Genesis 15 | English Standard Version

English Standard Version

God’s Covenant with Abram

1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” (Ge 26:24; Ps 3:3; Ps 18:2; Ps 84:11; Ps 119:114; Da 10:12; Lu 1:13; Lu 1:30)

Ge 26:24Ps 3:3Ps 18:2Ps 84:11Ps 119:114Da 10:12Lu 1:13Lu 1:30

2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue^[1] childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” (Ge 14:14) 4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son^[2] shall be your heir.” (Ge 17:16) 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” (Ge 22:17; Ge 26:4; Ex 32:13; De 1:10; De 10:22; 1Ch 27:23; Ps 147:4; Ro 4:18; Heb 11:12)

Ge 22:17Ge 26:4Ex 32:13De 1:10De 10:221Ch 27:23Ps 147:4Ro 4:18Heb 11:12

6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. (Ps 106:31; Ro 4:3; Ro 4:9; Ro 4:22; Ga 3:6; Jas 2:23)

Ps 106:31Ro 4:3Ro 4:9Ro 4:22Ga 3:6Jas 2:23

7 And he said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” (Ge 11:31; Ge 12:1; Ne 9:7; Ps 105:42; Ps 105:44; Ac 7:2)

Ge 11:31Ge 12:1Ne 9:7Ps 105:42Ps 105:44Ac 7:2

8 But he said, “O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?” (Jud 6:17; 2Ki 20:8; Ps 86:17; Isa 7:11; Lu 1:18)

Jud 6:172Ki 20:8Ps 86:17Isa 7:11Lu 1:18

9 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 And he brought him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half. (Le 1:17; Jer 34:18) 11 And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. 12 As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. (Ge 2:21) 13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. (Ex 1:11; Ex 3:7; Ex 12:40; Ac 7:6; Ga 3:17)

Ex 1:11Ex 3:7Ex 12:40Ac 7:6Ga 3:17

14 But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. (Ex 6:6; Ex 12:36; Ps 105:37) 15 As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. (Ge 25:8) 16 And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” (1Ki 21:26; Da 8:23; Am 2:9; Mt 23:32; 1Th 2:16)

1Ki 21:26Da 8:23Am 2:9Mt 23:321Th 2:16

17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give^[3] this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, (Ge 12:7; Ge 13:15; Ge 24:7; Ge 26:4; Ex 23:31; Nu 34:2; De 1:7; De 34:4; Jos 1:4; Ne 9:8)

Ge 12:7Ge 13:15Ge 24:7Ge 26:4Ex 23:31Nu 34:2De 1:7De 34:4Jos 1:4Ne 9:8

19 the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.”

King James Version

1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. 2 And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? 3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. 4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. 5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. 6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for 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. 8 And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? 9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. 10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not. 11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away. 12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon 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; 14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. 15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. 16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. 17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. 18 In the same 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 The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 20 And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, 21 And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.