Chapter 15
1After these events, the word of AO came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid Abram. I [am] your shield, your very great reward.”
2But Abram replied, “O Adonai AO, what can You give me since I remain childless and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”
3Abram continued, “Behold You have given me no offspring so a servant in my household will be my heir. ”
4Then the word of AO came to [Abram] saying, “This one will not be your heir but one who comes from your own body will be your heir.”
5And [AO] 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 AO and it was credited to him as righteousness.
7[AO] also told him, “I am AO who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.”
8But [Abram] replied, “Adonai AO how can I know that I will possess it?”
9And [AO] said to him, “Bring Me a heifer, a goat and a ram, [each] three years old along with a turtledove and a young pigeon.”
10So [Abram] brought to Him all these, split each of them down the middle and laid the halves opposite each other. The birds, however, he did not cut in half.
11And the birds of prey descended on the carcasses but Abram drove them away.
12As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep and suddenly great terror and darkness overwhelmed him.
13Then [AO] said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not their own and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.
14But the nation they serve as slaves will I judge and afterward they will depart with many possessions.
15You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a ripe old age.
16In the fourth generation, [your descendants] will return here for the iniquity of the Amorites [is] not yet complete.”
17When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, behold a smoking firepot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the halves [of the carcasses].
18On that day, AO made a covenant with Abram saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—
19the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites,
20Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites,
21Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”