1 A fter these things, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram, I am your Shield, your abundant compensation, and your reward shall be exceedingly great.

2 A nd Abram said, Lord God, what can You give me, since I am going on childless and he who shall be the owner and heir of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?

3 A nd Abram continued, Look, You have given me no child; and born in my house is my heir.

4 A nd behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, This man shall not be your heir, but he who shall come from your own body shall be your heir.

5 A nd He brought him outside and said, Look now toward the heavens and count the stars—if you are able to number them. Then He said to him, So shall your descendants be.

6 A nd he believed in (trusted in, relied on, remained steadfast to) the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness (right standing with God).

7 A nd He said to him, I am the Lord, Who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees to give you this land as an inheritance.

8 B ut he said, Lord God, by what shall I know that I shall inherit it?

9 A nd He said to him, Bring to Me a heifer three years old, a she-goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.

10 A nd he brought Him all these and cut them down the middle and laid each half opposite the other; but the birds he did not divide.

11 A nd when the birds of prey swooped down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

12 W hen the sun was setting, a deep sleep overcame Abram, and a horror (a terror, a shuddering fear) of great darkness assailed and oppressed him.

13 A nd said to Abram, Know positively that your descendants will be strangers dwelling as temporary residents in a land that is not theirs, and they will be slaves there and will be afflicted and oppressed for 400 years.

14 B ut I will bring judgment on that nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with great possessions.

15 A nd you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old (hoary) age.

16 A nd in the fourth generation they shall come back here again, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full and complete.

17 W hen the sun had gone down and a darkness had come on, behold, a smoking oven and a flaming torch passed between those pieces.

18 O n 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—the land of

19 T he Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites,

20 T he Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,

21 T he Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.