Genesis 15

1 Some time later, a message came from the LORD to Abram in a vision: “Don’t be afraid, Abram. I am your shield. Your reward will be very great.”ISV — Genesis 15:1

2 But Abram replied, “Lord GOD, what can you give me since I continue to be childless, and the heir of my household is Eliezer from Damascus?ISV — Genesis 15:2

3 Look!” Abram said, “You haven’t given me any offspring, so a servant born in ^{a15:3 Lit. a son of} my house is going to be my heir.”ISV — Genesis 15:3

4 A message came from the LORD to him again: “This one will not be your heir. Instead, the child who will be born to you ^{b15:4 Lit. the one who will come from your loins} will be your heir.”ISV — Genesis 15:4

5 Then the LORD ^{c15:5 Lit. he} took him outside. “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if you can!” he said. “Your descendants will be that numerous.” ^{d15:5 Lit. will be so}ISV — Genesis 15:5

6 Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.ISV — Genesis 15:6

7 The LORD ^{e15:6 Lit. He} spoke to him, “I am the LORD, who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land as an inheritance.”ISV — Genesis 15:7

8 But he replied, “Lord GOD, how will I know that I will inherit it?”ISV — Genesis 15:8

9 The LORD responded, “Bring me a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”ISV — Genesis 15:9

10 So Abram brought him all these animals and cut each of them in half, down the middle, placing the pieces opposite each other, but he did not cut the birds in half.ISV — Genesis 15:10

11 When birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.ISV — Genesis 15:11

12 As the sun began to set, Abram was overcome with deep sleep, and suddenly a frightening and terrifying darkness descended on him.ISV — Genesis 15:12

13 Then the LORD told Abram, “You can be certain about this: Your descendants will be foreigners in a land that isn’t theirs. They will be slaves there and will be oppressed for 400 years.ISV — Genesis 15:13

14 However, I will judge the nation that they serve, and later they will leave there with many possessions.ISV — Genesis 15:14

15 Now as for you, you’ll die peacefully, join your ancestors, and be buried at a good old age.ISV — Genesis 15:15

16 Your descendants ^{f15:16 Lit. They} will return here in the fourth generation, since the iniquity of the Amorites has not yet run its course.”ISV — Genesis 15:16

17 When the sun had fully set and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a fiery torch passed between the animal pieces. ^{g15:17 Lit. these pieces}ISV — Genesis 15:17

18 That very day the LORD made this covenant with Abram: “I’m giving ^{h15:18 Or have given} this land to your descendants, from the river of Egypt to the great Euphrates River—ISV — Genesis 15:18

19 including the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites,ISV — Genesis 15:19

20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,ISV — Genesis 15:20

21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”ISV — Genesis 15:21