to make him a great nation (Genesis 12:2-3). This promise is reiterated and expanded upon in Genesis 15, setting the stage for the covenant ceremony that follows.
In summary, Genesis 15:2 captures Abram's anxiety about his childless state and the future of his household, which is set against the backdrop of God's earlier promises of descendants and land. This moment of doubt is pivotal, as it precedes a divine reassurance and the establishment of a covenant that will shape the identity of the Israelite people.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H87
There are 17014 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אַבְרָם
Transliteration: ʼAbrâm
Pronunciation: ab-rawm'
Description: contracted from אֲבִירָם; high father; Abram, the original name of Abraham; Abram. - Strong's Number: H559
There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמַר
Transliteration: ʼâmar
Pronunciation: aw-mar'
Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. - Strong's Number: H136
There are 910 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֲדֹנָי
Transliteration: ʼĂdônây
Pronunciation: ad-o-noy'
Description: an emphatic form of אָדוֹן; the Lord (used as a proper name of God only); (my) Lord. - Strong's Number: H3069
There are 295 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְהֹוִה
Transliteration: Yᵉhôvih
Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vee'
Description: a variation of יְהֹוָה (used after אֲדֹנָי, and pronounced by Jews as אֱלֹהִים, in order to prevent the repetition of the same sound, since they elsewhere pronounce יְהֹוָה as אֲדֹנָי); {YHWH}; God. - Strong's Number: H5414
There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָתַן
Transliteration: nâthan
Pronunciation: naw-than'
Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield. - Strong's Number: H1980
There are 468 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: הָלַךְ
Transliteration: hâlak
Pronunciation: haw-lak'
Description: akin to יָלַךְ; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively); (all) along, apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant, depart, [phrase] be eased, enter, exercise (self), [phrase] follow, forth, forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on, out, up and down), [phrase] greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead, march, [idiom] more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away), be at the point, quite, run (along), [phrase] send, speedily, spread, still, surely, [phrase] tale-bearer, [phrase] travel(-ler), walk (abroad, on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax, (way-) faring man, [idiom] be weak, whirl. - Strong's Number: H6185
There are 4 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֲרִירִי
Transliteration: ʻărîyrîy
Pronunciation: ar-e-ree'
Description: from עָרַר; bare, i.e. destitute (of children); childless. - Strong's Number: H1121
There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּן
Transliteration: bên
Pronunciation: bane
Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth. - Strong's Number: H4943
There are 1 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מֶשֶׁק
Transliteration: mesheq
Pronunciation: meh'-shek
Description: from an unused root meaning to hold; possession; [phrase] steward. - Strong's Number: H1004
There are 1718 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בַּיִת
Transliteration: bayith
Pronunciation: bah'-yith
Description: probably from בָּנָה abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.); court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web, [phrase] within(-out). - Strong's Number: H1931
There are 39 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: הוּא
Transliteration: hûwʼ
Pronunciation: hoo
Description: of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is הִיא; a primitive word, the third person pronoun singular; he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are; he, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who. - Strong's Number: H461
There are 89 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֱלִיעֶזֶר
Transliteration: ʼĔlîyʻezer
Pronunciation: el-ee-eh'-zer
Description: from אֵל and עֵזֶר; God of help; Eliezer, the name of a Damascene and of ten Israelites; Eliezer. - Strong's Number: H1834
There are 40 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: דַּמֶּשֶׂק
Transliteration: Dammeseq
Pronunciation: dam-meh'-sek
Description: or דּוּמֶשֶׂק; or דַּרְמֶשֶׂק; of foreign origin; Damascus, a city of Syria; Damascus.