Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” New Living Translation Then the LORD took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!” English Standard Version And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Berean Standard Bible And the LORD took him outside and said, “Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.” Then He told him, “So shall your offspring be.” King James Bible And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. New King James Version 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.” New American Standard Bible 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.” NASB 1995 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.” NASB 1977 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.” Legacy Standard Bible And He brought him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your seed be.” Amplified Bible And the LORD brought Abram outside [his tent into the night] and said, “Look now toward the heavens and count the stars—if you are able to count them.” Then He said to him, “So [numerous] shall your descendants be.” Christian Standard Bible He took him outside and said, “Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “Your offspring will be that numerous.” Holman Christian Standard Bible He took him outside and said, “Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then He said to him, “Your offspring will be that numerous.” American Standard Version And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and number the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. Contemporary English Version Then the LORD took Abram outside and said, "Look at the sky and see if you can count the stars. That's how many descendants you will have." English Revised Version And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to tell them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. GOD'S WORD® Translation He took Abram outside and said, "Now look up at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them." He also said to him, "That's how many descendants you will have!" Good News Translation The LORD took him outside and said, "Look at the sky and try to count the stars; you will have as many descendants as that." International Standard Version Then the LORD took him outside. "Look up at the sky and count the stars—if you can!" he said. "Your descendants will be that numerous." Majority Standard Bible And the LORD took him outside and said, ?Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.? Then He told him, ?So shall your offspring be.? NET Bible The LORD 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." New Heart English Bible And he brought him outside, and said, "Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And he said to him, "So will your descendants be." Webster's Bible Translation And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now towards heaven, and tell the stars, if thou art able to number them: and he said to him, So shall thy seed be. World English Bible Yahweh 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.” Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand He brings him out outside and says, “Now look attentively toward the heavens and count the stars, if you are able to count them”; and He says to him, “Thus is your seed.” Young's Literal Translation and He bringeth him out without, and saith, 'Look attentively, I pray thee, towards the heavens, and count the stars, if thou art able to count them;' and He saith to him, 'Thus is thy seed.' Smith's Literal Translation And he will bring him forth without, and will say, Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if thou shalt be able to count them: and he will say to him, So shall be thy seed. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd he thought him forth abroad, and said to him: Look up to heaven and number the stars, if thou canst. And he said to him: So shall thy seed be. Catholic Public Domain Version And he brought him outside, and he said to him, “Take in the heavens, and number the stars, if you can.” And he said to him, “So also will your offspring be.” New American Bible He took him outside and said: Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so, he added, will your descendants be. New Revised Standard Version He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd he brought him outside, and said to him, Look now toward heaven and number the stars, if you are able to number them; and he said to him, So shall your descendants be. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And he sent him outside and said to him, “Look into Heaven and count the stars, if you can number them”; and he said to him, “So your seed shall be.” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And He brought him forth abroad, and said: 'Look now toward heaven, and count the stars, if thou be able to count them'; and He said unto him: 'So shall thy seed be.' Brenton Septuagint Translation And he brought him out and said to him, Look up now to heaven, and count the stars, if thou shalt be able to number them fully, and he said, Thus shall thy seed be. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context God's Covenant with Abram…4Then the word of the LORD came to Abram, saying, “This one will not be your heir, but one who comes from your own body will be your heir.” 5And the LORD took him outside and said, “Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.” Then He told him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.… Cross References Romans 4:18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” Hebrews 11:12 And so from one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. Galatians 3:16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ. Romans 9:7-8 Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.” / So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring. Galatians 3:29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise. James 2:23 And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God. Romans 4:3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Galatians 3:6 So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Romans 4:13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. Hebrews 6:14 saying, “I will surely bless you and multiply your descendants.” Genesis 22:17 I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies. Genesis 26:4 I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, Genesis 28:14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and east and north and south. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. Exodus 32:13 Remember Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, to whom You swore by Your very self when You declared, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give your descendants all this land that I have promised, and it shall be their inheritance forever.’” Deuteronomy 1:10 The LORD your God has multiplied you, so that today you are as numerous as the stars in the sky. Treasury of Scripture And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if you be able to number them: and he said to him, So shall your seed be. tell. Deuteronomy 1:10 The LORD your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude. Psalm 147:4 He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Jeremiah 33:22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me. So. Genesis 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: Genesis 13:16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Genesis 16:10 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. Jump to Previous Able Abram Abroad Air Attentively Count Descendants Eyes Forth Heaven Heavens Indeed Lifted Numbered Offspring Open Outside Seed Sky Stars TowardsJump to Next Able Abram Abroad Air Attentively Count Descendants Eyes Forth Heaven Heavens Indeed Lifted Numbered Offspring Open Outside Seed Sky Stars TowardsGenesis 15 1. God encourages Abram, who asks for an heir.4. God promises him a son, and a multiplying of his seed. 6. Abram is justified by faith. 7. Canaan is promised again, 9. and confirmed by a sign, and a vision, 18. prophetic of the condition of his posterity till brought out of Egypt. And the LORD took him outside This phrase indicates a direct and personal interaction between God and Abram. The act of taking Abram outside suggests a change in perspective, moving from the confines of a tent to the vastness of the open sky. This physical movement symbolizes a shift from limited human understanding to the expansive possibilities of God's promises. In biblical context, God often uses physical actions to illustrate spiritual truths, as seen in other instances like Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:1-4). and said, “Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.” Then He told him, “So shall your offspring be.” Persons / Places / Events 1. Abram (Abraham)The central figure in this passage, Abram is later renamed Abraham. He is a key patriarch in the Bible, known for his faith and obedience to God. At this point in Genesis, Abram is childless and concerned about his legacy. 2. The LORD (Yahweh) The covenant-making God who speaks directly to Abram, promising him descendants as numerous as the stars. This interaction highlights God's personal relationship with Abram. 3. The Heavens The sky filled with stars, used by God as a visual representation of His promise to Abram. This setting underscores the vastness and grandeur of God's promise. 4. The Promise of Offspring A pivotal event where God reassures Abram of His covenant, promising him countless descendants despite his current childless state. Teaching Points Faith in God's PromisesAbram's account teaches us to trust in God's promises, even when circumstances seem impossible. Our faith should rest in God's faithfulness, not in our understanding. God's Sovereignty and Power The imagery of the stars reminds us of God's sovereignty and power. Just as He created the vast universe, He is capable of fulfilling His promises to us. Patience and Timing God's promises often require patience. Abram had to wait many years to see the fulfillment of God's promise. We must learn to trust God's timing, which is perfect. God's Personal Relationship with Believers God speaks directly to Abram, showing His desire for a personal relationship with His people. We are invited to seek and listen to God in our own lives. Legacy and Spiritual Descendants Like Abram, we are called to consider our spiritual legacy. Our faith and actions can impact future generations, just as Abram's faith led to a multitude of descendants.(5) He brought him forth.--There is no reason for regarding this as a poetical description of a merely mental emotion. With his senses dormant, but alive to every spiritual impression, Abram feels himself led forth from the tent into the open space around, and is there commanded to count the stars. As a matter of fact, the stars visible to the naked eye are not very numerous, but they have ever been a received metaphor for an infinite multitude, probably because, as men gaze, they perpetually see the faint radiance of more and more distant constellations. Thus they cannot be counted, and Abram's seed was to be countless, because of the vastness of its number.Verse 5. - And he (Jehovah, or "the Word of the Lord") brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them (a proof that Abram's vision was not a dream): and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. Hence it has been inferred that Abram's vision was miraculously quickened to penetrate the depths of space and gaze upon the vastness of the stellar world, since the stars visible to the naked eye would not represent an innumerable multitude (Candlish). Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew And [the LORD] tookוַיּוֹצֵ֨א (way·yō·w·ṣê) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim him אֹת֜וֹ (’ō·ṯōw) Direct object marker | third person masculine singular Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case outside הַח֗וּצָה (ha·ḥū·ṣāh) Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular Strong's 2351: Separate by a, wall, outside, outdoors and said, וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say “Now נָ֣א (nā) Interjection Strong's 4994: I pray', 'now', 'then' look הַבֶּט־ (hab·beṭ-) Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 5027: To scan, look intently at, to regard to the heavens הַשָּׁמַ֗יְמָה (haš·šā·may·māh) Article | Noun - masculine plural | third person feminine singular Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky and count וּסְפֹר֙ (ū·sə·p̄ōr) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 5608: To count, recount, relate the stars, הַכּ֣וֹכָבִ֔ים (hak·kō·w·ḵā·ḇîm) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 3556: A star, a prince if you אִם־ (’im-) Conjunction Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not are able.” תּוּכַ֖ל (tū·ḵal) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 3201: To be able, have power Then He declared, וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say “So {shall} כֹּ֥ה (kōh) Adverb Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now your offspring זַרְעֶֽךָ׃ (zar·‘e·ḵā) Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 2233: Seed, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity be.” יִהְיֶ֖ה (yih·yeh) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be Links Genesis 15:5 NIVGenesis 15:5 NLT Genesis 15:5 ESV Genesis 15:5 NASB Genesis 15:5 KJV Genesis 15:5 BibleApps.com Genesis 15:5 Biblia Paralela Genesis 15:5 Chinese Bible Genesis 15:5 French Bible Genesis 15:5 Catholic Bible OT Law: Genesis 15:5 Yahweh brought him outside and said Look (Gen. 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