Genesis 15
Amplified Bible
Abram Promised a Son
15 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying,
“Do not be afraid, Abram,
I am your shield;
Your reward [for obedience] shall be very great.”
2 Abram said, “Lord [a]God, what reward will You give me, since I am [leaving this world] childless, and he who will be the owner and heir of my house is this [servant] Eliezer from Damascus?” 3 And Abram continued, “Since You have given no child to me, one (a servant) born in my house is my heir.” 4 Then behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This man [Eliezer] will not be your heir but he who shall come from your own body shall be your heir.” 5 And the Lord brought Abram outside [his tent into the night] and said, “Look now toward the heavens and count the stars—if you are able to count them.” Then He said to him, “So [numerous] shall your descendants be.”(A) 6 Then Abram believed in (affirmed, trusted in, relied on, remained steadfast to) the Lord; and He counted (credited) it to him [b]as righteousness (doing right in regard to God and man).(B) 7 And He said to him, “I am the [same] Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land as an inheritance.” 8 But Abram said, “Lord [c]God, by what [proof] will I know that I will inherit it?” 9 So God said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 So Abram brought all these to Him and [d]cut them down the middle, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds. 11 The birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.
12 When the sun was setting, a deep sleep overcame Abram; and a horror (terror, shuddering fear, nightmare) of great darkness overcame him. 13 God said to Abram, “Know for sure that your descendants will be strangers [living temporarily] in a land (Egypt) that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years.(C) 14 But on that nation whom your descendants will serve I will bring judgment, and afterward they will come out [of that land] with great possessions.(D) 15 As for you, you shall [die and] go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. 16 Then in the [e]fourth generation your descendants shall return here [to Canaan, the land of promise], for the wickedness and guilt of the [f]Amorites is not yet complete (finished).”(E)
17 When the sun had gone down and a [deep] darkness had come, there appeared a smoking [g]brazier and a flaming torch which passed between the [divided] pieces [of the animals].(F) 18 On the same day the Lord made a covenant (promise, pledge) with Abram, saying,
“To your descendants I have given this land,
From the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates—
19 [the land of] the Kenites and the Kenizzites and the Kadmonites 20 and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Girgashites and the Jebusites.”
Footnotes
- Genesis 15:2 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord.
- Genesis 15:6 This was crucial to God’s plan of salvation, as can be seen in Rom 4. There was simply no way that anyone except Christ could ever be sufficiently righteous to meet God’s standards and avoid condemnation. Having faith in God and placing one’s trust in Him was not in itself something that could be a substitute for perfect righteousness, but God graciously determined to accept faith as an equivalent for that righteousness nonetheless. So in a sense, Abraham—and all believers since him, who are his spiritual descendants—received righteousness on credit, and the bill for that righteousness was paid by the death of Christ on the cross.
- Genesis 15:8 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord.
- Genesis 15:10 This was preparation for an ancient ceremony that formally bound two parties to an agreement or covenant (v 18). Reference is made to the ceremony in Jer 34:18, but details are not given elsewhere in Scripture.
- Genesis 15:16 This prophecy was fulfilled when Moses led the Israelites back to Canaan after their four hundred years in Egypt. He was “in the fourth generation” from Jacob—Levi, Kohath, Amram, Moses.
- Genesis 15:16 The most important and powerful group of that region. The name “Amorite” later became virtually synonymous with that of the inhabitants of Canaan. They were known for their many superstitious practices (according to the Talmud).
- Genesis 15:17 I.e. a large bowl or pan holding burning coals.
Genesis 15
King James Version
15 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.
Génesis 15
La Biblia de las Américas
Dios promete un hijo a Abram
15 Después de estas cosas la palabra del Señor(A) vino a Abram en visión, diciendo:
2 Y Abram dijo: Oh Señor Dios[a], ¿qué me darás, puesto que yo estoy[b] sin hijos, y el heredero[c] de mi casa es Eliezer de Damasco? 3 Dijo además Abram: He aquí, no me has dado descendencia[d], y uno nacido en[e] mi casa(E) es mi heredero. 4 Pero he aquí que la palabra del Señor vino a él, diciendo: Tu heredero no será este, sino uno que saldrá de tus entrañas, él será tu heredero(F). 5 Lo llevó fuera, y le dijo: Ahora mira al cielo y cuenta las estrellas(G), si te es posible contarlas. Y le dijo: Así será tu descendencia[f](H). 6 Y Abram creyó en el Señor, y Él se lo reconoció[g] por justicia(I). 7 Y le dijo: Yo soy el Señor que te saqué de Ur de los caldeos(J), para darte esta tierra(K) para que la poseas[h]. 8 Y él le dijo: Oh Señor Dios[i], ¿cómo puedo saber que la poseeré[j](L)? 9 Él le respondió: Tráeme[k] una novilla de tres años, una cabra de tres años, un carnero de tres años, una tórtola y un pichón. 10 Él le trajo[l] todos estos y los partió por la mitad(M), y puso cada mitad enfrente de la otra; mas no partió las aves(N). 11 Y las aves de rapiña descendían sobre los animales sacrificados[m], pero Abram las ahuyentaba.
Pacto de Dios con Abram
12 Y sucedió que a la puesta del sol un profundo sueño(O) cayó sobre Abram, y he aquí que el terror de una gran oscuridad cayó sobre él. 13 Y Dios dijo a Abram: Ten por cierto que tus descendientes[n] serán extranjeros en una tierra que no es suya(P), donde serán esclavizados(Q) y oprimidos[o] cuatrocientos años(R). 14 Mas yo también juzgaré a la nación a la cual servirán, y después saldrán de allí con grandes riquezas[p](S). 15 Tú irás a tus padres en paz; y serás sepultado en buena vejez(T). 16 Y en la cuarta generación(U) ellos regresarán acá, porque hasta entonces no habrá llegado a su colmo la iniquidad de los amorreos(V). 17 Y aconteció que cuando el sol ya se había puesto, hubo densas tinieblas, y he aquí, apareció un horno humeante y una antorcha de fuego que pasó por entre las mitades[q] de los animales(W). 18 En aquel día el Señor hizo un pacto con Abram, diciendo:
A tu descendencia[r] he dado esta tierra(X),
desde el río de Egipto hasta el río grande, el río Eufrates(Y):
19 los ceneos, los cenezeos, los cadmoneos, 20 los hititas, los ferezeos, los refaítas, 21 los amorreos, los cananeos, los gergeseos y los jebuseos(Z).
Footnotes
- Génesis 15:2 Heb., YHWH, generalmente traducido Señor
- Génesis 15:2 Lit., ando
- Génesis 15:2 Lit., hijo de adquisición
- Génesis 15:3 Lit., simiente
- Génesis 15:3 Lit., y he aquí, un hijo de
- Génesis 15:5 Lit., simiente
- Génesis 15:6 O, y le fue contado
- Génesis 15:7 O, para heredarla
- Génesis 15:8 Heb., YHWH, generalmente traducido Señor
- Génesis 15:8 O, heredaré
- Génesis 15:9 Lit., Toma para mí
- Génesis 15:10 Lit., tomó
- Génesis 15:11 Lit., cuerpos muertos
- Génesis 15:13 Lit., tu simiente
- Génesis 15:13 Lit., y les servirán y ellos los afligirán
- Génesis 15:14 O, muchos bienes
- Génesis 15:17 Lit., estas partes
- Génesis 15:18 Lit., simiente
Genesis 15
Lexham English Bible
Yahweh’s Covenant with Abram
15 After these things the word of Yahweh came[a] to Abram in a vision, saying: “Do not be afraid, Abram; I am your shield, and your reward shall be very great.” 2 Then[b] Abram said, “O Yahweh, my Lord, what will you give me? I continue to be[c] childless, and my heir[d] is Eliezer of Damascus.” 3 And Abram said, “Look, you have not given me a descendant, and here, a member of my household[e] is my heir.”[f] 4 And behold, the word of Yahweh came to him saying, “This person will not be your heir,[g] but your own son will be your heir.”[h] 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward the heavens and count the stars if you are able to count them.” And he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 And he believed in Yahweh, and he reckoned it to him as righteousness. 7 And he said to him, “I am Yahweh, who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give this land to you, to possess it.” 8 And he said, “O Yahweh God, how shall I know that I will possess it?” 9 And he said to him, “Take for me a three-year-old heifer, and a three-year-old female goat, and a three-year-old ram, and a turtledove and a young pigeon.” 10 And he took for him all these and cut them in pieces down the middle. And he put each piece opposite the other,[i] but the birds he did not cut. 11 And the birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. 12 And it happened, as the sun went down,[j] then a deep sleep fell upon Abram and, behold, a great terrifying darkness fell upon him. 13 And he said to Abram, “You must surely know[k] that your descendants shall be as aliens in a land not their own.[l] And they shall serve them[m] and they[n] shall oppress them four hundred years. 14 And also the nation that they[o] serve I will judge. Then[p] afterward they shall go out with great possessions. 15 And as for you, you shall go to your ancestors[q] in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. 16 And the fourth generation shall return here, for the guilt of the Amorites is not yet complete.”[r] 17 And after the sun had gone down and it was dusk, behold, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch passed between those half pieces. 18 On that day Yahweh made[s] a covenant with Abram saying, “To your offspring I will give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates river, 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 15:1 Literally “was”
- Genesis 15:2 Or “And”
- Genesis 15:2 Literally “I am going”
- Genesis 15:2 Literally “the son of the inheritance of my house”
- Genesis 15:3 Literally “a son of my house”
- Genesis 15:3 Literally “inheriting me”
- Genesis 15:4 Literally “inherit you”
- Genesis 15:4 Literally “he who goes out from your body, he will inherit you”
- Genesis 15:10 Literally “its companion”
- Genesis 15:12 Literally “to go”
- Genesis 15:13 Literally “knowing you must know”
- Genesis 15:13 Literally “not to them”
- Genesis 15:13 Some nation hostile to Abram’s descendants (Egypt in later history)
- Genesis 15:13 Some nation hostile to Abram’s descendants (Egypt in later history)
- Genesis 15:14 That is, Abram’s descendants
- Genesis 15:14 Or “And”
- Genesis 15:15 Or “fathers”
- Genesis 15:16 Literally “is not complete up to now”
- Genesis 15:18 Literally “cut”
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