Genesis 15:6
And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Genesis 15:6
And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse beautifully captures that God doesn't just see our faith; He reckons it as if it were righteousness itself. This means God's incredible grace allows our belief to stand in place of perfect obedience before Him.
After Abram rescued his nephew Lot and returned, God appeared to him in a vision, assuring him he was God's shield and great reward, and promising him numerous descendants. Despite these assurances, Abram expressed doubt about inheriting the land without an heir, prompting God to take him outside and command him to count the stars, a visible symbol of the countless offspring God would give him.
Abram's belief wasn't just a passive hope, but an active trust that God would fulfill His promises, even when circumstances screamed otherwise.
Genesis 15:6 highlights that Abram's faith wasn't about seeing the fulfillment, but about believing the Promiser.
Trust in the Unseen
Before this moment, Abram had received promises, but his journey was marked by uncertainties and even a lack of full trust, as seen in his actions and questions.
The Pivotal Act
Here, however, the text emphasizes a decisive moment: 'And he believed the LORD.' This signifies a profound conviction, a deep-seated trust in God's character and His word, irrespective of immediate evidence. It's about resting our confidence in God, not just on His promises.
More Than Hope
This wasn't wishful thinking; it was a steadfast commitment. As one commentator puts it, Abram 'rested his confidence in the Divine character, and based his hope of a future seed on the Divine word.' It was an internal conviction that God was faithful and able to do what He said.
The most profound truth here is that God doesn't just see Abram's faith; He counts it as righteousness, a gift bestowed, not earned.
The phrase 'he counted it to him as righteousness' is the heart of this verse, revealing a foundational theological concept.
Imputation, Not Merit
This means God didn't credit Abram with righteousness because Abram earned it through perfect behavior. Instead, God imputed righteousness to him – a legal declaration of being right with God, based on Abram's faith.
The Object of Faith
Understand the original words
aman · Hebrew Verb
To hold as true, to trust, or to have firm confidence in. In a biblical context, it refers to a steadfast trust in God's promises, resulting in a faithful relationship with Him.
YHWH · Hebrew Noun (Proper)
The covenant name of God (Yahweh), the personal, self-existent God who reveals Himself to His people. It signifies His holiness, faithfulness, and eternal nature.
tsedaqah · Hebrew Noun
The state or quality of being right, just, or conformed to God's standard. Biblically, it refers to the status of a person who is declared acceptable by God, particularly through faith.
This foundational moment of belief, occurring before Isaac's birth and even before Abraham's circumcision, establishes that righteousness before God is not earned by works or rituals, but received through trusting His promises.
c. 2090 BC
Abram Called from Ur
God calls Abram (later Abraham) from his homeland in Ur of the Chaldees to go to a land God will show him, with promises of making him a great nation and blessing the world through him.
c. 2080 BC
Promise Renewed in Canaan
After Abram settles in Canaan, God appears to him again, reiterating the promise of numerous descendants and possession of the land.
c. 2080 BC— this verse
Abram's Covenant Vision
God confirms His promises to Abram through a vision, including a smoking furnace and a burning lamp passing between divided animal parts, signifying a covenant. Abram expresses his belief in God's promises, and God counts this faith as righteousness.
c. 2070 BC
Birth of Ishmael
Due to Sarah's impatience, Abram has a son, Ishmael, with Hagar. This event highlights the human struggle to trust God's timing and method.
The Apostle Paul directly quotes this verse and uses it as the foundational proof text for his argument that righteousness comes through faith, not works, in the New Testament.
Galatians 3:6This passage echoes Genesis 15:6, again citing Abraham's faith as the basis for his righteousness and connecting it to the inheritance promised by God.
Hebrews 11:4This verse highlights Abel's offering as an act of faith that pleased God, drawing a parallel to Abraham's faith being counted as righteousness, emphasizing faith as the pathway to divine acceptance.
Romans 4:20-22Paul further elaborates on Abraham's faith, emphasizing his unwavering belief in God's power to fulfill His promises, which is the very essence of what was counted to him as righteousness.
gillGenesis 15:6: "And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness."
And he believed in the Lord,.... The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan are,"in the Word of the Lord;''in the essential Word of the Lord, in Christ the Lord his righteousness; he believed in the promise of God, that he should have a seed, and a very numerous one; he believed that the Messiah would spring from his seed; he believed in him as his Saviour and Redeemer; he believed in him for righteousness, and he…
calvinGenesis 15:1-21: "After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward."
Et eduxit eum foras, et dixit, Suspice nunc coelum, et numera stellas, si poteris numerare eas. Et dixit ei, Sic erit semen tuum.
And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Et credidit Jehovae, et reputavit illud ei ad justitiam.
And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of U…
This verse beautifully captures that God doesn't just see our faith; He reckons it as if it were righteousness itself. This means God's incredible grace allows our belief to stand in place of perfect obedience before Him.
After Abram rescued his nephew Lot and returned, God appeared to him in a vision, assuring him he was God's shield and great reward, and promising him numerous descendants. Despite these assurances, Abram expressed doubt about inheriting the land without an heir, prompting God to take him outside and command him to count the stars, a visible symbol of the countless offspring God would give him.
After Abram rescued his nephew Lot and returned, God appeared to him in a vision, assuring him he was God's shield and great reward, and promising him numerous descendants. Despite these assurances, Abram expressed doubt about inheriting the land without an heir, prompting God to take him outside and command him to count the stars, a visible symbol of the countless offspring God would give him.
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Commentators emphasize that it's not faith itself that is righteousness, but rather the object of that faith – God's faithfulness and His plan, ultimately pointing to Christ. Abram's faith grasped God's provision for his standing before Him.
A Divine Declaration
God declared Abram righteous because of Abram's trust in Him. This wasn't about Abram's perfect character but about his relationship with God, established through faith in God's promise and person. It’s a righteousness that comes from God, not from us.
c. 2069 BC
Covenant Sign: Circumcision
God formally establishes His covenant with Abram, now named Abraham, and introduces circumcision as its sign, emphasizing the lineage through which the promised seed will come.
c. 2068 BC
Birth of Isaac
God fulfills His promise, and Sarah, despite her old age, gives birth to Isaac, the child of promise, through whom God's covenant will continue.
"And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness." — This verse beautifully captures that God doesn't just see our faith; He reckons it as if it were righteousness itself. This means God's incredible grace allows our belief to stand in place of per…