Genesis 15

1 After these things the LORD’s word came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

And after these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram, I shield thee, thy reward shall be very great.

2 Abram said, “Lord GOD, what will you give me, since I go childless, and he who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?”

And Abram said, Master [and] Lord, what wilt thou give me? whereas I am departing without a child, but the son of Masek my home-born female slave, this Eliezer of Damascus [is mine heir.]

3 Abram said, “Behold, you have given no children to me: and, behold, one born in my house is my heir.”

And Abram said, [I am grieved] since thou hast given me no seed, but my home-born [servant] shall succeed me.

4 Behold, the LORD’s word came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir, but he who will come out of your own body will be your heir.”

And immediately there was a voice of the Lord to him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come out of thee shall be thine heir.

5 The LORD brought him outside, and said, “Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “So your offspring will be.”

And he brought him out and said to him, Look up now to heaven, and count the stars, if thou shalt be able to number them fully, and he said, Thus shall thy seed be.

6 He believed in the LORD, who credited it to him for righteousness.

And Abram believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.

7 He said to Abram, “I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land to inherit it.”

And he said to him, I am God that brought thee out of the land of the Chaldeans, so as to give thee this land to inherit.

8 He said, “Lord GOD, how will I know that I will inherit it?”

And he said, Master [and] Lord, how shall I know that I shall inherit it?

9 He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”

And he said to him, Take for me an heifer in her third year, and a she-goat in her third year, and a ram in his third year, and a dove and a pigeon.

10 He brought him all these, and divided them in the middle, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not divide the birds.

So he took to him all these, and divided them in the midst, and set them opposite to each other, but the birds he did not divide.

11 The birds of prey came down on the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

And birds came down upon the bodies, [even] upon the divided parts of them, and Abram sat down by them.

12 When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. Now terror and great darkness fell on him.

And about sunset a trance fell upon Abram, and lo! a great gloomy terror falls upon him.

13 He said to Abram, “Know for sure that your offspring will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will afflict them four hundred years.

And it was said to Abram, Thou shalt surely know that thy seed shall be a sojourner in a land not their won, and they shall enslave them, and afflict them, and humble them four hundred years.

14 I will also judge that nation, whom they will serve. Afterward they will come out with great wealth;

And the nation whomsoever they shall serve I will judge; and after this, they shall come forth hither with much property.

15 but you will go to your fathers in peace. You will be buried at a good old age.

But thou shalt depart to thy fathers in peace, nourished in a good old age.

16 In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.”

And in the fourth generation they shall return hither, for the sins of the Amorites are not yet filled up, even until now.

17 It came to pass that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.

And when the sun was about to set, there was a flame, and behold a smoking furnace and lamps of fire, which passed between these divided pieces.

18 In that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “I have given this land to your offspring, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates:

In that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, To thy seed I will give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates.

19 the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites,

The Kenites, and the Kenezites, and the Kedmoneans,

20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,

and the Chettites, and the Pherezites, and the Raphaim,

21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”

and the Amorites, and the Chananites, and the Evites, and the Gergesites, and the Jebusites.