1.Mose 15 | New International Reader’s Version

God makes a covenant with Abram

1 Some time later, Abram had a vision. The LORD said to him, ‘Abram, do not be afraid. I am like a shield to you. I am your very great reward.’ 2 But Abram said, ‘LORD and King, what can you give me? I still don’t have any children. My servant Eliezer comes from Damascus. When I die, he will get everything I own.’ 3 Abram continued, ‘You haven’t given me any children. So this servant of mine will get everything I own.’ 4 Then a message from the LORD came to Abram. The LORD said, ‘When you die, what you have will not go to this man. You will have a son of your own. He will get everything you have.’ 5 The LORD took Abram outside and said, ‘Look up at the sky. Count the stars, if you can.’ Then he said to him, ‘That’s how many children will be born into your family.’ 6 Abram believed the LORD. The LORD was pleased with Abram because he believed. So Abram’s faith made him right with the LORD. 7 He also said to Abram, ‘I am the LORD. I brought you out of Ur in the land of Babylon. I will give you this land to have as your very own.’ 8 But Abram said, ‘LORD and King, how can I know I will have this land as my own?’ 9 So the LORD said to him, ‘Bring me a young cow, a goat and a ram. Each must be three years old. Bring a dove and a young pigeon along with them.’ 10 Abram brought all of them to the LORD. Abram cut them in two and placed the halves opposite each other. But he didn’t cut the birds in half. 11 Then large birds came down to eat the dead bodies of the animals and birds. But Abram chased the large birds away. 12 As the sun was going down, Abram fell into a deep sleep. A thick and frightening darkness covered him. 13 Then the LORD said to him, ‘You can be sure of what I am about to tell you. For 400 years, your family who comes after you will be strangers in another country. They will become slaves there and will be treated badly. 14 But I will punish the nation that makes them slaves. After that, they will leave with many possessions. 15 But you will die in peace. You will join the members of your family who have already died. And you will be buried when you are very old. 16 Your children’s grandchildren will come back here. That’s because the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached the point where I must punish them.’ 17 The sun set and it became dark. Then a burning torch and a pot filled with smoking coals appeared. They passed between the pieces of the animals that had been cut in two. 18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram. He said, ‘I am giving this land to your family who comes after you. It reaches from the River of Egypt to the great River Euphrates. 19 It includes the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites and Rephaites. 21 The Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites also live there.’

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.” 2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue* 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.” 4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son* shall be your heir.” 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.” 6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. 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.” 8 But he said, “O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?” 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. 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. 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. 14 But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 15 As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. 16 And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” 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* this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, 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.”

1.Mose 15 | New International Reader’s Version English Standard Version

God makes a covenant with Abram

God’s Covenant with Abram