¹⁶ I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.^(A)

⁵ He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars^(A)—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring^[a] be.”^(B)

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)—

¹⁶ and said, “I swear by myself,^(A) declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,^{(B) 17} I will surely bless you^(C) and make your descendants^(D) as numerous as the stars in the sky^(E) and as the sand on the seashore.^(F) Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,^{(G) 18} and through your offspring^[a] all nations on earth will be blessed,^[b](H) because you have obeyed me.”^(I)