⁵ He gave him no inheritance here,^(A) not even enough ground to set his foot on. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land,^(B) even though at that time Abraham had no child.

⁸ The whole land of Canaan,^(A) where you now reside as a foreigner,^(B) I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you;^(C) and I will be their God.^(D)”

⁷ The Lord appeared to Abram^(A) and said, “To your offspring^[a] I will give this land.^(B)”^(C) So he built an altar there to the Lord,^(D) who had appeared to him.

¹⁸ On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram^(A) and said, “To your descendants I give this land,^(B) from the Wadi^[a] of Egypt^(C) to the great river, the Euphrates^(D)—

¹⁵ All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring^[a] forever.^(A)

³ Stay in this land for a while,^(A) and I will be with you^(B) and will bless you.^(C) For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands^(D) and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.^(E)

¹³ All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised;^(A) they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance,^(B) admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.^{(C) 14} People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. ¹⁵ If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.^{(D) 16} Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one.^(E) Therefore God is not ashamed^(F) to be called their God,^(G) for he has prepared a city^(H) for them.

⁹ By faith he made his home in the promised land^(A) like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents,^(B) as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.^{(C) 10} For he was looking forward to the city^(D) with foundations,^(E) whose architect and builder is God.^(F)