Genesis 15
1 After these things the word of Jehovah came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram; I am thy shield, thy exceeding great reward.
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.”
2 And Abram said, Lord Jehovah, what wilt thou give me? seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus.
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?”
3 And Abram said, Lo, to me thou hast given no seed, and behold, a son of my house will be mine heir.
Abram continued, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
4 And behold, the word of Jehovah [came] to him, saying, This shall not be thine heir, but he that will come forth out of thy body shall be thine heir.
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.”
5 And he led him out, and said, Look now toward the heavens, and number the stars, if thou be able to number them. And he said to him, So shall thy seed be!
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.”
6 And he believed Jehovah; and he reckoned it to him [as] righteousness.
Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
7 And he said to him, I am Jehovah who brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give thee this land to possess it.
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.”
8 And he said, Lord Jehovah, how shall I know that I shall possess it?
But Abram replied, “Lord GOD, how can I know that I will possess it?”
9 And he said to 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 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.”
10 And he took all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid the half of each opposite its fellow; but the birds he did not divide.
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.
11 And the birds of prey came down on the carcases; and Abram scared them away.
And the birds of prey descended on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.
12 And as the sun was just going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, a horror, a great darkness, fell upon him.
As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and suddenly great terror and darkness overwhelmed him.
13 And he said to Abram, Know assuredly that thy seed will be a sojourner in a land [that is] not theirs, and they shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years.
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.
14 But also that nation which they shall serve I will judge; and afterwards they shall come out with great property.
But I will judge the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will depart with many possessions.
15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a ripe old age.
16 And [in the] fourth generation they shall come hither again; for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
17 And it came to pass when the sun had gone down, and it was dark, that behold, there was a smoking furnace, and a flame of fire which passed between those pieces.
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.
18 On the same day Jehovah made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates;
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—
19 the Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,
the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites,
20 and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaim,
Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites,
21 and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”
