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Passage Research

Genesis 15 — Sermon Preparation

Below is a research summary for Genesis 15, drawn from openly licensed scholarly databases — original-language morphology, classic sermons from the church fathers through the Puritans, and ancient geography data.

21
verses
258 / 133
Hebrew words / lemmas
19
classic sermon excerpts
7
preachers & commentators

Genesis 15 in the Hebrew

Distinctive vocabulary of this chapter, based on original-language morphology.

Hebrew Transliteration Strong's Count Glosses
אַבְרָם ʼAbrâm H87 8 Abram
יָרַשׁ yârash H3423 5 occupy, driving
שָׁלַשׁ shâlash H8027 3 be, make
זֶרַע zeraʻ H2233 4 seed, fruit
נָתַן nâthan H5414 5 give, put
בָּתַר bâthar H1334 2 chop up
נָהָר nâhâr H5104 3 stream, prosperity

How preachers through history handled this text

19 public-domain excerpts on Genesis 15, from the church fathers to the Puritans.

Matthew Henry 6 Spurgeon 6 Alexander MacLaren 3 Ambrose 1 Calvin 1 Abraham Kuyper 1 John Wesley 1

“The smoking furnace and the burning lamp, probably represented the Israelites' severe trials and joyful deliverance, with their gracious supports in the mean time. It is probable that this furnace and lamp, which passed between the pieces, burned and consumed them, and so completed the sacrifice, and testified God's acceptance of it. So it intimates that God's covenants with man are made by sacrifice, Ps 50:5. And we may know that he accepts our sacrifices, if he kindles in our souls pious and devout affections. …”

— Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise), on Genesis 15:17–35 (Public Domain)

Places in the text

Based on ancient-geography data

  • Egypt — Gen 15:18
  • Euphrates — Gen 15:18
  • Damascus — Gen 15:2
  • Chaldea — Gen 15:7
  • Ur 1 — Gen 15:7

Need the complete sermon prep report on this passage?

Greek exegesis, historical background, current scholarship, sermon outlines, illustrations — a complete PDF report on Genesis 15, delivered in 45 minutes.