Genesis 15
1 After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
And so, these things having been transacted, the word of the Lord came to Abram by a vision, saying: “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your protector, and your reward is exceedingly great.”
2 But Abram replied, “O Lord GOD, what can You give me, since I remain childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”
And Abram said: “Lord God, what will you give to me? I may go without children. And the son of the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus.”
3 Abram continued, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
And Abram added: “Yet to me you have not given offspring. And behold, my servant born in my house will be my heir.”
4 Then the word of the LORD came to Abram, saying, “This one will not be your heir, but one who comes from your own body will be your heir.”
And immediately the word of the Lord came to him, saying: “This one will not be your heir. But he who will come from your loins, the same will you have for your heir.”
5 And the LORD took him outside and said, “Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.” Then He told him, “So shall your offspring be.”
And he brought him outside, and he said to him, “Take in the heavens, and number the stars, if you can.” And he said to him, “So also will your offspring be.”
6 Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
Abram believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.
7 The LORD also told him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.”
And he said to him, “I am the Lord who led you away from Ur of the Chaldeans, so as to give you this land, and so that you would possess it.”
8 But Abram replied, “Lord GOD, how can I know that I will possess it?”
But he said, “Lord God, in what way may I be able to know that I will possess it?”
9 And the LORD said to him, “Bring Me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a turtledove and a young pigeon.”
And the Lord responded by saying: “Take for me a cow of three years, and a she-goat of three years, and a ram of three years, also a turtle-dove and a pigeon.”
10 So Abram brought all these to Him, split each of them down the middle, and laid the halves opposite each other. The birds, however, he did not cut in half.
Taking all these, he divided them through the middle, and placed both parts opposite one another. But the birds he did not divide.
11 And the birds of prey descended on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.
And birds descended upon the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.
12 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and suddenly great terror and darkness overwhelmed him.
And when the sun was setting, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a dread, great and dark, invaded him.
13 Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.
And it was said to him: “Know beforehand that your future offspring will be sojourners in a land not their own, and they will subjugate them in servitude and afflict them for four hundred years.
14 But I will judge the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will depart with many possessions.
Yet truly, I will judge the nation that they will serve, and after this they will depart with great substance.
15 You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a ripe old age.
But you will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age.
16 In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
But in the fourth generation, they will return here. For the iniquities of the Amorites are not yet completed, even to this present time.”
17 When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, behold, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the halves of the carcasses.
Then, when the sun had set, there came a dark mist, and there appeared a smoking furnace and a lamp of fire passing between those divisions.
18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—
On that day, God formed a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your offspring I will give this land, from the river of Egypt, even to the great river Euphrates:
19 the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites,
the land of the Kenites and the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites
20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites,
and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, likewise the Rephaim,
21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”
and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”
