Read Genesis 15:1-21 at Bible Gateway.
Hebrew paragraph divisions
Gen 15:1-21 {s} Promise reaffirmed by covenant
Original Hebrew
And he believed in Yehovah; and He counted it to him for righteousness. Gen 15:6
“Believed in” is in Hebrew, Strong’s H539, aman, a primitive root; to prop, to stay, to sustain, to support.
The ancient Hebrew pictographs are of the aleph + mem + nun.
aleph = the ox head, thus strength, power, leader
mem = the water, thus chaos, mighty, blood
nun = the seed, thus continue, heir, son
Ancient people used to put animal hides in a pot of boiling water, and skim off the thick substance that formed at the surface. So the story the ancient pictographs are painting is of the strong (aleph) water (mem) which was used as glue (and is still the basis of glue production today). Combined, the first two letters mean “to bind,” when used as a verb, or “glue,” when used as a concrete noun. When the nun is added, then, the story becomes the bond (aleph + mem) that continues (nun). The Hebrew language defines the abstract concept of belief as ideas or truths that stick with us continually.
Abram believed in the LORD, i.e., he and those in his household were of the few (the only?) who believed that YHVH was the Creator of heaven and earth, the one true God, while the rest of the earth practiced the paganism learned from the Tower of Babel rebellion; and he believed the LORD – he believed the LORD’s words were true, even if he had yet to see them fulfilled.
“Counted” is in Hebrew, Strong’s H2803 chashab, a primitive root, meaning to think, to meditate, to reckon.
The ancient Hebrew pictographs are of the chet + shin + bet.
chet = the wall, thus outside, divide, half
shin = two front teeth, thus sharp, press, eat, two, again
bet = the house, thus house, household, family, in, within
The story the ancient pictographs are painting is that when a problem or concept is weighed, considered, analyzed, reckoned, worked out, it is first, divided (chet) into its components, and then chewed on (shin) within (bet) the heart and mind.
“Righteousness” is in Hebrew, Strong’s H6666, tsedaqah, from Strong’s H6663, tsadaq, a primitive root, to be right, straight.
The ancient Hebrew pictographs are of the tsadey + dalet + quph.
tsadey = the trail, thus a man concealed, journey, chase, hunt
dalet = the door, thus enter, move, hang
quph = the sun on the horizon, thus condense, circle, time
The story the ancient pictographs are painting 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 7th day Sabbath marking the close of the week, and thus the endless cycle of time and completion of time. The idea is of absolute truth or righteousness applying 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.
For further study on site
Gen 15:1-21 chiastic structure
Gen 15 and the cutting of the covenant
For further study off site
Covenant – Jewish Encyclopaedia
Israelite Covenants in the Light of Ancient Near Eastern Covenants
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