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 be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

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?”

But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go 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.”

Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed 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.”

And 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.”

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.”

Then 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.”

6 H e believed in Yahweh, who credited it to him for righteousness.

And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for 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.”

Then 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.”

8 H e said, “Lord Yahweh, how will I know that I will inherit it?”

And he said, “Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit 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, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, 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, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two.

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

And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, 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, horror 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.

Then 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.

14 I will also judge that nation, whom they will serve. Afterward they will come out with great wealth,

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

15 b ut you will go to your fathers in peace. You will be buried at a good old age.

Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall 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.”

But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites 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.

And 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.

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 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—

19 t he Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites,

the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites,

20 t he Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,

the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,

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

the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”