Genesis 15:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Though I have always accepted Your revelations, for they emanate from You who can create from nothing and transform all things, I seek a sign that is more tangible and clear, one that will fortify my frail faith since You have once again spoken of the inheritance.”

Similarly, the Virgin Mary exhibited no doubt when she posed the question, “How shall it be since I know not a man?” She was confident that it would happen; she simply sought to understand the manner in which it would occur. In response to her inquiry, she was told, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you” (Luke 1:34-35).

All that God communicated to Abram on that day was due to Abram’s belief, and “it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Gen. 15:6). How can it then be claimed that on that day, due to a lack of faith, a curse was proclaimed upon the seed of one who, because of his faith, was also bestowed with tremendous blessings? Abram embraced the remarkable notion that from the withered womb of Sarah, who was beyond childbearing age, would spring forth a multitude of people. He inquired about the inheritance of the land not out of doubt, but in a quest to understand how it would come to pass. Recognizing that Canaan was occupied by kings and warriors and was densely populated, he learned that the land would be granted not to him, but to his descendants, prompting his curiosity about how this promise would be realized over time. Abram wondered if kings would vanquish each other, if other nations would invade and depopulate the territory, if his descendants would grow strong enough to conquer it, if the land would consume its inhabitants for their misdeeds, or if the occupants would leave for other lands out of desperation. In questioning God, Abram did not doubt the reliability of the promise but sought clarity on how his descendants would come to possess the land. God understood Abram’s heart and, along with his inquiry, revealed additional truths that Abram had not even asked about.

And I will judge the tongue which they shall work with, and I will judge them: and after these things they shall depart this day with many possessions. And thou shalt depart unto thy fathers in peace, and shalt be well nourished in old age. But in the fourth generation they shall return this day: for the sins of the Ammoraeans have not been fulfilled to this day" (Genesis 15:13-16). From this Divine response, we glean the depth of the inquiry. Since Abraham expressed, "I understand that I will inherit this land," he was granted insight into how long his descendants would dwell as sojourners and the level of deprivation they would face, as well as the provisions they would receive; for those who would seek to harm them would ultimately be punished, and they would benefit from the riches of those who opposed them. Abraham, having not yet experienced such events, would ultimately live out his days in tranquility. The Lord further disclosed the reasons behind the delay, ensuring that no one might conclude that the Lord God was unable to grant the land to Abraham's lineage due to the vast population inhabiting it. He stated, "The sins of the Ammoraeans have not been fulfilled unto this day," indicating that they had not yet committed offenses deserving of destruction, and that punishment need not precede sin according to Divine foreknowledge. However, it is evident that at that time, some were righteous, as demonstrated by Melchisedec, Abimelech, and the residents of Hebron, who extended numerous kindnesses to the patriarch. Their declaration, "Thou art a king from God in us: in our chosen sepulchres thou shalt bury thy dead" (Genesis 23:6), is particularly noteworthy.

Abram's inquiry can thus be paraphrased as: ‘Until now, I have lived in the land promised to me as an outsider, uncertain of when or how I will come into possession of it; there may be some effort needed on my part for this to occur. Therefore, how can I discern the timing and circumstances that will signal the start of the promise's fulfillment?’ God's response to this very question is given in the next revelation, marking the establishment of the covenant with Abram. The Apostles similarly inquired of Jesus Christ about the arrival of His anticipated kingdom (Matt. 24:3).

Consequently, it was only natural for Abram to request that the Lord confirm the truth of His promise to his lineage in a tangible way and reveal beforehand how it would unfold. The Lord acknowledged Abram’s request with respect and committed to fulfilling His promise regarding the land of Canaan through a covenant with Abram and his offspring (Genesis 15:18). The subsequent verses detail the ceremony for entering into this covenant.