1 A fter these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “ Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.”

2 B ut Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”

Abram said, “O Lord God, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”

3 T hen Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!”

And Abram said, “ Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.”

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

Then behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.”

5 T hen He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”

And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “ So shall your descendants be.”

6 A nd he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.

7 T hen He said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.”

And He said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess it.”

8 A nd he said, “Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it?”

He said, “O Lord God, how may I know that I will possess it?”

9 S o He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”

So He said to him, “ 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 T hen he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two.

Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds.

11 A nd when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

The birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

12 N ow when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him.

Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him.

13 T hen He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.

God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years.

14 A nd also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.

But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions.

15 N ow as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age.

As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age.

16 B ut in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”

Then in the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.”

17 A nd it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.

It came about when the sun had set, that it was very dark, and behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a flaming torch which passed between these pieces.

18 O n the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates—

On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “ To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates:

19 t he Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites,

the Kenite and the Kenizzite and the Kadmonite

20 t he Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,

and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Rephaim

21 t he Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”

and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Girgashite and the Jebusite.”