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?
2. Lord God ] God = Heb. Jehovah, as in other places where it is put in capitals. “Adonai Jehovah”: this combination of sacred names occurs only here, Gen 15:8, and Deu 3:24; Deu 9:26, in the Pentateuch. It is, however, not uncommon in the prophetical writings; and is especially frequent in Ezekiel. The Hebrew student will notice that the sacred name JHVH receives here the vowel points “ e ” “ o ” “ i ” of Elohim, because the word “Adonai,” whose pronunciation it generally receives, immediately precedes it. Where the full word “Adonai” precedes JHVH, the Jewish scribes, in order to prevent profane repetition of the word “Adonai,” punctuate and pronounce JHVH as if it were “Elohim”; hence they would read here Adonai Elohim, not Adonai Adonai.
seeing I go childless ] R.V. marg. go hence. LXX , Lat. ego vadam. “I go” is generally understood to mean here, “I depart this life.” Cf. “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart,” Luk 2:29 ( , ). But it might mean, “I take my ordinary path in life, childless.”
The misfortune of having no children was acutely felt by the Israelite: see Num 27:4, “Why should the name of our father be taken away from among his family, because he had no son?”
possessor of my house] i.e. my heir.
The conclusion of this verse, in the original, gives no sense. The R.V. probably furnishes the general meaning. The confusion is apparent in LXX, , = “And the son of Masek, my slave born in the house, this is Damascus Eliezer.”
Dammesek Eliezer ] R.V. marg., Targum of Onkelos, and Syriac, have Eliezer the Damascene. The text is corrupt. Literally the sentence runs: “and the son of the possession of my house is Damascus Eliezer.” Dammesek is the usual Hebrew word for “Damascus.” Attempts to restore the text have not been successful.
Ball conjectures, “And he who will possess my house is a Damascene, Eliezer.” Eliezer is probably the same as the faithful servant of Abram mentioned in Gen 24:2, where the name is not given. The possible reference to Damascus in this verse gave rise to the traditions connecting Abram with the conquest of Damascus; see Josephus ( Ant. i. 7, 2), quoting Nicolaus of Damascus, who wrote in the days of Herod the Great; cf. note on Gen 12:5.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Gen 15:2-3
To me Thou hast given no seed
Abrams fear
God had given Abram everything but a child, and therefore it seemed to him that all this flow of Gods love was running into a pool where it could only stand still.
And Abram told God his fear in plain words. How true it is that we can say things in the dark that we dare not say in the light! For a long time Abram wanted to say this, but the light was too strong: he knew he would stammer and blush in the daytime, so he hid the fear in his heart. But now it is evening tide! The shadows are about, and the stars are coming! O sweet eventide, what words we have spoken in its dewy quietness–words that would have been out of place in the glare of open day. How the voice has become low, and the heart has told what was deepest and tenderest, sending it out as a dove that would find another soul to rest in! It was so that Abram talked to God in the vision that came at star time. He said, I have no child; all my goods are in the hands of a steward, a true enough servant, but still not a son; what is to become of all these tokens of Thy love? and whilst he was talking the stars came out more and more, all of them–millions of silvery eyes, throng upon throng, glowing overhead, sparkling over the distant hills, glittering in the east, throbbing like hearts on the western horizon, the singing Pleiades, the mighty Arcturus and his sons, Venus and Mars, and the Milky Way (names unknown then), there they were, angels talking in light, servants watching the Kings city. It was in that the Lord said to Abram, Look up; and Abram looked; and God said, Count them; and Abram said, My Lord, who can count that host? And the Lord said, So shall thy seed be. (J. Parker, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 2. What wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless] The anxiety of the Asiatics to have offspring is intense and universal. Among the Hindoos the want of children renders all other blessings of no esteem. See Ward.
And the steward of my house] Abram, understanding the promise as relating to that person who was to spring from his family, in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed, expresses his surprise that there should be such a promise, and yet he is about to die childless! How then can the promise be fulfilled, when, far from a spiritual seed, he has not even a person in his family that has a natural right to his property, and that a stranger is likely to be his heir? This seems to be the general sense of the passage; but who this steward of his house, this Eliezer of Damascus, was, commentators are not agreed. The translation of the Septuagint is at least curious: , . The son of Masek my homeborn maid, this Eliezer of Damascus, is my heir; which intimates that they supposed meshek, which we translate steward, to have been the name of a female slave, born in the family of Abram, of whom was born this Eliezer, who on account of the country either of his father or mother, was called a Damascene or one of Damascus. It is extremely probable that our Lord has this passage in view in his parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Lu 16:19. From the name Eliezer, by leaving out the first letter, Liezer is formed, which makes Lazarus in the New Testament, the person who, from an abject and distressed state, was raised to lie in the bosom of Abraham in paradise.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
What pleasure can I take in any other gifts, so long as thou dost withhold from me that great and promised gift of that blessed and blessing Seed, in the giving of whom thy honour and the world’s happiness is so highly concerned? Gen 12:3.
Seeing I go childless; either,
1. I pass the time of my life, going on and growing in years, and hastening to my long home. Or,
2. I die, i.e. am about to die, or likely to die.
Going is ofttimes put for dying, as 1Ch 17:11, compared with 2Sa 7:12; Job 10:21; 14:20; Mat 26:24. What good will the world do me, if I have no heir to possess it? If God lose the glory of his truth in making good his promise, and I lose the comfort of my long hoped-for child, and that such a child the effect of a Divine promise, one out of whose loins he must come, in whom all nations shall be blessed?
The steward of my house; Heb. The son of the care, or government, or management of my house, i.e. he who manageth the affairs of my house. A usual Hebraism, as captives are called children of captivity, Ezr 4:1, and afflicted persons, children of affliction, Pro 31:5. Others read the verse thus,
And the steward of my house, this Eliezer of Damascus, understand, shall be my heir; which words may easily be supplied out of Gen 15:3. And such supplements of a word or short sentence out of a member or verse either foregoing or following, are frequent in Scripture, as Num 24:22; Zec 14:18; Neh 5:2; Hab 2:3; Eph 2:1.
Damascus may be the name either of a man, or of a place so called.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. Lord God, what wilt thou give?Tohis mind the declaration, “I am thy exceeding great reward”[Ge 15:1], had but one meaning,or was viewed but in one particular light, as bearing on thefulfilment of the promise, and he was still experiencing the sicknessof hope deferred.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless,…. As if he should say, what signifies what thou givest me of temporal blessings, if thou withholdest from me the blessing of a child; from whom it might be hoped and believed would spring the promised Messiah, in whom all nations of the earth shall be blessed. All my wealth and riches, victories and honours, are of no avail to me, while I am deprived of this favour; and since I am advanced in years, and going the way of all the earth; or out of the world, as the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem paraphrase it, and which is the sense of the word in many places, see Jos 23:14. Should I depart from hence childless, as I am like to do, what pleasure can I take in them, and comfort from them, when I have none to inherit them?
and the steward of my house [is] this Eliezer of Damascus; who was his head servant, perhaps the same with him in Ge 24:2 called the eldest servant of his house, who had the care of it, of providing food for it, and supplying with it, and giving to everyone their portion in due season. Some render it, “the son of leaving my house” y; to whom he left the care of his house, and should leave the administration of all things in it after his death, making him heir should he die childless; and so it may be supplied, “he Eliezer of Damascus is” or “shall be my heir”. Strange and various are the fancies of the Jewish writers concerning this Eliezer; the Targum of Jonathan on Ge 14:14 calls him the son of Nimrod; others say he was the grandson of Nimrod, and others, a servant of his, who gave him to Abram for a servant; and when Isaac married Rebekah he was made free, and through Abram’s influence became a king, and was Og king of Bashan z; and others say he was Canaan the son of Ham a; and others again, that he was Lot, who was very desirous of being Abram’s heir b: but with neither of these wilt this description of him agree, who is said to be of Damascus; either he was born there, or his parents, one or other, were from thence, who very probably were Abram’s servants; and this Eliezer was born in his house, as seems from Ge 15:3: or the words may be rendered Damascus Eliezer c, that is, Damascus the son of Eliezer; so that Eliezer was his father’s name, and Damascus the proper name of this servant: and some say Damascus was built by him, and had its name from him, which is not likely, since we read of it before, and it is ascribed to another builder, [See comments on Ge 14:15]. Indeed Justin d says it had its name from a king of it, so called; but who, according to him, was much more ancient than Abram, whom he also makes to be a king of Damascus: after King Damascus, he says, was Azelus, then Adores, and Abram and Israel were kings in that place. And Nicolas of Damascus e relates, that Abram reigned at Damascus, when with an army he came out of the land of Chaldea, beyond Babylon; and that the name of Abram was still famous in the region of Damascus, and a certain village was shown, called Abram’s habitation: and the Jewish writers say f, that the servants of Abram built Damascus, and he reigned over it: that Abram lived there some time seems reasonable from this Eliezer, who was born in his house, being called Eliezer of Damascus; for which no other reason can well be assigned than his being born there, which must be therefore when Abram dwelt there, since he was born in his house; and this might be the foundation of the above traditions.
y “is cui relinquetur domus mea”, Junius Tremellius Heb. “filius derelictionis domus meae”, Piscator; so Joseph Kimchi and Abendana. z Pirke Eliezer, c. 16. a Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 2. 1. b Bereshit Rabba, sect. 43. fol. 39. 1. c “Damascus Eliezer”, V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius. d E Trogo, l. 36. c. 2. e Apud Euseb. Evangel. Praepar. l. 90. c. 16. p. 417. f Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 77. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
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? 3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. 4 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. 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. 6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
We have here the assurance given to Abram of a numerous offspring which should descend from him, in which observe,
I. Abram’s repeated complaint, Gen 15:2; Gen 15:3. This was that which gave occasion to this promise. The great affliction that sat heavy upon Abram was the want of a child; and the complaint of this he here pours out before the Lord, and shows before him his trouble, Ps. cxlii. 2. Note, Though we must never complain of God, yet we have leave to complain to him, and to be large and particular in the statement of our grievances; and it is some ease to a burdened spirit to open its case to a faithful and compassionate friend: such a friend God is, whose ear is always open. Now his complaint is four-fold:– 1. That he had no child (v. 3): Behold, to me thou hast given no seed; not only no son, but no seed; if he had had a daughter, from her the promised Messiah might have come, who was to be the seed of the woman; but he had neither son nor daughter. He seems to lay an emphasis on that, to me. His neighbours were full of children, his servants had children born in his house. “But to me,” he complains, “thou hast given none;” and yet God had told him he should be a favourite above all. Note, Those that are written childless must see God writing them so. Again, God often withholds those temporal comforts from his own children which he gives plentifully to others that are strangers to him. 2. That he was never likely to have any, intimated in that I go, or “I am going, childless, going into years, going down the hill apace; nay, I am going out of the world, going the way of all the earth. I die childless,” so the LXX. “I leave the world, and leave no child behind me.” 3. That his servants were for the present and were likely to be to him instead of sons. While he lived, the steward of his house was Eliezer of Damascus; to him he committed the care of his family and estate, who might be faithful, but only as a servant, not as a son. When he died, one born in his house would be his heir, and would bear rule over all that for which he had laboured, Ecc 2:18; Ecc 2:19; Ecc 2:21. God had already told him that he would make of him a great nation (ch. xii. 2), and his seed as the dust of the earth (ch. xiii. 16); but he had left him in doubt whether it should be his seed begotten or his seed adopted, by a son of his loins or only a son of his house. “Now, Lord,” says Abram, “if it be only an adopted son, it must be one of my servants, which will reflect disgrace upon the promised seed, that is to descend from him.” Note, While promised mercies are delayed our unbelief and impatience are apt to conclude them denied. 4. That the want of a son was so great a trouble to him that it took away the comfort of all his enjoyments: “Lord, what wilt thou give me? All is nothing to me, if I have not a son.” Now, (1.) If we suppose that Abram looked no further than a temporal comfort, this complaint was culpable. God had, by his providence, given him some good things, and more by his promise; and yet Abram makes no account of them, because he has not a son. It did very ill become the father of the faithful to say, What wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, immediately after God had said, I am thy shield, and thy exceedingly great reward. Note, Those do not rightly value the advantages of their covenant-relation to God and interest in him who do not think them sufficient to balance the want of any creature-comfort whatever. But, (2.) If we suppose that Abram, herein, had a eye to the promised seed, the importunity of his desire was very commendable: all was nothing to him, if he had not the earnest of that great blessing, and an assurance of his relation to the Messiah, of which God had already encouraged him to maintain the expectation. He has wealth, and victory, and honour; but, while he is kept in the dark about the main matter, it is all nothing to him. Note, Till we have some comfortable evidence of our interest in Christ and the new covenant, we should not rest satisfied with any thing else. “This, and the other, I have; but what will all this avail me, if I go Christless?” Yet thus far the complaint was culpable, that there was some diffidence of the promise at the bottom of it, and a weariness of waiting God’s time. Note, True believers sometimes find it hard to reconcile God’s promises and his providences, when they seem to disagree.
II. God’s gracious answer to this complaint. To the first part of the complaint (v. 2) God gave no immediate answer, because there was something of fretfulness in it; but, when he renews his address somewhat more calmly (v. 3), God answered him graciously. Note, If we continue instant in prayer, and yet pray with a humble submission to the divine will, we shall not seek in vain. 1. God gave him an express promise of a son, v. 4. This that is born in thy house shall not be thy heir, as thou fearest, but one that shall come forth out of thy own bowels shall be thy heir. Note, (1.) God makes heirs; he says, “This shall not, and this shall;” and whatever men devise and design, in settling their estates, God’s counsel shall stand. (2.) God is often better to us than our own fears, and gives the mercy we had long despaired of. 2. To affect him the more with this promise, he took him out, and showed him the stars (this vision being early in the morning, before day), and then tells him, So shall thy seed be, v. 5. (1.) So numerous; the stars seem innumerable to a common eye: Abram feared he should have no child at all, but God assured him that the descendants from his loins should be so many as not to be numbered. (2.) So illustrious, resembling the stars in splendour; for to them pertained the glory, Rom. ix. 4. Abram’s seed, according to his flesh, were like the dust of the earth (ch. xiii. 16), but his spiritual seed are like the stars of heaven, not only numerous, but glorious, and very precious.
III. Abram’s firm belief of the promise God now made him, and God’s favourable acceptance of his faith, v. 6. 1. He believed in the Lord, that is, he believed the truth of that promise which God had now made him, resting upon the irresistible power and the inviolable faithfulness of him that made it. Hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Note, Those who would have the comfort of the promises must mix faith with the promises. See how the apostle magnifies this faith of Abram, and makes it a standing example, Rom. iv. 19-21. He was not weak in faith; he staggered not at the promise; he was strong in faith; he was fully persuaded. The Lord work such a faith in every one of us! Some think that his believing in the Lord respected, not only the Lord promising, but the Lord promised, the Lord Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant. He believed in him, that is, received and embraced the divine revelation concerning him, and rejoiced to see his day, though at so great a distance, John viii. 56. 2. God counted it to him for righteousness; that is, upon the score of this he was accepted of God, and, as the rest of the patriarchs, by faith he obtained witness that he was righteous, Heb. xi. 4. This is urged in the New Testament to prove that we are justified by faith without the works of the law (Rom 4:4; Gal 3:6); for Abram was so justified while he was yet uncircumcised. If Abram, that was so rich in good works, was not justified by them, but by his faith, much less can we, that are so poor in them. This faith, which was imputed to Abram for righteousness, had lately struggled with unbelief (v. 2), and, coming off a conqueror, it was thus crowned, thus honoured. Note, A fiducial practical acceptance of, and dependence upon, God’s promise of grace and glory, in and through Christ, is that which, according to the tenour of the new covenant, gives us a right to all the blessings contained in that promise. All believers are justified as Abram was, and it was his faith that was counted to him for righteousness.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
2. And Abram said, Lord God. The Hebrew text has יחוה אדונת ( Adonai Jehovah.) From which appellation it is inferred that some special mark of divine glory was stamped upon the vision; so that Abram, having no doubt respecting its author, confidently broke out in this expression. For since Satan is a wonderful adept at deceiving, and deludes men with so many wiles in the name of God, it was necessary that some sure and notable distinction should appear in true and heavenly oracles, which would not suffer the faith and the minds of the holy fathers to waver. Therefore in the vision of which mention is made, the majesty of the God of Abram was manifested, which would suffice for the confirmation of his faith. Not that God appeared as he really is, but only so far as he might be comprehended by the human mind. But Abram, in overlooking a promise so glorious, in complaining that he is childless, and in murmuring against God, for having hitherto given him no seed, seems to conduct himself with little modesty. What was more desirable than to be received under God’s protection, and to be happy in the enjoyment of Him? The objection, therefore, which Abram raised, when disparaging the incomparable benefit offered to him, and refusing to rest contented until he receives offspring, appears to be wanting in reverence. Yet the liberty which he took admits of excuse; first, because the Lord permits us to pour into his bosom those cares by which we are tormented, and those troubles with which we are oppressed. Secondly, the design of the complaint is to be considered; for he does not simply declare that he is solitary, but, seeing that the effect of all the promises depended upon his seed, he does, not improperly, require that a pledge so necessary should be given him. For if the benediction and salvation of the world was not to be hoped for except through his seed; when that principal point seemed to fail him, it is not to be wondered at, that other things should seem to vanish from his sight, or should at least not appease his mind, nor satisfy his wishes. And this is the very reason why God not only regards with favor the complaint of his servant, but immediately gives a propitious answer to his prayer. Moses indeed ascribes to Abram that affection which is naturally inherent in us all; but this is no proof that Abram did not look higher when he so earnestly desired to be the progenitor of an heir. And certainly these promises had not faded from his recollection; ‘To thy seed will I give this land,’ and ‘In thy seed shall all nations be blessed;’ the former of which promises is so annexed to all the rest, that if it be taken away, all confidence in them would perish; while the latter promise contains in it the whole gratuitous pledge of salvation. Therefore Abram rightly includes in it, every thing which God had promised.
I go childless. The language is metaphorical. We know that our life is like a race. Abram, seeing he was of advanced age, says that he has so far proceeded, that little of his course still remains. ‘Now,’ he says, ‘I am come near the goal; and the course of my life being finished, I shall die childless.’ He adds, for the sake of aggravating the indignity, ‘that a foreigner would be his heir.’ For I do not doubt that Damascus is the name of his country, and not the proper name of his mother, as some falsely suppose; as if he had said, ‘Not one of my own relatives will be my heir, but a Syrian from Damascus.’ For, perhaps, Abram had bought him in Mesopotamia. He also calls him the son of משק ( mesek,) concerning the meaning of which word grammarians are not agreed. Some derive it from שקק ( shakak,) which means to run to and fro, and translate it, steward or superintendent, because he who sustains the care of a large house, runs hither and thither in attending to his business. Others derive it from שוק ( shook,) and render it cup-bearer, which seems to me incongruous. I rather adopt a different translation, namely, that he was called the son of the deserted house, ( filius derelictionis (370)), because משק mashak sometimes signifies to leave. Yet I do not conceive him to be so called because Abram was about to leave all things to him; but because Abram himself had no hope left in any other. It is therefore (in my judgment) just as if he called him the son of a house destitute of children, (371) because this was a proof of a deserted and barren house, that the inheritance was devolving upon a foreigner who would occupy the empty and deserted place. He afterwards contemptuously calls him his servant, or his home-born slave, ‘the son of my house (he says) will be my heir.’ He thus speaks in contempt, as if he would say, ‘My condition is wretched, who shall not have even a freeman for my successor.’ It is however asked, how he could be both a Damascene and a home-born slave of Abram? There are two solutions of the difficulty, either that he was called the son of the house, not because he was born, but only because he was educated in it; or, that he sprang from Damascus, because his father was from Syria.
(370) “ Et filius derelictionis domus meae erit iste Dammescenus Elihezer.” That is, according to the usual interpretation of the Hebrew phrase, the son or person to whom the house was left in charge by its master; though Calvin gives it a different turn. The various ancient versions, except the Syriac, agree in this interpretation. Dathe prefers the translation of Schultens, who refers the word to an Arabic root, שוק, which signifies to comb, to dress, or polish, and which he supposes may be applied generally to the care which a steward takes of everything in the house. But this is fanciful. — Ed
(371) “ Acsi vocaret, Filium orbitatis.” — “ Comme s’il l’appeloit, Fils de la maison, ou il n’y a point d’enfans.” — French Tr
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(2) Lord God.Not Jehovah Elohim, but Lord Jehovah, Lord being the ordinary title of respect. Usually Jehovah takes the vowels of donai, lord, but as the two words occur here together, it takes the vowels of Elohim, whence the translation in our version, in obedience to a superstition of the Jews (Gen. 4:1).
What wilt thou give me?There is a slight tone of complaint in these words. Jehovah promised Abram a reward great exceedingly. He answers that no reward can really be great so long as he has no heir.
I go childless.Either, I am going to my grave childless (Psa. 39:13), or better, I continue to be, pass my days, in childlessness.
The steward of my house.Heb., the benmeshek of my house. Ben-meshek is generally explained as meaning the son of possession, that is, the possessor, owner of my. house when I die. Other authorities derive meshek from a verb signifying to run about, as if it was Eliezers business to go to and fro in execution of Abrams orders. The term is rare, and has evidently been chosen for the play of words upon Dammesek= Damascus. Perhaps this may also explain the last words, which literally are, he is Damascus Eliezer. Grammatically it should have been, he is the Damascene Eliezer, but this would have spoiled the assonance between ben-meshek (probably pronounced bemmeshek) and Dammesek.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Abram said Abram’s words here betray a sort of doubt and some trouble .
Lord God Hebrews, Adonai Jehovah, words occurring in this connexion here for the first time . The same combination of the words occur elsewhere in the Pentateuch only at Gen 15:8; Deu 3:24, and Gen 9:26; and in all these instances the words are a direct address to God .
What wilt thou give me What is that “great reward” to be? All the riches of the earth are worthless to me without an heir .
I go childless The expression may mean either, I continue childless, that is, go on in life without issue; or, I go forth childless; that is, as one of the Targums has it, go forth out of the world without an heir.
The steward of my house Hebrews, A son of possession of my house. The one who would have the possessions of my house, on my decease, would be my principal servant, and overseer of my entire household.
This Eliezer of Damascus Hebrews, this Damascus Eliezer; or, he of Damascus, Eliezer. This Eliezer is commonly supposed to be the eldest servant of Abram’s house mentioned in Gen 24:2, and the supposition is every way probable . When Abram departed from Haran and came into the land of Canaan he would naturally have passed through Damascus . An old tradition related by Nicolaus of Damascus, (see Josephus, Ant. 1: 7,) associates the Hebrew patriarch with that city, and this Eliezer may have been born in Abram’s household while he tarried in or near Damascus, and thence have been known afterward as the Damascene. Kitto’s notion, (see Kitto’s Cyc.,) that he was a relative of Abram nearer than Lot, and therefore first heir to his possessions, seems far-fetched, and altogether unnecessary. The patriarchal law of inheritance seems to have preferred the members of the household before any other relations. The Mosaic law of inheritance (Num 27:8-11) was a later institution; but even if prevalent in Abram’s time, it applied to landed estates rather than moveable possessions . Abram was now utterly cut off from native land and kindred, and not yet owning a foot of land, he would not contemplate the passing over of his flocks and herds and other riches to any but his own dependents .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And Abram said, “Oh Lord Yahweh, what will you give seeing that I go childless and he who will be possessor of my house is Dammesek Eliezer?” And he said, “see, you have given no seed to me, and see, one born in my house is my heir”.’
How the yearning of Abram’s heart comes out in these verses. Yes, Yahweh will reward him in many ways, will even make him a prophet, but what is that to this lack which cannot be satisfied? He has no heir born of his flesh. Let Yahweh look. He has promised him abundant seed, but that seed will not be that of him and his beloved wife. We cannot avoid the suggestion that he feels that God has disappointed him. God has only to look and He will see the cause of his unhappiness. But there is also a hint of hope. Surely Yahweh can do something about it?
“He who will be possessor of my house”. The appointment of a steward as heir, to be replaced if a son is born, is well attested elsewhere. In return he would ensure a suitable burial for his master. Similar situations are found, for example, in documents at 15th century BC Nuzi and in Ur around 1800 BC. An Old Babylonian letter from Larsa states that a childless man can adopt his own slave.
“Dammesek Eliezer”. Names are nowhere else given to Abram’s followers in these narratives, and the mention here stresses that this man is the heir. As such he could not be anonymous and so must be named. We do not know the significance of Dammesek but ‘the Damascene’ was understood later. This is not certain (Eliezer was ‘born in my house’) and further discoveries may throw light on the matter.
“See —– see —-”. The force of Abram’s feelings come over in the repetition. Ancient literature is constantly repetitive, sometimes almost monotonously so. It was written to be repeated aloud and the hearers loved to move along with familiar ideas. So the repetitions in Gen 15:2 and Gen 15:3 are typical. Indeed the repeated ‘see’ (‘behold’) refers back to the previous statement, putting emphasis on the thought.
This interruption in the vision is quite remarkable. Yahweh has come to confirm His promises in an increasingly emphatic way, but Abram, in the midst of his awe and fear, breaks in and reveals the deepest yearnings of his heart. Although he loves Yahweh and believes Him and His promises, he is also human, and years of hurt, both on Sarai’s part and on his own, now come through at this crowning point in his life. A prophet, yes, the founder of a nation, yes, but if he is a prophet let him know, – why, oh why, must it be through the seed of another?
But Yahweh is aware of the longings of his heart. He is aware of what lies in the depths of his soul, and He takes time off from His greater revelation to comfort His servant. What comfort these verses should give to us. The faithful and redoubtable Abram has his weaknesses after all, and his God bends to him in that weakness.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Gen 15:2. Eliezer of Damascus i.e.. sprung originally from Damascus. The Hebrew word ben-meshec, which we translate steward, signifies the son of provision, he who provideth. It was a custom among the ancients to have such a superior servant: but upon what custom the right to inheritance for such a one, as born in the master’s house, could be founded, we are totally in the dark; for I think it is most likely, there was some right of this kind, otherwise Abram had near relations to be his heirs; and whom he would otherwise probably have made such, in preference to any domestic, however considerable.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
Those expressions are not the language of unbelief, but of humble enquiry. See Gen 12:2 and Gen 13:16 . It is sweet to spiritualize. Doth not every faithful son of Abram say the same, until Christ, the promised seed, is formed in the heart?
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
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?
Ver. 2. Lord God, what wilt thou give me, &c. ] Dominator Iehovah. Adonai cum Camets sonat Dominator . A stately style. We must magnify God when we have got him into our hearts, and enlarge his room there when we conceive of him, as much as may be: do our utmost, and then say, Claudicat ingenium, delirat linguaque, mensque . a
Seeing I go childless.
And the steward of my house.
This Eliezer of Damascus.
a Lucret.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Lord GOD. Hebrew. Adonai Jehovah. See App-4. First occ, relating to blessing in the earth.
go = am going on.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
1 “Lord” (Heb. 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 Gen 24:9; Gen 24:10; Gen 24:12 “master” may illustrate the former; Gen 18:12 “lord,” the latter). Both these relationships exist between Christ and the believer Joh 13:13 “master”; 2Co 11:2; 2Co 11:3 “husband”).
(2) Two principles inhere in the relation of master and servant:
(a) the Master’s right to implicit obedience Joh 13:13; Mat 23:10; Luk 6:46
(b) the servant’s right to direction in service Isa 6:8-11
Clear distinction in the use of the divine names is illustrated in Exo 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 Jos 7:8-11. See, for other names of Deity:
(See Scofield “Gen 1:1”) See Scofield “Gen 2:4” Gen 2:7 See Scofield “Gen 14:18” See Scofield “Gen 15:2” See Scofield “Gen 17:1” See Scofield “Gen 21:33” See Scofield “1Sa 1:3”
2 “Lord God” (Heb. Adonai Jehovah). When used distinctively, this compound name, while gathering into one the special meanings of each
(See Scofield “Gen 2:4”) See Scofield “Gen 15:2”
will be found to emphasize the Adonai rather than the Jehovah character of Deity. (The following passages may suffice to illustrate this:) Gen 15:2; Gen 15:8; Deu 3:24; Deu 9:26; Jos 7:7; Jdg 6:22; Jdg 16:28; 2Sa 7:18-20,; 2Sa 7:28; 2Sa 7:29; 1Ki 2:26; Psa 69:6; Psa 71:5; Isa 7:7
See, for other names of Deity:
(See Scofield “Gen 1:1”) See Scofield “Gen 2:4”
Gen 2:7
(See Scofield “Gen 14:18”) See Scofield “Gen 15:2” See Scofield “Gen 17:1” See Scofield “Gen 21:33” See Scofield “1Sa 1:3”
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
what: Gen 12:1-3
childless: Gen 25:21, Gen 30:1, Gen 30:2, 1Sa 1:11, Psa 127:3, Pro 13:12, Isa 56:5, Act 7:5
the: Gen 24:2, Gen 24:10, Gen 39:4-6, Gen 39:9, Gen 43:19, Gen 44:1, Pro 17:2
Reciprocal: Gen 11:30 – barren Gen 16:1 – bare Gen 43:16 – the ruler Rth 2:6 – the servant 2Sa 9:2 – a servant 1Ki 15:18 – Damascus 1Ki 16:9 – steward of 2Ki 4:14 – she hath no child Ecc 4:8 – he hath Son 7:4 – Damascus Isa 17:1 – Damascus Isa 51:2 – unto Abraham Jer 49:23 – Damascus Eze 27:18 – Damascus Mat 20:8 – unto Luk 1:7 – they had Luk 16:1 – a steward Act 22:6 – Damascus Heb 6:15 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
15:2 And Abram said, {a} Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house [is] this Eliezer of Damascus?
(a) His fear was not only lest he should not have children, but lest the promise of the blessed seed should not be accomplished in him.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Abram used a new title for God calling Him Master (Adonai) Yahweh (i.e., Sovereign LORD). Abram had willingly placed himself under the sovereign leadership of God.
"A childless couple adopts a son, sometimes a slave, to serve them in their lifetime and bury and mourn them when they die. In return for this service they designate the adopted son as the heir presumptive. Should a natural son be born to the couple after such action, this son becomes the chief heir, demoting the adopted son to the penultimate position." [Note: Hamilton, p. 420. See also Cyrus H. Gordon, "Biblical Customs and the Nuzu Tablets," Biblical Archaeologist 3:1 (February 1940):2-3.]
The wordplay between the Hebrew words mesheq ("heir") and dammesek ("Damascus") highlights the incongruity that Abram’s heir would apparently be an alien (cf. Jer 49:1).