Genesis 15

God’s Covenant with Abram

(Romans 4:1–12; Hebrews 11:8–19)

1AfterH310 theseH428 eventsH1697, the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 toH413 AbramH87 in a visionH4236H559:

2But AbramH87 repliedH559, “O LordH136 GODH3069, whatH4100 can You giveH5414 me, since IH595 remainH1980 childlessH6185, and the heirH1121H4943 of my houseH1004H1931 is EliezerH461 of DamascusH1834?” 3AbramH87 continuedH559, “BeholdH2005, You have givenH5414 me noH3808 offspringH2233, soH2009 a servantH1121 in my householdH1004 will be my heirH3423.”

4ThenH2009 the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 came toH413 Abram, sayingH559, “ThisH2088 one will notH3808 be your heirH3423, butH3588H518 oneH1931 whoH834 comes fromH3318 your own bodyH4578 will be your heirH3423.” 5And the LORD tookH3318 himH853 outsideH2351 and saidH559, “NowH4994 lookH5027 to the heavensH8064 and countH5608 the starsH3556, if youH518 are ableH3201H5608.” Then He toldH559 him, “So shallH3541 your offspringH2233 beH1961.”1

6Abram believedH539 the LORDH3068, and it was creditedH2803 to him as righteousnessH6666.2

7The LORD also toldH559 himH413, “IH589 am the LORDH3068, whoH834 brought youH3318 out of UrH218 of the ChaldeansH3778 to giveH5414 you thisH2063 landH776 to possessH3423.”

God Confirms His Promise

(Numbers 34:1–15; Romans 4:13–25)

8But Abram repliedH559, “LordH136 GODH3069, howH4100 can I knowH3045 thatH3588 I will possess itH3423?”

9And the LORD saidH559 to himH413, “BringH3947 Me a heiferH5697, a goatH5795, and a ramH352, each three years oldH8027, along with a turtledoveH8449 and a young pigeonH1469.”

10So Abram broughtH3947 allH3605 theseH428 to Him, splitH1334 each of themH853 down the middleH8432, and laidH5414 the halvesH1335 oppositeH7122 eachH376 otherH7453. The birdsH6833, howeverH853, he did notH3808 cut in halfH1334. 11And the birds of preyH5861 descendedH3381 onH5921 the carcassesH6297, but AbramH87 drove them awayH5380. 12As the sunH8121 wasH1961 settingH935, AbramH87 fellH5307 intoH5921 a deep sleepH8639, and suddenlyH2009 greatH1419 terrorH367 and darknessH2825 overwhelmedH5307 himH5921.

13Then the LORD saidH559 to AbramH87, “Know for certainH3045 thatH3588 your descendantsH2233 will beH1961 strangersH1616 in a landH776 that is notH3808 their own, and they will be enslavedH5647 and mistreatedH6031 fourH702 hundredH3967 yearsH8141. 14ButH1571 IH595 will judgeH1777 the nationH1471 they serve as slavesH5647, and afterwardH310H3651 they will departH3318 with manyH1419 possessionsH7399.3 15You, howeverH859, will goH935 toH413 your fathersH1 in peaceH7965 and be buriedH6912 at a ripe old ageH7872H2896. 16In the fourthH7243 generationH1755 your descendants will returnH7725 hereH2008, forH3588 the iniquityH5771 of the AmoritesH567 is notH3808 yetH5704H2008 completeH8003.”

17When the sunH8121 had setH935 and darknessH5939 had fallenH1961, beholdH2009, a smokingH6227 firepotH8574 and a flamingH784 torchH3940 appeared and passedH5674 betweenH996 the halvesH1506 of the carcasses. 18On thatH1931 dayH3117 the LORDH3068 madeH3772 a covenantH1285 withH854 AbramH87, sayingH559, “To your descendantsH2233 I have givenH5414 thisH2063 landH776—from the riverH5104 of EgyptH4714 toH5704 the greatH1419 RiverH5104 EuphratesH6578H5104— 19the land of the KenitesH7017, KenizzitesH7074, KadmonitesH6935, 20HittitesH2850, PerizzitesH6522, RephaitesH7497, 21AmoritesH567, CanaanitesH3669, GirgashitesH1622, and JebusitesH2983.”