Holman Christian Standard Bible | New Living Translation |
1After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield; your reward will be very great. | 1Some time later, the LORD spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.” |
2But Abram said, "Lord GOD, what can You give me, since I am childless and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" | 2But Abram replied, “O Sovereign LORD, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since you’ve given me no children, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. |
3Abram continued, "Look, You have given me no offspring, so a slave born in my house will be my heir." | 3You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.” |
4Now the word of the LORD came to him: "This one will not be your heir; instead, one who comes from your own body will be your heir." | 4Then the LORD said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.” |
5He 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." | 5Then 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!” |
6Abram believed the LORD, and He credited it to him as righteousness. | 6And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD counted him as righteous because of his faith. |
7He also said to him, "I am Yahweh who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess." | 7Then the LORD told him, “I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as your possession.” |
8But he said, "Lord GOD, how can I know that I will possess it?" | 8But Abram replied, “O Sovereign LORD, how can I be sure that I will actually possess it?” |
9He said to him, "Bring Me a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon." | 9The LORD told 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.” |
10So he brought all these to Him, split them down the middle, and laid the pieces opposite each other, but he did not cut up the birds. | 10So Abram presented all these to him and killed them. Then he cut each animal down the middle and laid the halves side by side; he did not, however, cut the birds in half. |
11Birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. | 11Some vultures swooped down to eat the carcasses, but Abram chased them away. |
12As the sun was setting, a deep sleep fell on Abram, and suddenly great terror and darkness descended on him. | 12As the sun was going down, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a terrifying darkness came down over him. |
13Then the LORD said to Abram, "Know this for certain: Your offspring will be foreigners in a land that does not belong to them; they will be enslaved and oppressed 400 years. | 13Then the LORD said to Abram, “You can be sure that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, where they will be oppressed as slaves for 400 years. |
14However, I will judge the nation they serve, and afterward they will go out with many possessions. | 14But I will punish the nation that enslaves them, and in the end they will come away with great wealth. |
15But you will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a ripe old age. | 15(As for you, you will die in peace and be buried at a ripe old age.) |
16In the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure." | 16After four generations your descendants will return here to this land, for the sins of the Amorites do not yet warrant their destruction.” |
17When the sun had set and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the divided animals. | 17After the sun went down and darkness fell, Abram saw a smoking firepot and a flaming torch pass between the halves of the carcasses. |
18On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "I give this land to your offspring, from the brook of Egypt to the Euphrates River: | 18So the LORD made a covenant with Abram that day and said, “I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt to the great Euphrates River— |
19the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, | 19the land now occupied by the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, |
20Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaim, | 20Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, |
21Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites." | 21Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.” |
Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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