Barnes New Testament Notes

Verse 5. And he gave him none inheritance. Abraham led a wandering life; and this passage means, that he did not himself receive a permanent possession or residence in that land. The only land which he owned was the field which he purchased of the children of Heth, for a burial-place, Ge 23. As this was obtained by purchase, and not by the direct gift of God, and as it was not designed for a residence, it is said that God gave him no inheritance. It is mentioned as a strong instance of his faith, that he should remain there without a permanent residence himself, with only the prospect that his children, at some distant period, would inherit it.

Not so much as to set his foot on. This is a proverbial expression, denoting in an emphatic manner that he had no land, De 2:5.

Would give it to him. Ge 13:15. Abraham did not himself possess all that land; and the promise is evidently equivalent to saying that it should be conferred on the family of Abraham, or the family of which he was the father, without affirming that he should himself personally possess it. It is true, however, that Abraham himself afterwards dwelt many years in that land as his home, Ge 13, etc.

For a possession. To be held as his own property.

When as yet he had no child. When there was no human probability that he would have any posterity. Comp. Ge 15:2,3; 18:11,12.

This is mentioned as a strong instance of his faith: "Who against hope believed in hope," Ro 4:18.

{b} "he promised" Ge 13:15