And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
Read it in contextGod Confirms His Promise
Start reading at Genesis 15:8 (Genesis 15:8 to Genesis 15:21).
An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
This unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. The narrative concentrates on God's promises to Abraham, the birth of Isaac, and the continuation of the family through whom the earlier promise is carried forward.
15:8And he said, LORD God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?
15:9And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
15:10And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.
15:11And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.
15:12And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
15:13And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
15:14And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
15:15And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
15:16But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
15:17And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.
15:18In 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:
15:19The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,
15:20And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,
15:21And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
Study content, not yet reviewed.
Who
Who wrote the book? Moses is the traditional Jewish and Christian author of Genesis as part of the Pentateuch. Genesis itself does not explicitly identify its writer. Biblical references: John 5:46; Mark 12:26. Historical source: Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 14b–15a (record of Jewish attribution, not contemporary proof). traditionally held
Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (Genesis 15:1–15:21): The LORD speaks to Abram in a vision about his heir, descendants, and the land. Abram is the immediate recipient of the covenant revelation. stated in the text
Who was the book written to? Israel, the covenant people descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were the first community for whom this account of their origins was preserved. An exact first circulation date or named recipient is not established. Biblical references: Genesis 12:1; Genesis 17:7; Genesis 35:10. book background
What
What is the topic of this reading unit? God Confirms His Promise. Read Genesis 15:8 through Genesis 15:21 as a connected unit. interpretation
How does it contribute to the book? This unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. The narrative concentrates on God's promises to Abraham, the birth of Isaac, and the continuation of the family through whom the earlier promise is carried forward. interpretation
When
When are the events or message set? The narrative moves from creation through the generations of the patriarchs to Joseph's death. Those stages are narrated; a modern calendar for them requires additional chronological assumptions. book background
Where
What is the book’s geographic setting? The narrative ranges from the world of the opening chapters through Mesopotamia and Canaan to Egypt. The selected passage's own place names determine its local setting. book background
Where does the context start?
This passage sits in God Confirms His Promise (Genesis 15:8 to Genesis 15:21).
Start reading at Genesis 15:8. An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
How
How does this book connect with Jesus Christ? The later New Testament traces Jesus' genealogy through Abraham and connects the promise to Abraham with Christ. This is a canonical connection; it does not make every person or object in Genesis an explicit prediction of Jesus. See Matthew 1:1, Galatians 3:16. interpretation
How should this book guide our response? Read God's promises with their named recipients and the actions of those recipients. The family narratives encourage trust and obedience while also exposing deception and wrongdoing; narrative description alone does not authorize imitation. interpretation
Cited: Genesis 15:8, Genesis 15:21, Matthew 1:1, Galatians 3:16
Who wrote it, and how we know
Moses (traditional)From early tradition
What Scripture saysThe book does not name its author. Elsewhere Scripture attributes the Law to Moses, and Jesus calls it the book of Moses. Exodus 17:14Joshua 8:31Mark 12:26John 5:46
Early traditionJewish tradition (Talmud, Baba Bathra 14b) and the early church assign the first five books to Moses.
What is debatedSome scholars propose several later sources behind the Pentateuch. A few notes appear to be written after Moses, such as the list of kings in Genesis 36:31.
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Macro-Structure of Genesis 15
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Genesis introduces creation, the nations, and the ancestral family of Israel. It does not name a recipient or give a composition date. Read the promises to named people in their narrated settings before applying them to later readers. Local headings and stanza divisions are editorial reading aids adapted from public-domain BSB headings; verse boundaries and Scripture links use the KJV. Connections describe the surrounding book movement.
Connection to the wholeThis opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. The narrative concentrates on God's promises to Abraham, the birth of Isaac, and the continuation of the family through whom the earlier promise is carried forward.
Connection to the wholeThis unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. The narrative concentrates on God's promises to Abraham, the birth of Isaac, and the continuation of the family through whom the earlier promise is carried forward.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Macro-Structure of Genesis
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Genesis introduces creation, the nations, and the ancestral family of Israel. It does not name a recipient or give a composition date. Read the promises to named people in their narrated settings before applying them to later readers.
Connection to the wholeThe opening establishes God as Creator, describes human rebellion and its consequences, and traces the nations before narrowing the account to Abram's family.
Connection to the wholeThe narrative concentrates on God's promises to Abraham, the birth of Isaac, and the continuation of the family through whom the earlier promise is carried forward.
Connection to the wholeFamily rivalry, journeys, marriages, and reconciliation develop the promised line while also recording the related family of Esau.
Connection to the wholeJoseph's experiences lead to the preservation of Jacob's family in Egypt. The book closes with confidence about a future return, preparing the setting of Exodus.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.