1 After these things the LORD’s word
came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Don’t
be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your
exceedingly great reward.”
2 Abram said, “Lord† GOD, what will you
give me, since I go childless, and he who
will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?”
3 Abram said, “Behold, you have given no
children to me: and, behold, one born in
my house is my heir.”
4 Behold, the LORD’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.”
5 The LORD 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 your offspring will be.”
6 He believed in the LORD, who credited
it to him for righteousness.
7 He said to Abram, “I am the LORD who
brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, to
give you this land to inherit it.”
8 He said, “Lord GOD, how will I know
that I will inherit it?”
9 He 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.”
10 He brought him all these, and divided
them in the middle, and laid each half
opposite the other; but he didn’t divide the
birds.
11 The birds of prey came down on the
carcasses, and Abram drove them away.
12 When the sun was going down, a deep
sleep fell on Abram. Now terror and great
darkness fell on him.
13 He 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.
14 I will also judge that nation, whom
they will serve. Afterward they will come
out with great wealth;
15 but you will go to your fathers in
peace. You will be buried at a good old age.
16 In the fourth generation they will
come here again, for the iniquity of the
Amorite is not yet full.”
17 It 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.
18 In that day the LORD 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:
19 the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites,
the Kadmonites,
20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the
Rephaim,
21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites,
and the Jebusites.”
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