The Meaning of Genesis 15:8 Explained

Genesis 15:8

KJV: And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?

YLT: and he saith, 'Lord Jehovah, whereby do I know that I possess it?'

Darby: And he said, Lord Jehovah, how shall I know that I shall possess it?

ASV: And he said, O Lord Jehovah, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he said,  Lord  GOD,  whereby  shall I know  that I shall inherit it? 

What does Genesis 15:8 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Abram requested a sign, a supernatural verification that God would indeed fulfill the distant promise. His request shows that he was taking God seriously.
"Requests for signs were not unusual in Old Testament times. They were not so much to discover God"s will as to confirm it." [1]
God responded by making a covenant with Abram ( Genesis 15:9-12; Genesis 15:17).
"Only after he had been counted righteous by his faith could Abraham enter into God"s covenant." [2]
"Four rites are mentioned [3] as parts of the covenant making event. They are the setting of a stone or a group of stones, the taking of an oath, the sacrifice of animals, and/or a communal meal." [4]
This rite (the sacrifice of animals) normally involved two parties dividing an animal into two equal parts, joining hands, and passing between the two parts (cf. Jeremiah 34:18-19). On this occasion, however, God alone passed between the parts indicating that Abram had no obligations to fulfill to receive the covenant promises ( Genesis 15:17).

Context Summary

Genesis 15:1-21 - Abram's Vision Of The Future
Abram had good reason to fear the vengeance of the defeated kings; but the divine voice reassured him. For all of us there is need of a shield, because the world hates us; and for each God will be our compensation for every sacrifice we have made. Refuse to take even the shoe-latchets of Sodom, and God will be your exceeding great reward. The patriarch addressed God as Adonai Jehovah, which occurs only twice more in the Pentateuch. While he was pouring out the bitterness of his soul, the stars came out. Count these, said his Almighty Friend; and he believed. For the first time that mighty word occurs in Scripture, and the Apostle makes much of it. See Romans 4:9; Galatians 3:6. It was as good as done. Henceforth the patriarch reckoned on God's faithfulness. In olden times covenants were ratified by the parties passing between the pieces of the sacrifice. To give strong consolation, the Almighty confirmed His word with an oath. See Hebrews 6:18. But God must wait until the hour for interposition is fully come. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Genesis 15:8 mean?

And he said Lord GOD by what shall I know that I will possess it
וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהוִ֔ה בַּמָּ֥ה אֵדַ֖ע כִּ֥י אִֽירָשֶֽׁנָּה

וַיֹּאמַ֑ר  And  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲדֹנָ֣י  Lord 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲדֹנָי  
Sense: my lord, lord.
יֱהוִ֔ה  GOD 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בַּמָּ֥ה  by  what 
Parse: Preposition-b, Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
אֵדַ֖ע  shall  I  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּ֥י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
אִֽירָשֶֽׁנָּה  I  will  possess  it 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular, third person feminine singular
Root: יָרַשׁ  
Sense: to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir.