Genesis 15

1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying: 'Fear not, Abram, I am thy shield, thy reward shall be exceeding great.'

After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield; your reward will be very great."

2 And Abram said: 'O Lord GOD, what wilt Thou give me, seeing I go hence childless, and he that shall be possessor of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?'

Abram said, "Lord, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?"

3 And Abram said: 'Behold, to me Thou hast given no seed, and, lo, one born in my house is to be mine heir.'

Then Abram said, "Look, to me you have given no offspring, and look, one born in my house is my heir."

4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying: 'This man shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.'

And look, the word of God came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir, but he who will come forth out of your own body will be your heir."

5 And He brought him forth abroad, and said: 'Look now toward heaven, and count the stars, if thou be able to count them'; and He said unto him: 'So shall thy seed be.'

And he brought him outside, and said, "Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And he said to him, "So will your descendants be."

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

And he believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

7 And He said unto him: 'I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.'

And he said to him, "I am God, who brought you out of Ur Kasdim to give you this land to possess."

8 And he said: 'O Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?'

But he said, "Lord, how can I know that I will possess it?"

9 And He said unto him: 'Take Me a heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon.'

And 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."

10 And he took him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each half over against the other; but the birds divided he not.

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

11 And the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

And the birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.

12 And it came to pass, that, when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, a dread, even a great darkness, fell upon him.

When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And look, a terror of great darkness fell on him.

13 And He said unto Abram: 'Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

And he said to Abram, "Know for certain that your descendants will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs; and they will be enslaved there. And they will oppress them four hundred years.

14 and also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge; and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

But I will also judge that nation whom they will serve. And afterward they will come out with many possessions.

15 But thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.

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

16 And in the fourth generation they shall come back hither; for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.'

In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete."

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

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

18 In that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: 'Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates;

On that day God made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Perath:

19 the Kenite, and the Kenizzite, and the Kadmonite,

the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites,

20 and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Rephaim,

the Hethites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,

21 and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Girgashite, and the Jebusite.'

the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites."