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Yahweh Cuts a Covenant with Abram

15 After these things (A)the word of Yahweh came to Abram in a vision, saying,

(B)Do not fear, Abram,
I am (C)a shield to you;
[a]Your (D)reward shall be very great.”

And Abram said, “O Lord Yahweh, what will You give me, as I go on being childless, and the [b]heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “[c]Since You have given no seed to me, behold, [d]one (E)born in my house is my heir.” Then behold, the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, “This one will not be your heir; (F)but one who will come forth from your own [e]body, he shall be your heir.” And He brought him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and (G)number the stars, if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “(H)So shall your seed be.” (I)Then he believed in Yahweh; and He counted it to him as righteousness. And He said to him, “I am Yahweh who brought you out of (J)Ur of the Chaldeans, to (K)give you this land to [f]possess it.” And he said, “O Lord Yahweh, (L)how may I know that I will [g]possess it?” So He said to him, “[h]Bring 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 Then he [i]brought all these to Him and (M)split them into parts [j]down the middle and laid each part opposite the other; but he (N)did not split apart the birds. 11 Then the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

12 Now it happened that when the sun was going down, (O)a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, [k]terror and great darkness fell upon him. 13 Then God said to Abram, “Know for certain that (P)your seed will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs, [l]and (Q)they will be enslaved and mistreated (R)four hundred years. 14 But I will also judge the nation to whom they are enslaved, and afterward they will come out (S)with [m]many possessions. 15 As for you, (T)you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age. 16 Then in (U)the fourth generation they will return here, for (V)the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.”

17 Now it happened that the sun had set, and it was very dark, and behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a flaming torch which (W)passed between these pieces. 18 On that day Yahweh cut a covenant with Abram, saying,

(X)To your seed I have given this land,
From (Y)the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates:

19 (Z)the Kenite and the Kenizzite and the Kadmonite 20 and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Rephaim 21 and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Girgashite and the Jebusite.”

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 15:1 Or Your very great reward
  2. Genesis 15:2 Lit son of acquisition
  3. Genesis 15:3 Lit Behold
  4. Genesis 15:3 Lit a son of
  5. Genesis 15:4 Lit inward parts
  6. Genesis 15:7 Or inherit
  7. Genesis 15:8 Or inherit
  8. Genesis 15:9 Lit Take
  9. Genesis 15:10 Lit took
  10. Genesis 15:10 Lit in the midst
  11. Genesis 15:12 Or a terror of great darkness
  12. Genesis 15:13 Lit and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them
  13. Genesis 15:14 Lit great

15 After these things the Devar Hashem came unto Avram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Avram; I am thy mogen, and thy exceeding great sachar (reward).

And Avram said, Adonoi Hashem, what wilt Thou give me, since I go childless, and the Ben Meshek of my Bais is this Eliezer of Dameshek (Damascus)?

And Avram said, See, to me Thou hast given no zera; and, hinei, one born in my bais is my yoresh (heir).

And, hinei, the Devar Hashem came unto him saying, This shall not be thy yoresh; but he that shall come forth out of thine own body shall be thy yoresh.

And He brought him forth outside, and said, Look now toward Shomayim, and count the kokhavim, if thou be able to number them; and He said unto him, So shall thy zera be.

And he believed in Hashem; and He credited [emunah (faith)] to him as tzedakah (righteousness).

And He said unto him, I am Hashem Who brought thee out of Ur Kasdim, to give thee ha’aretz hazot to be the yoresh of it.

And he said, Adonoi Hashem, how can I have da’as that I will be its yoresh?

And He said unto him, Bring Me a heifer meshuleshet, and a she goat meshuleshet, and a ram meshulash, and a dove, and a pigeon.

10 And he brought unto Him all these, and divided them in two, and laid each half one opposite another; but the birds divided he not.

11 And when the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, Avram drove them away.

12 And when the shemesh was going down, a tardemah fell upon Avram; and, hinei, a horror of great darkness fell upon him.

13 And Hashem said unto Avram, Know of a surety that thy zera shall be a ger in a land not their own, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them arba me’ot shanah;

14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge; and afterward shall they come out with rechush gadol (great substance).

15 And thou shalt go to thy avot in shalom; thou shalt be buried at a good old age.

16 But in the fourth generation they shall come back here again; for the avon (iniquity) of the Emori (Amorite) is not yet full.

17 And it came to pass, that, when the shemesh went down, and it was dark, hinei a smoking fire-pot, and a blazing torch passed between those pieces.

18 On that day Hashem cut a brit (covenant) with Avram, saying, Unto thy zera have I given ha’aretz hazot, from the Wadi of Mitzrayim unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

19 [the land of] the Keni, and the Kenizzi, and the Kadmoni,

20 And the Chitti, and the Perizzi, and the Repha’im,

21 And the Emori, and the Kena’ani, and the Girgashi, and the Yevusi.