< Genesis 15 >
1 After these things, came the word of Yahweh unto Abram, in a vision saying, —Do not fear Abram, I am a shield to thee, thine exceeding great reward.
After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield; your reward will be very great."
2 And Abram said My Lord Yahweh, what canst thou give me, when, I, am going on childless, —and the heir of my house, is Eliezer, of Damascus,
Abram said, "Lord, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?"
3 And Abram said—Lo, to me, hast thou not given seed, —And lo! a son of my household, is mine heir!
Then Abram said, "Look, to me you have given no offspring, and look, one born in my house is my heir."
4 And lo! the word of Yahweh [came] unto him, saying, This one, shall not be thine heir: But one who cometh forth of thy body—he shall be thine heir.
And look, the word of God came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir, but he who will come forth out of your own body will be your heir."
5 And he brought him forth abroad and said—Look steadfastly. I pray thee towards the heavens, and number the stars, if thou be able to number, them, And he said to him, Thus, shall be thy seed.
And he brought him outside, and said, "Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And he said to him, "So will your descendants be."
6 And he had faith in Yahweh, —so he reckoned it to him as righteousness.
And he believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
7 And he said unto him, —I, am Yahweh, who brought thee forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.
And he said to him, "I am God, who brought you out of Ur Kasdim to give you this land to possess."
8 And he said, My Lord Yahweh, whereby, can I know that I shall inherit it?
But he said, "Lord, how can I know that I will possess it?"
9 And he said unto him, Take for me a heifer three years old, and a she-goat three years old, and a ram three years old, and a turtle-dove and a young pigeon.
And he said to him, "Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon."
10 So he took for him all these, and divided them, in the midst, and placed each piece over against its fellow, but the birds, divided he not.
He brought him all of these, and divided them in the middle, and placed each half opposite the other; but he did not divide the birds.
11 Then came down the birds of prey upon the carcass, and Abram drove them away.
And the birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.
12 And it came to pass when, the sun, was about to go in, and, a deep sleep, had fallen upon Abram, lo! a terror a great darkness, was falling upon him.
When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And look, a terror of great darkness fell on him.
13 And he said to Abram—Thou must surely know, that, sojourners, will thy seed become in a land not theirs, and shall serve them and they will humble them, four hundred years;
And he said to Abram, "Know for certain that your descendants will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs; and they will be enslaved there. And they will oppress them four hundred years.
14 moreover also, the nation whom they will serve, I, am going to judge, and after that, shall they come forth with great substance.
But I will also judge that nation whom they will serve. And afterward they will come out with many possessions.
15 But, thou, shalt go in unto thy fathers in peace, thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
But you will go to your fathers in peace. You will be buried in a good old age.
16 And, in the fourth generation, shall they return hither, —for not complete, is the iniquity of the Amorites, as yet,
In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete."
17 So it came to pass when, the sun, had gone in, and, a thick darkness, had come on, that lo there was a smoking hearth and torch of fire, which passed through between these pieces.
It came to pass that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, look, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.
18 In that day, did Yahweh solemnise with Abram a covenant, saying, —To thy seed, have I given this land, from the river of Egypt as far as the great river—the river Euphrates:
On that day God made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Perath:
19 the Kenite, and the Kenizzite, and the Kadmonite;
the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites,
20 and the Hittite and the Perizzite, and the Rephaim;
the Hethites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,
21 and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Girgashite, and the Jebusite.
the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites."