Genesis 15:3
New International Version
And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

New Living Translation
You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.”

English Standard Version
And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.”

Berean Standard Bible
Abram continued, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

King James Bible
And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.

New King James Version
Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!”

New American Standard Bible
Abram also said, “Since You have given me no son, one who has been born in my house is my heir.”

NASB 1995
And Abram said, “Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.”

NASB 1977
And Abram said, “Since Thou hast given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.”

Legacy Standard Bible
And Abram said, “Since You have given no seed to me, behold, one born in my house is my heir.”

Amplified Bible
And Abram continued, “Since You have given no child to me, one (a servant) born in my house is my heir.”

Christian Standard Bible
Abram continued, “Look, you have given me no offspring, so a slave born in my house will be my heir.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Abram continued, “Look, You have given me no offspring, so a slave born in my house will be my heir.”

American Standard Version
And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house in mine heir.

Contemporary English Version
You have not given me any children, and this servant of mine will inherit everything."

English Revised Version
And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You have given me no children, so this member of my household will be my heir."

Good News Translation
You have given me no children, and one of my slaves will inherit my property."

International Standard Version
Look!" Abram said, "You haven't given me any offspring, so a servant born in my house is going to be my heir."

Majority Standard Bible
Abram continued, ?Behold, You have given me no offspring, so a servant in my household will be my heir.?

NET Bible
Abram added, "Since you have not given me a descendant, then look, one born in my house will be my heir!"

New Heart English Bible
Then Abram said, "Look, to me you have given no offspring: and, look, one born in my house is my heir."

Webster's Bible Translation
And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and lo, one born in my house is my heir.

World English Bible
Abram said, “Behold, you have given no children to me: and, behold, one born in my house is my heir.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Abram says, “Behold, to me You have not given seed, and behold, a servant will be my heir.”

Young's Literal Translation
And Abram saith, 'Lo, to me Thou hast not given seed, and lo, a domestic doth heir me.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And Abram will say, Behold, to me thou gavest no seed, and behold the son of my house shall inherit me.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Abram added: But to me thou hast not given seed: and lo my servant, born in my house, shall be my heir.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Abram added: “Yet to me you have not given offspring. And behold, my servant born in my house will be my heir.”

New American Bible
Abram continued, “Look, you have given me no offspring, so a servant of my household will be my heir.”

New Revised Standard Version
And Abram said, “You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Abram said, Behold, thou hast given me no son; and, behold, one of the members of my household will be my heir.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Abram said, “Behold, you have not given me a son, and behold, a tenant of my house is heir to me.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Abram said: 'Behold, to me Thou hast given no seed, and, lo, one born in my house is to be mine heir.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Abram said, I am grieved since thou hast given me no seed, but my home-born servant shall succeed me.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
God's Covenant with Abram
2But Abram replied, “O Lord GOD, what can You give me, since I remain childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3Abram continued, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, so a servant in my household will be my heir.” 4Then 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.”…

Cross References
Genesis 12:2-3
I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. / I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”

Genesis 17:18-19
And Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live under Your blessing!” / But God replied, “Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.

Genesis 21:10-12
and she said to Abraham, “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac!” / Now this matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son Ishmael. / 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.

Genesis 25:21-23
Later, Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD heard his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. / But the children inside her struggled with each other, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So Rebekah went to inquire of the LORD, / and He declared to her: “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”

Genesis 30:1-2
When Rachel saw that she was not bearing any children for Jacob, she envied her sister. “Give me children, or I will die!” she said to Jacob. / Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?”

Exodus 23:26
No woman in your land will miscarry or be barren; I will fulfill the number of your days.

1 Samuel 1:10-11
In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears. / And she made a vow, saying, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever touch his head.”

2 Samuel 7:12-16
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. / He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. / I will be his Father, and he will be My son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. ...

Psalm 127:3
Children are indeed a heritage from the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is His reward.

Isaiah 54:1
“Shout for joy, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth in song and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD.

Isaiah 56:3-5
Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will utterly exclude me from His people.” And let the eunuch not say, “I am but a dry tree.” / For this is what the LORD says: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, who choose what pleases Me and hold fast to My covenant— / I will give them, in My house and within My walls, a memorial and a name better than that of sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.

Luke 1:13-14
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. / He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth,

Luke 1:36-37
Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month. / For no word from God will ever fail.”

John 1:12-13
But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— / children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.

Romans 4:18-21
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” / Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) and the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb. / Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, ...


Treasury of Scripture

And Abram said, Behold, to me you have given no seed: and, see, one born in my house is my heir.

Behold.

Genesis 12:2
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

Genesis 13:16
And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.

Proverbs 13:12
Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.

born.

Genesis 14:14
And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.

Proverbs 29:21
He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become his son at the length.

Proverbs 30:23
For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

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Abram Born Child Children Domestic Heir Heritage House Household Offspring Seed Servant Slave
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Abram Born Child Children Domestic Heir Heritage House Household Offspring Seed Servant Slave
Genesis 15
1. God encourages Abram, who asks for an heir.
4. God promises him a son, and a multiplying of his seed.
6. Abram is justified by faith.
7. Canaan is promised again,
9. and confirmed by a sign, and a vision,
18. prophetic of the condition of his posterity till brought out of Egypt.














Abram continued
Abram, later known as Abraham, is a central figure in the biblical narrative, often referred to as the father of faith. His dialogue with God in this passage reflects a personal and intimate relationship. This moment occurs after God has promised Abram numerous descendants, yet Abram is still childless. This ongoing conversation highlights Abram's faith journey and his struggle to understand God's promises.

Behold, You have given me no offspring
Abram's statement underscores his deep concern and disappointment regarding his lack of children. In the ancient Near Eastern context, having offspring was crucial for legacy and inheritance. Children were seen as a blessing from God, and the absence of children could be perceived as a lack of divine favor. Abram's lament is a candid expression of his doubt and longing for the fulfillment of God's promise.

so a servant in my household will be my heir
In the absence of a biological heir, it was customary for a servant or a trusted member of the household to inherit the estate. Abram refers to Eliezer of Damascus, as mentioned earlier in Genesis 15:2. This practice was common in the ancient world, where legal customs allowed for the adoption of a servant as an heir. Abram's statement reflects his practical consideration of the situation, yet it also sets the stage for God's reaffirmation of His promise to provide Abram with a son. This moment foreshadows the miraculous birth of Isaac, through whom God's covenant with Abram would be fulfilled.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Abram (Abraham)
The central figure in this passage, Abram is expressing his concern to God about having no biological heir. He is later renamed Abraham and is a key patriarch in the Bible.

2. Eliezer of Damascus
Although not mentioned by name in this verse, Eliezer is the servant Abram refers to. According to Genesis 15:2, he is the potential heir of Abram's estate due to the lack of a biological son.

3. God's Covenant with Abram
This chapter is part of the larger account where God establishes a covenant with Abram, promising him numerous descendants and land.
Teaching Points
Faith Amidst Doubt
Abram's expression of doubt is a natural human response, yet it is set within a context of faith. Believers can bring their concerns to God, trusting in His promises even when circumstances seem contrary.

God's Timing vs. Human Timing
Abram's situation reminds us that God's timing often differs from our own. Patience and trust in God's plan are crucial for believers.

The Role of Heirs in God's Plan
The concept of an heir is significant in biblical accounts, symbolizing the continuation of God's promises. Believers are spiritual heirs through faith in Christ, as seen in the New Testament.

The Importance of Covenant
God's covenant with Abram is foundational for understanding the biblical account. It underscores God's faithfulness and the unfolding of His redemptive plan.(3) One born in my house.--This is a mistake. Those born in Abram's house were his servants (Genesis 14:14). The Hebrew is, the son of my house, my house-son, not born of me, but the chief of the house next to myself, and its representative. Eliezer was probably born at Damascus.

Verse 3. - And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house (literally, the son of my house, i.e. Eliezer) is mine heir. The language of the patriarch discovers three things:

(1) a natural desire to have a child of his own;

(2) a struggle to hold on by the promise in face of almost insuperable difficulties; and

(3) an obvious unwillingness to part with the hope that the promise, however seemingly impossible, would eventually be realized. This unwillingness it was which caused him, as it were, so pathetically to call the Divine attention to his childless condition; in response to which he received an assurance that must have thrilled his anxious heart with joy.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Abram
אַבְרָ֔ם (’aḇ·rām)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 87: Abram -- 'exalted father', the original name of Abraham

continued,
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Behold,
הֵ֣ן (hên)
Interjection
Strong's 2005: Lo! behold!

You have given
נָתַ֖תָּה (nā·ṯat·tāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

me no
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

offspring,
זָ֑רַע (zā·ra‘)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2233: Seed, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity

so a servant
בֶן־ (ḇen-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

in my household
בֵּיתִ֖י (bê·ṯî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1004: A house

will be my heir.”
יוֹרֵ֥שׁ (yō·w·rêš)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3423: To occupy, to seize, to rob, to inherit, to expel, to impoverish, to ruin


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OT Law: Genesis 15:3 Abram said Behold to me you have (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 15:2
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