Genesis 15

1 After these things the word of YHWH has been to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram, I [am] a shield to you, your reward [is] exceedingly 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 says, “Lord YHWH, what do You give to me, and I am going childless? And an acquired son in my house is Demmesek 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 says, “Behold, to me You have not given seed, and behold, a servant will 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 behold, the word of YHWH [is] to him, saying, “This [one] will not be your heir; but he who comes out from your bowels, he will be your 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 brings him out outside and says, “Now look attentively toward the heavens and count the stars, if you are able to count them”; and He says to him, “Thus is your seed.”

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 And he has believed in YHWH, and He reckons it to him—righteousness.

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

7 And He says to him, “I [am] YHWH who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldees, to give to you this land to 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 and he says, “Lord YHWH, whereby do I know that I possess it?”

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

9 And He says to him, “Take for Me a heifer of three years, and a female goat of three years, and a ram of three years, and a turtle-dove, and a young bird”;

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 takes all these to Him, and separates them in the midst, and puts each piece opposite its fellow, but the bird he has not divided;

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 ravenous birds come down on the carcasses, and Abram causes them to turn back.

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

12 And the sun is about to go in, and deep sleep has fallen on Abram, and behold, a terror of great darkness is falling on 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 He says to Abram, “knowing—know that your seed is a sojourner in a land not theirs, and they have served them, and they have afflicted 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 and the nation also whom they serve I judge, and after this they go 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 you come to your fathers in peace; you are 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 and the fourth generation turns back here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.”

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

17 And it comes to pass—the sun has gone in, and thick darkness has been and behold, a furnace of smoke, and a lamp of fire, which has passed over between those pieces.

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 In that day has YHWH made with Abram a covenant, saying, “To your seed I have given this land, from the River of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River,

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 with the Kenite, and the Kenizzite, and the Kadmonite,

the Kenite, and the Kenizzite, and the Kadmonite,

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

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

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

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