Genesis 13:15

For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

For all the land {H776} which thou seest {H7200}, to thee will I give it {H5414}, and to thy seed {H2233} for {H5704} ever {H5769}.

All the land you see I will give to you and your descendants forever,

for all the land that you see, I will give to you and your offspring forever.

for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

Commentary

Genesis 13:15 captures a profound moment where God reaffirms His covenant promises to Abram, specifically regarding the land. Following the separation of Abram and Lot, God instructs Abram to look around him, promising him and his descendants all the land he could see, forever.

Context

This verse immediately follows the amicable, yet significant, separation of Abram and his nephew Lot. Lot chose the fertile plains of the Jordan, leaving Abram with the less appealing hill country of Canaan. In this moment of potential isolation or uncertainty for Abram, God steps in to reassure and reaffirm His commitment. God's instruction to "lift up now thine eyes, and look" (Genesis 13:14) emphasizes a visual confirmation of the vast territory that would become the inheritance of his lineage, the future nation of Israel. This divine reconfirmation solidifies the foundational **Abrahamic Covenant** promise concerning the land.

Key Themes

  • Divine Faithfulness and Unconditional Promise: This verse underscores God's unwavering commitment to His word. The promise of the land to Abram and his "seed" is presented as an unconditional gift, not dependent on human merit but on God's sovereign will, echoing the initial call in Genesis 12:1-3.
  • The Land as Eternal Inheritance: The promise of "all the land which thou seest" is central to Israel's identity and future. The phrase "for ever" highlights the perpetual nature of this inheritance for Abram's descendants. This physical land promise foreshadows a greater, spiritual inheritance for believers in Christ.
  • The Significance of "Seed": The term "thy seed" refers primarily to Abram's numerous physical descendants who would inherit the land. However, prophetically, the Apostle Paul interprets "seed" in a singular sense, pointing to Jesus Christ, through whom the spiritual blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant extend to all who believe.

Linguistic Insights

  • The Hebrew word for "seed" is zera (Χ–ΦΆΧ¨Φ·Χ’), which can be used collectively for descendants or singularly, as seen in the Messianic interpretation in the New Testament.
  • The phrase "for ever" comes from the Hebrew 'olam (Χ’Χ•ΦΉΧœΦΈΧ), which denotes an indefinite duration, often perpetual or eternal, especially when referring to divine promises or covenants.

Practical Application

Genesis 13:15 offers profound lessons for believers today:

  • Trusting God's Vision: Just as Abram was called to trust God's promise for a land he could only see, we are called to trust God's promises for our lives, even when the full realization is not yet visible. It encourages us to have a spiritual vision, believing in what God has declared.
  • God's Unwavering Faithfulness: This verse serves as a powerful reminder of God's unchanging nature and His unwavering faithfulness to His covenants. If God promised and delivered on such a grand scale to Abram, He will surely be faithful to His promises to us.
  • Spiritual Inheritance in Christ: For Christians, this promise of a physical land points to a greater, spiritual inheritance. Through faith in Christ, we become "heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:29), inheriting eternal life and a place in God's eternal kingdom.
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Cross-References

  • 2 Chronicles 20:7 (11 votes)

    [Art] not thou our God, [who] didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?

  • Genesis 15:18 (7 votes)

    In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

  • Genesis 12:7 (7 votes)

    And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

  • Genesis 35:12 (7 votes)

    And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.

  • Nehemiah 9:7 (6 votes)

    Thou [art] the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham;

  • Nehemiah 9:8 (6 votes)

    And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give [it, I say], to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou [art] righteous:

  • Acts 7:5 (6 votes)

    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.