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.

After these things, the worde of the Lord came vnto Abram in a vision, saying, Feare not, Abram, I am thy buckler, and thine exceeding great reward.

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, O Lord God, what wilt thou giue me, seeing I goe childlesse, and the steward of mine 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.

Againe Abram saide, Beholde, to me thou hast giuen no seede: wherefore loe, a seruant of mine house shalbe mine heire.

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.

Then beholde, the worde of the Lord came vnto him, saying, This man shall not be thine heire, but one that shall come out of thine owne bowels, he shalbe thine heire.

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.

Moreouer he brought him forth and said, Looke vp nowe vnto heauen, and tell ye starres, if thou be able to number them: and he said vnto him, So shall thy seede be.

6 Abram bileuede to God, and it was arettid to hym to riytfulnesse.

And Abram beleeued the Lord, and he counted that to him for righteousnesse.

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.

Againe he saide vnto him, I am the Lord, that brought thee out of Vr of the Caldees, to giue thee this land to inherite it.

8 And Abram seide, Lord God, wherbi may I wite that Y schal welde it?

And he said, O Lord God, whereby shall I knowe that I shall inherite 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.

Then he said vnto him, Take me an heifer of three yeeres olde, and a shee goate of three yeeres olde, and a ramme of three yeeres olde, a turtle doue also 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.

So he tooke all these vnto him, and deuided them into the middes, and laid euery piece one against an other: but the birdes deuided he not.

11 And foulis camen doun on the careyns, and Abram drof hem awey.

Then foules fell on the carkases, and Abram droue 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 sunne went downe, there fell an heauie sleepe vpon Abram: and loe, a very fearefull darkenes fell vpon 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;

Then he saide to Abram, Knowe for a suretie, that thy seede shalbe a stranger in a land, that is not theirs, foure hundreth yeeres, and shall serue them: and they shall intreate them euill.

14 netheles Y schal deme the folk to whom thei schulen serue; and aftir these thingis thei schulen go out with greet catel.

Notwithstanding the nation, whom they shall serue, will I iudge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

15 Forsothe thou schalt go to thi fadris in pees, and schalt be biried in good age.

But thou shalt goe vnto thy fathers in peace, and shalt be buried in a good 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.

And in the fourth generation they shall come hither againe: for the wickednes of the Amorites is not yet full.

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.

Also when the sunne went downe, there was a darkenes: and behold, a smoking fornace, and a firebrand, which went betweene those pieces.

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,

In that same day the Lord made a couenant with Abram, saying, Vnto thy seede haue I giuen this lande, from the riuer of Egypt vnto the great riuer, the riuer Euphrates.

19 and Cyneseis, and Cethmoneis, and Etheis,

The Kenites, and the Kenizites, and the Kadmonites,

20 and Fereseis, and Raphaym, and Amorreis,

And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,

21 and Cananeis, and Gergeseis, and Jebuseis.

The Amorites also, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Iebusites.