1 A fter these things Yahweh’s word came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Don’t 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 A bram said, “Lord Yahweh, what will you give me, since I go childless, and he who will inherit my estate 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 A bram said, “Behold, to me you have given no children: and, behold, 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 B ehold, Yahweh’s word came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir, but he who will come out of your own body will 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 Y ahweh brought him outside, and said, “Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “So will your offspring 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 H e believed in Yahweh, who credited it to him for righteousness.

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

7 H e said to Abram, “I am Yahweh who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, 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 H e said, “Lord Yahweh, how will I know that I will inherit it?”

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

9 H e said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, 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 H e brought him all these, and divided them in the middle, and laid each half opposite the other; but he didn’t divide the birds.

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 T he birds of prey came down on the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

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

12 W hen the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. Now terror and great darkness fell on him.

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

13 H e said to Abram, “Know for sure that your offspring will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. 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 I will also judge that nation, whom they will serve. Afterward they will come out with great wealth,

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

15 b ut you will go to your fathers in peace. You will 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 I n the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.”

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

17 I t came to pass that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch passed between these 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 I n that day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying, “I have given this land to your offspring, 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 Kenizzites, 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.”