15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield1 and the one who will reward you in great abundance.”2
15:2 But Abram said, “O Sovereign Lord,3 what will you give me since4 I continue to be5 childless, and my heir6 is7 Eliezer of Damascus?”8 15:3 Abram added,9 “Since10 you have not given me a descendant, then look, one born in my house will be my heir!”11
15:4 But look,12 the word of the Lord came to him: “This man13 will not be your heir,14 but instead15 a son16 who comes from your own body will be17 your heir.”18 15:5 He took him outside and said, “Gaze into the sky and count the stars—if you are able to count them!” Then he said to him, “So will your descendants be.”
15:6 Abram believed19 the Lord, and the Lord20 considered his response of faith21 proof of genuine loyalty.22
15:7 The Lord said23 to him, “I am the Lord24 who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans25 to give you this land to possess.” 15:8 But26 Abram27 said, “O Sovereign Lord,28 by what29 can I know that I am to possess it?”
15:9 The Lord30 said to him, “Take for me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.” 15:10 So Abram31 took all these for him and then cut them in two32 and placed each half opposite the other,33 but he did not cut the birds in half. 15:11 When birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
15:12 When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep.34 Then great terror overwhelmed him.35 15:13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain36 that your descendants will be strangers37 in a foreign country.38 They will be enslaved and oppressed39 for four hundred years. 15:14 But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve.40 Afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15:15 But as for you,41 you will go to your ancestors42 in peace and be buried at a good old age.43 15:16 In the fourth generation44 your descendants45 will return here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit.”46
15:17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking firepot with a flaming torch47 passed between the animal parts.48 15:18 That day the Lord made a covenant49 with Abram: “To your descendants I give50 this land, from the river of Egypt51 to the great river, the Euphrates River— 15:19 the land52 of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 15:20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 15:21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”53
The Birth of Ishmael