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Genesis 15:18

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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:

In the same {H1931} day {H3117} the LORD {H3068} made {H3772} a covenant {H1285} with Abram {H87}, saying {H559}, Unto thy seed {H2233} have I given {H5414} this land {H776}, from the river {H5104} of Egypt {H4714} unto the great {H1419} river {H5104}, the river {H5104} Euphrates {H6578}:

That day ADONAI made a covenant with Avram: "I have given this land to your descendants - from the Vadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River -

On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—

In that day Jehovah 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:

Commentary

Genesis 15:18 marks a pivotal moment in biblical history, formally establishing the covenant God made with Abram (later Abraham).

Context

This verse concludes a profound encounter between God and Abram, detailed in Genesis chapter 15. Abram had expressed concern over his childlessness, despite God's earlier promise of blessing (Genesis 12:2). In response, God reaffirmed His commitment, promising Abram a multitude of descendants as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:5). The covenant itself was ratified through a solemn ancient Near Eastern ceremony, where God alone, symbolized by a smoking furnace and a burning lamp, passed between the divided animal pieces (Genesis 15:9-17), signifying His unilateral and unconditional commitment.

Key Themes

  • The Abrahamic Covenant: This verse formally names the core agreement between God and Abram, foundational to all subsequent biblical history. It is an unconditional covenant, dependent solely on God's faithfulness.
  • The Promised Land: The verse explicitly defines the geographical boundaries of the land God "given" to Abram's descendants: "from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates." This vast territory encompasses what would become the Land of Israel, also known as Canaan.
  • Divine Sovereignty and Faithfulness: God's declaration, "have I given," uses a past tense verb in Hebrew, indicating that from God's eternal perspective, the land was already a settled possession for Abram's "seed" (descendants), even though its full physical inheritance would take centuries and involved future conquests.
  • Seed of Abraham: The promise is not just to Abram but to his future generations, emphasizing the generational nature of God's blessings and promises.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "made a covenant" translates the Hebrew karat berit (כָּרַת בְּרִית), which literally means "cut a covenant." This refers to the ancient practice of cutting animals in half and parties to the agreement passing between the pieces. This ritual signified that if either party broke the covenant, they would suffer a similar fate. However, in this unique instance, only God (represented by the fiery symbols) passed through, underscoring that the responsibility for fulfilling the covenant rested entirely on Him, not on Abram.

Practical Application

Genesis 15:18 reminds us of God's unwavering faithfulness to His promises. Just as God meticulously fulfilled His covenant with Abraham over centuries, we can trust that His promises to us, including the New Covenant in Christ, are equally reliable. This verse encourages believers to have faith in God's word, even when the fulfillment seems distant or impossible, knowing that His divine plan will ultimately prevail.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Joshua 1:3 (14 votes)

    Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.

  • Joshua 1:4 (14 votes)

    From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.

  • Genesis 12:7 (12 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 13:15 (9 votes)

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

  • Genesis 24:7 (9 votes)

    The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.

  • Isaiah 27:12 (7 votes)

    And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the LORD shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel.

  • Numbers 34:5 (7 votes)

    And the border shall fetch a compass from Azmon unto the river of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea.