Genesis 15
1 And so whanne these thingis weren don, the word of the Lord was maad to Abram bi a visioun, and seide, Abram, nyle thou drede, Y am thi defender, and thi meede is ful greet.
And so, these things having been transacted, the word of the Lord came to Abram by a vision, saying: “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your protector, and your reward is exceedingly great.”
2 And Abram seide, Lord God, what schalt thou yyue to me? Y schal go with oute fre children, and this Damask, sone of Elieser, the procuratour of myn hous, schal be myn eir.
And Abram said: “Lord God, what will you give to me? I may go without children. And the son of the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus.”
3 And Abram addide, Sotheli thou hast not youe seed to me, and, lo! my borun seruaunt schal be myn eir.
And Abram added: “Yet to me you have not given offspring. And behold, my servant born in my house will be my heir.”
4 And anoon the word of the Lord was maad to hym, and seide, This schal not be thin eir, but thou schalt haue hym eir, that schal go out of thi wombe.
And immediately the word of the Lord came to him, saying: “This one will not be your heir. But he who will come from your loins, the same will you have for your heir.”
5 And the Lord ledde out Abram, and seide to hym, Biholde thou heuene, and noumbre thou sterris, if thou maist. And the Lord seide to Abram, So thi seed schal be.
And he brought him outside, and he said to him, “Take in the heavens, and number the stars, if you can.” And he said to him, “So also will your offspring be.”
6 Abram bileuede to God, and it was arettid to hym to riytfulnesse.
Abram believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.
7 And God seide to hym, Y am the Lord, that ladde thee out of Vr of Caldeis, that Y schulde yyue this lond to thee, and thou schuldist haue it in possessioun.
And he said to him, “I am the Lord who led you away from Ur of the Chaldeans, so as to give you this land, and so that you would possess it.”
8 And Abram seide, Lord God, wherbi may I wite that Y schal welde it?
But he said, “Lord God, in what way may I be able to know that I will possess it?”
9 And the Lord answerde, and seide, Take thou to me a cow of thre yeer, and a geet of thre yeer, and a ram of thre yeer, a turtle also, and a culuer.
And the Lord responded by saying: “Take for me a cow of three years, and a she-goat of three years, and a ram of three years, also a turtle-dove and a pigeon.”
10 Which took alle these thingis, and departide tho bi the myddis, and settide euer eithir partis ech ayens other; but he departide not the briddis.
Taking all these, he divided them through the middle, and placed both parts opposite one another. But the birds he did not divide.
11 And foulis camen doun on the careyns, and Abram drof hem awey.
And birds descended upon the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.
12 And whanne the sunne was gon doun, drede felde on Abram, and a greet hidousenesse and derk asaylide him.
And when the sun was setting, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a dread, great and dark, invaded him.
13 And it was seid to hym, Wite thou bifore knowinge, that thi seed schal be pilgrim foure hundrid yeer in a lond not his owne, and thei schulen make hem suget to seruage, and thei schulen turment hem;
And it was said to him: “Know beforehand that your future offspring will be sojourners in a land not their own, and they will subjugate them in servitude and afflict them for four hundred years.
14 netheles Y schal deme the folk to whom thei schulen serue; and aftir these thingis thei schulen go out with greet catel.
Yet truly, I will judge the nation that they will serve, and after this they will depart with great substance.
15 Forsothe thou schalt go to thi fadris in pees, and schalt be biried in good age.
But you will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age.
16 Sotheli in the fourthe generacioun thei schulen turne ayen hidir, for the wickidnesses of Amoreis ben not yit fillid, `til to present tyme.
But in the fourth generation, they will return here. For the iniquities of the Amorites are not yet completed, even to this present time.”
17 Therfor whanne the sunne was gon doun, a derk myst was maad, and a furneis smokynge apperide, and a laumpe of fier, and passide thorou tho departingis.
Then, when the sun had set, there came a dark mist, and there appeared a smoking furnace and a lamp of fire passing between those divisions.
18 In that dai the Lord made a couenaunt of pees with Abram, and seide, Y schal yyue to thi seed this lond, fro the ryuer of Egipt til to the greet ryuer Eufrates; Cyneis,
On that day, God formed a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your offspring I will give this land, from the river of Egypt, even to the great river Euphrates:
19 and Cyneseis, and Cethmoneis, and Etheis,
the land of the Kenites and the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites
20 and Fereseis, and Raphaym, and Amorreis,
and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, likewise the Rephaim,
21 and Cananeis, and Gergeseis, and Jebuseis.
and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”
