Genesis 15:6 Meaning — Commentary & Explanation

Genesis 15:6

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

King James Version (KJV)

Read this verse in context with translation switching:

Context

This verse records Abram's response after God promises him descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven, in the same vision of chapter 15.

What Does Genesis 15:6 Mean?

Genesis 15:6 means that Abram trusted God's promise, and God reckoned that trust to him as righteousness. After God assured Abram of countless descendants -- as many as the stars -- Abram responded not with proof but with belief, and that response is the center of this verse.

The wording is deliberate and profound. Abram "believed in the LORD" -- he took God at His word and rested his hope on God's faithfulness. In turn, God "counted it to him for righteousness," crediting Abram's trust as right standing before Himself. This is one of the most important verses in the Bible on the nature of faith, quoted repeatedly in the New Testament to show how a person comes into right relationship with God. Abram had no child yet and no land of his own; he had only the promise and the One who made it. His faith was not passive but a wholehearted reliance on God that shaped his whole life. The verse teaches that genuine trust in God is precious in His sight, and that those who take Him at His word are welcomed by Him as righteous.

In the Original Language

The Hebrew "aman" (believed) means to trust and rely firmly, while "chashab" (counted, reckoned) is an accounting term for crediting righteousness to Abram.

Cross References

“For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”

- Romans 4:3

“Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

- Galatians 3:6

“And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.”

- James 2:23