Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Genesis 15

Gen 15:2 And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?

Bible prayers (O.T.). Gen 17:17, 18. (Gen 15:2; Hab 3:1-16.)

Lord

"Lord" (Hebrew Adon, Adonai).

1. The primary meaning of Adon, Adonai, is Master, and it is applied in the Old Testament Scriptures both to Deity and to man. The latter instances are distinguished in the English version by the omission of the capital. As applied to man, the word is used of two relationships; master and husband (Genesis 24:9, 10, 12 "master" may illustrate the former; Genesis 18:12 "lord," the latter). Both these relationships exist between Christ and the believer (John 13:13 "master"; 2 Corinthians 11:2, 3, "husband").
2. Two principles inhere in the relation of master and servant:
   1. the Master's right to implicit obedience (John 13:13; Matthew 23:10; Luke 6:46);
   2. the servant's right to direction in service (Isaiah 6:8-11).
   Clear distinction in the use of the divine names is illustrated in Exodus 4:10-12. Moses feels his weakness and incompetency, and "Moses said unto the Lord [Jehovah], O my Lord [Adonai], I am not eloquent," etc. Since service is in question, Moses appropriately addresses Jehovah as Lord. But now power is in question, and it not the Lord (Adonai) but Jehovah (LORD) who answers (referring to creation power)—"and Jehovah said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? … Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth." The same distinction in Joshua 7:8-11.

See, for other names of Deity: see Scofield Genesis 1:1, note; 2:4, note; 14:18, note; 15:2, note; 17:1, note; 21:33, note; 1 Samuel 1:3, note.

Deity (names of). Genesis 17:1. (Genesis 1:1; Malachi 3:18).

Lord GOD

"Lord GOD" (Hebrew Adonai Jehovah). When used distinctively, this compound name, while gathering into one the special meanings of each (Scofield Genesis 1:1, note; Genesis 15:2, note) will be found to emphasize the Adonai rather than the Jehovah character of Deity. (The following passages may suffice to illustrate this: Genesis 15:2, 8; Deuteronomy 3:24; 9:26; Joshua 7:7; Judges 6:22; 16:28; 2 Samuel 7:18-20, 28, 29; 1 Kings 2:26; Psalms 69:6; 71:5; Isaiah 7:7).

See, for other names of Deity: see Scofield Genesis 1:1, note; 2:4, note; 14:18, note; 15:2, note; 17:1, note; 21:33, note; 1 Samuel 1:3, note.

Gen 15:5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

So shall thy seed be

Rom 4:18

seed

Israel (covenant), vs. 4, 5; Gen 17:15-19. (Gen 12:2, 3; Rom 11:26.)

Gen 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

believed in the LORD

Faith. Gen 21:1-6. (Gen 3:20; Heb 11:39.)

counted it to him

Rom 4:3; Gal 3:6; Jas 2:23.

righteousness

Righteousness. Pro 21:15, 21. (Gen 6:9; Luk 2:25.)

Gen 15:17 And 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.

passed between those pieces

Miracles (O.T.). Gen 19:24, 25, 26. (Gen 5:24; Jon 2:1-10.)

Gen 15:18 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:

covenant with Abram

The Eight Covenants. Exo 19:25. (Gen 1:28; Heb 8:10).

The Abrahamic Covenant as formed (Genesis 12:1-4) and confirmed (Genesis 13:14-17; 15:1-7; 17:1-8) is in seven distinct parts:

1. "I will make of thee a great nation." Fulfilled in a threefold way:
   1. In a natural posterity—"as the dust of the earth" (Genesis 13:16; John 8:37), viz. the Hebrew people.
   2. In a spiritual posterity—"look now toward heaven … so shall thy seed be" (John 8:39; Romans 4:16, 17; 9:7, 8; Galatians 3:6, 7, 29), viz. all men of faith, whether Jew or Gentile.
   3. Fulfilled also through Ishmael (Genesis 17:18-20).
2. "I will bless thee." Fulfilled in two ways:
   1. temporally (Genesis 13:14, 15, 17; 15:18; 24:34, 35);
   2. spiritually (Genesis 15:6; John 8:56).
3. "And make thy name great." Abraham's is one of the universal names.
4. "And thou shalt be a blessing" (Galatians 3:13, 14).
5. "I will bless them that bless thee." In fulfilment closely related to the next clause.
6. "And curse him that curseth thee." Wonderfully fulfilled in the history of the dispersion. It has invariably fared ill with the people who have persecuted the Jew—well with those who have protected him. The future will still more remarkably prove this principle (Deuteronomy 30:7; Isaiah 14:1, 2; Joel 3:1-8; Micah 5:7-9; Haggai 2:22; Zechariah 14:1-3; Matthew 25:40, 45).
7. "In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed." This is the great evangelic promise fulfilled in Abraham's Seed, Christ (Galatians 3:16; John 8:56-58). It brings into greater definiteness the promise of the Adamic Covenant concerning the Seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15).

NOTE.—The gift of the land is modified by prophecies of three dispossessions and restorations (Genesis 15:13, 14, 16; Jeremiah 25:11, 12; Deuteronomy 28:62-65; 30:1-3). Two dispossessions and restorations have been accomplished. Israel is now in the third dispersion, from which she will be restored at the return of the Lord as King under the Davidic Covenant (Deuteronomy 30:3; Jeremiah 23:5-8; Ezekiel 37:21-25; Luke 1:30-33; Acts 15:14-17).

See, for the other seven covenants:

• Edenic (Scofield Genesis 1:28)
• Adamic (Scofield Genesis 3:15)
• Noahic (Scofield Genesis 9:1)
• Mosaic (Scofield Exodus 19:25)
• Palestinian (Scofield Deuteronomy 30:3)
• Davidic (Scofield 2 Samuel 7:16)
• New (Scofield Hebrews 8:8)