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 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: '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?'

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: 'Behold, to me Thou hast given no seed, and, lo, one born in my house is to 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 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.'

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

Abram believed the LORD, 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.'

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

But Abram replied, “Lord GOD, 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 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 him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each half over against the other; but the birds divided he not.

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 upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

And the birds of prey descended 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.

As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and suddenly great terror and darkness overwhelmed 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;

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

But I will judge the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will depart with many possessions.

15 But 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 back hither; for the iniquity of the Amorite 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, that, when the sun went down, and there was thick darkness, behold a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch that passed between these 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 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 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 Kenite, and the Kenizzite, and the Kadmonite,

the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites,

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

Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites,

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

Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”