Read Genesis 15 at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraph division:
Gen 15:1-21 {s} Abram’s promise reaffirmed by covenant
And he believed in YHVH, and He counted it to him for righteousness. Gen 15:6
The Hebrew Root Word parables will help us nail down the meaning of the abstract concepts of “belief” and “righteousness.”
Belief comes from the Hebrew verb Strong’s H539, אמן aman, “to believe in.” Its ancient pictographs:
aleph א = ox head (strength, power, leader)
mem מ ם = water (chaos, mighty, blood)
nun נ ן = seed (continue, heir, son)
According to the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon, ancient people used to put animal hides in a pot of boiling water, and skim off the thick substance that formed at the surface. This strong (aleph) water (mem) was used as glue, and is still the basis of glue production today. In fact the concrete noun that comes from the verbal root is “glue.” The parable is of the bond (aleph + mem) that continues (nun), that is, ideas or truths that stick perpetually because it represents reality.
Abram believed in YHVH: he was one of the few who believed that YHVH was the Creator of heaven and earth, the one true God, while the rest of the earth practiced paganism; and he believed YHVH -– he believed YHVH’s words were true, even if he had yet to see them fulfilled.
Righteousness comes from the Hebrew verb Strong’s H6663, צדק tsadaq, “to be right.” Its ancient pictographs:
tsadey צ ץ = trail, (a man concealed, journey, chase, hunt)
dalet ד = door (enter, move, hang)
quph ק = sun on the horizon (condense, circle, time)
The parable is of the path (tsadey) that is straight, as when a hung door (dalet) is measured against the plumb line, in perpetuity (quph), as the setting sun is the biblical symbol of the seventh day Sabbath marking the close of the week, and thus the endless cycle of time and completion of time. So to walk righteously is to walk in the straight way which applies across all cultures and all times, rather than what a culture considers an ethical custom, but which only applies to a narrow place or time.
Why This Matters: To believe in and put faith in God and His Word is itself a righteous act.
If there are questions, these are good resources:
Ancient Hebrew Research Center – Dr. Jeff Benner
What Language Does YHVH Speak? – Brad Scott on Truth2U Radio
Covenant of Grant and the Abrahamic Covenant – Tim Hegg
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