Genesis 15:4

Then the word of the LORD came to Abram, saying, “This one will not be your heir, but one who comes from your own body will be your heir.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God addresses Abram immediately after Abram states that a household servant will inherit his estate. The message functions as a direct divine correction to Abram's proposed human solution.

The words — The phrase דְבַר־יְהוָה (devar-Yahweh) literally means "word of Yahweh," marking a formal divine communication. The verb יִֽירָשְׁ/ךָ (yi.rashe-Kha) translates "he will inherit you," directly negating the demonstrative זֶה (Zeh), "this one," which refers to the servant.

The thread — The biological heir promise reappears in Genesis 17:16 with the pledge of a son through Sarah and 2 Samuel 7:12 regarding a successor to David. The New Testament applies the inheritance framework in Galatians 4:28, identifying believers as children of promise.

Why it lands — The text demands that Abram relinquish his current heir and accept a son born from his own body. Readers must acknowledge that divine promises override established human arrangements without exception.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְהִנֵּ֨הve./hi.Nehand/ there!דְבַר־de.var-[the] word of יְהוָ֤הYah.wehYahweh אֵלָיו֙'e.La/v[was] to/ him לֵאמֹ֔רle./Mor<to>/ saying לֹ֥אlo'not יִֽירָשְׁךָ֖yi.ra.she./Khahe will inherit/ you זֶ֑הZehthis [one]כִּי־ki-that אִם֙'imexcept אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sher[one] who יֵצֵ֣אye.Tze'he will come out מִמֵּעֶ֔יךָmi./me.'Ei./khafrom/ inward parts/ your ה֖וּאhu'he יִֽירָשֶֽׁךָ׃Yi.ra.She./khahe will inherit/ you

King James Version

And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.

Cross-references

Genesis 17:16 And I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will descend from her.”
2 Samuel 7:12 And when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom.
Galatians 4:28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.
Genesis 21:12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to everything that Sarah tells you, for through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.
2 Chronicles 32:21 and the LORD sent an angel who annihilated every mighty man of valor and every leader and commander in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons struck him down with the sword.
Philemon 1:12 I am sending back to you him who is my very heart.
2 Samuel 16:11 Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son, my own flesh and blood, seeks my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone and let him curse me, for the LORD has told him so.