Genesis 15
Revised Geneva Translation
15 After these things, the Word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram. I am your Buckler, your exceedingly great Reward.”
2 And Abram said, “O LORD God, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?”
3 Also, Abram said, “Behold, You have given me no seed. Therefore, lo, a servant of my house shall be my heir.”
4 Then behold, the Word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This man shall not be your heir. But one who shall come from your own loins, he shall be your heir.”
5 Moreover, He brought him forth and said, “Look up to Heaven now and tell the stars if you are able to number them.” And he said to him, “So shall your seed be.”
6 And Abram believed the LORD; and He counted that to him for righteousness.
7 Again, He said to him, “I am the LORD; Who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land, to inherit it.”
8 And he said, “O LORD God, how shall I know that I shall inherit it?”
9 Then He said to him, “Bring me a heifer of three years old, and a female goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, also a turtle dove and a pigeon.”
10 So he brought all these to Him, and cut them down the middle, and laid every piece opposite each other. But He did not divide the birds.
11 Then birds of prey fell on the carcasses; and Abram drove them away.
12 And when the Sun went down, Abram fell into a heavy sleep. And lo, a very fearful darkness fell upon him.
13 Then He said to Abram, “Know for certain that for four hundred years your seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs and shall serve them. And they shall afflict them.
14 “Notwithstanding, I will judge the nation whom they shall serve. And afterward, they shall come out with great possessions.
15 “But you shall go to your fathers in peace and shall be buried at an old age.
16 “And in the fourth generation they shall come here again, for the wickedness of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
17 Also, when the Sun went down, there was a darkness. And behold, a smoking furnace and a firebrand, which went between those pieces.
18 On that same day, the LORD made a Covenant with Abram, saying, “To your seed I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates—
19 “the Kenites and the Kenezzites and the Kadmonites
20 “and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Rephaims,
21 “also the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Girgashites and the Jebusites.”
Genesis 15
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
God’s Covenant with Abram
15 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, “Do not be afraid, 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?”[a] 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.” 4 But the word of the Lord came to him, “This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.” 5 He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” 6 And he believed the Lord; and the Lord[b] reckoned it to him as righteousness.
7 Then he said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you 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 He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. 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 upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him. 13 Then the Lord[c] said to Abram, “Know this for certain, that your offspring shall be aliens in a land that is not theirs, and shall be slaves there, and they shall be oppressed 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 yourself, you shall go to your ancestors 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, 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 descendants 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.”
Footnotes
- Genesis 15:2 Meaning of Heb uncertain
- Genesis 15:6 Heb he
- Genesis 15:13 Heb he
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New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.