Genesis 15

1 Now when these things were done, the word of the Lord came to Abram by a vision, saying: Fear not, Abram, I am thy protector, and thy reward exceeding great.

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.'

2 And Abram said: Lord God, what wilt thou give me? I shall go without children: and the son of the steward of my house is this Damascus Eliezer.

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?'

3 And Abram added: But to me thou hast not given seed: and lo my servant, born in my house, shall be my heir.

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

4 And immediately the word of the Lord came to him, saying: He shall not be thy heir: but he that shall come out of thy bowels, him shalt thou have for thy heir.

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.'

5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said to him: Look up to heaven and number the stars, if thou canst. And he said to him: So shall thy seed be.

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.'

6 Abram believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.

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

7 And he said to him: I am the Lord who brought thee out from Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land, and that thou mightest possess it.

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.'

8 But he said: Lord God, whereby may I know that I shall possess it?

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

9 And the Lord answered, and said: Take me a cow of three years old, and a she goat of three years, and a ram of three years, a turtle also, and a pigeon.

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.'

10 And he took all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid the two pieces of each one against the other; but the birds he divided not.

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.

11 And the fowls came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

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

12 And when the sun was setting, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a great and darksome horror seized upon him.

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.

13 And it was said unto him: Know thou beforehand that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land not their own, and they shall bring them under bondage, and afflict them four hundred years.

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;

14 But I will judge the nation which they shall serve, and after this they shall come out with great substance.

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

15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace, and be buried in a good old age.

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

16 But in the fourth generation they shall return hither: for as yet the iniquities of the Amorrhites are not at the full until this present time.

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

17 And when the sun was set, there arose a dark mist, and there appeared a smoking furnace and a lamp of fire passing between those divisions.

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.

18 That day God made a covenant with Abram, saying: To thy seed will I give this land, from the river of Egypt even to the great river Euphrates.

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;

19 The Cineans and Cenezites, the Cedmonites,

the Kenite, and the Kenizzite, and the Kadmonite,

20 And the Hethites, and the Pherezites, the Raphaim also,

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

21 And the Amorrhites, and the Chanaanites, and the Gergesites, and the Jebusites.

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