But Abram said introduces Abram as the next speaker. His speech in verse 2 consists of a complaint in the form of a question. Some translations such as Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation open verse 2 with But to mark the contrast between the LORD’s assurance to Abram in verse 1 and Abram’s childlessness (absence of reward) in Gen 15.2. But is in English an appropriate connector here and is used by Revised English Bible, Moffatt, Speiser, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, but not New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and others. Translators should use the type of linking word or formal structure that will show this contrast in their own language.
O Lord GOD translates Hebrew ʾadonai yahweh, a title used for addressing God, found only here and in verse 8 in the book of Genesis. For a full discussion on translating the names of God, see the section “The names of God in Genesis” in “Translating Genesis,” page 13.
In some languages this title can be rendered by a term meaning “master, possessor, owner, chief, king,” together with the name or title that has been chosen as the equivalent of Yahweh. We may suggest, for example, “Chief Yahweh,” “Ruler Yahweh,” “The LORD who is king,” “My owner who is Yahweh,” “LORD, my master.”
O is here an English form that is used in addressing someone directly, especially when addressing a superior. There is nothing of this nature in the Hebrew text. This form is now archaic in English, but it is still commonly used in prayer, “O Lord, hear us.” Modern English translations omit it. An equivalent form is used in many languages, but such a form should be used only if it is natural.
What wilt thou give me is a complaint stated in the form of a question. It refers back to the LORD’s promise in verse 1, “Your reward shall be very great.” Abram’s question is rhetorical, as the sense is “You haven’t given me what I need,” or as Biblia Dios Habla Hoy says, “How does your rewarding me help me?” Stated negatively this may be expressed “Your rewarding me does nothing for me.” Good News Translation captures the despair in Abram’s question with “What good will your reward do me…?” Bible en français courant says “What good does it do to give me something?” In some languages this kind of question will require a reply; for example, “What will your reward [gift] do for me? Nothing.” Another way of expressing this may be “Will your gift help me? Not at all.”
Abram’s lament or complaint suggests a degree of reproach or of blaming the LORD for his condition. For I continue childless is literally “and I go childless.” The verb “go” sometimes carries the sense of “go away,” “vanish” (Job 7.9); and it may even have the particular sense of “die” (Psa 39.13). Some interpreters understand Abram to refer to dying without an heir, a very great tragedy in view of the promise made to him in 12.2. A translation that takes up this thought says “… because I will die soon, and I have no child.”
Childless translates a word used elsewhere only in Lev 20.20, 21 and Jer 22.30. Hebrew does not indicate male or female child in this term, the same as with “childless” in English. However, for languages in which no equivalent word exists, it may be necessary to use a term for “son.”
In translation it is important to relate the two parts of Abram’s speech, the question and the statement, to each other. In some languages it may be best to reverse the order and say, for example, “Since I am going to die without a child, what is there that you can give me?”
And the heir of my house: Good News Translation, but not Revised Standard Version, shows that the Hebrew at the end of this verse is unclear. Some commentators say “untranslatable.” New Jerusalem Bible leaves a blank in its translation at this point. The Hebrew word translated heir occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament. However, there is sufficient parallelism between verse 2b and verse 3b, which is clear, to assume the two passages have essentially the same sense. Heir refers to someone who inherits the property after the owner dies. Heir of my house does not mean “the one who will inherit my house” but rather “the one of my household who will inherit my property when I die” or “the person in my family camp who will inherit from me.”
In languages in which heir must be translated by a descriptive phrase, we may say, for example, “the person who will own my possessions when I die is…” or “I will give my wealth to….” Some more natural idiomatic expressions are “the one who will stand in my place,” “the one who will hold my ground and my possessions,” and “the one who will take over my everything.”
Eliezer identifies Abram’s heir by name; if the Hebrew text is really referring to Damascus, this may mean that he was a native of that city. For Damascus see 14.15.
Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .