The Meaning of Genesis 15:6 Explained

Genesis 15:6

KJV: And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

YLT: And he hath believed in Jehovah, and He reckoneth it to him -- righteousness.

Darby: And he believed Jehovah; and he reckoned it to him as righteousness.

ASV: And he believed in Jehovah; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he believed  in the LORD;  and he counted  it to him for righteousness. 

What does Genesis 15:6 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 15:1-21 - Abram's Vision Of The Future
Abram had good reason to fear the vengeance of the defeated kings; but the divine voice reassured him. For all of us there is need of a shield, because the world hates us; and for each God will be our compensation for every sacrifice we have made. Refuse to take even the shoe-latchets of Sodom, and God will be your exceeding great reward. The patriarch addressed God as Adonai Jehovah, which occurs only twice more in the Pentateuch. While he was pouring out the bitterness of his soul, the stars came out. Count these, said his Almighty Friend; and he believed. For the first time that mighty word occurs in Scripture, and the Apostle makes much of it. See Romans 4:9; Galatians 3:6. It was as good as done. Henceforth the patriarch reckoned on God's faithfulness. In olden times covenants were ratified by the parties passing between the pieces of the sacrifice. To give strong consolation, the Almighty confirmed His word with an oath. See Hebrews 6:18. But God must wait until the hour for interposition is fully come. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 15

1  God encourages Abram, who asks for an heir
4  God promises him a son, and a multiplying of his seed
6  Abram is justified by faith
7  Canaan is promised again,
9  and confirmed by a sign, and a vision,
18  prophetic of the condition of his posterity till brought out of Egypt

What do the individual words in Genesis 15:6 mean?

And he believed in Yahweh and He accounted it to him for righteousness
וְהֶאֱמִ֖ן בַּֽיהוָ֑ה וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ לּ֖וֹ צְדָקָֽה

וְהֶאֱמִ֖ן  And  he  believed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַן 
Sense: to support, confirm, be faithful.
בַּֽיהוָ֑ה  in  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ  and  He  accounted  it 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: חָשַׁב 
Sense: to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count.
לּ֖וֹ  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
צְדָקָֽה  for  righteousness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: צְדָקָה  
Sense: justice, righteousness.