God’s Covenant with Abram (Romans 4:1–12; Hebrews 11:8–19)
1 AKJV After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am your shield, and your exceeding great reward. BSB BSB: After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
3 AKJV And Abram said, Behold, to me you have given no seed: and, see, one born in my house is my heir. BSB BSB: Abram continued, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
4 AKJV And, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, This shall not be your heir; but he that shall come forth out of your own bowels shall be your heir. BSB BSB: Then 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.”
5 AKJV 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. BSB BSB: 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.”
6 AKJV And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. BSB BSB: Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
7 AKJV And he said to him, I am the LORD that brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land to inherit it. BSB BSB: The LORD also told him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.”
God Confirms His Promise (Numbers 34:1–15; Romans 4:13–25)
8 AKJV And he said, LORD God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? BSB BSB: But Abram replied, “Lord GOD, how can I know that I will possess it?”
9 AKJV And he said to him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. BSB BSB: And the LORD said to him, “Bring Me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a turtledove and a young pigeon.”
10 AKJV And he took to him all these, and divided them in the middle, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not. BSB BSB: So Abram brought all these to Him, split each of them down the middle, and laid the halves opposite each other. The birds, however, he did not cut in half.
11 AKJV And when the fowls came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. BSB BSB: And the birds of prey descended on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.
12 AKJV And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram; and, see, an horror of great darkness fell on him. BSB BSB: As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and suddenly great terror and darkness overwhelmed him.
13 AKJV And he said to Abram, Know of a surety that your seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; BSB BSB: Then the LORD 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.
14 AKJV And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. BSB BSB: But I will judge the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will depart with many possessions.
15 AKJV And you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. BSB BSB: You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a ripe old age.
17 AKJV And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. BSB BSB: When 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.
18 AKJV In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, To your seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates: BSB BSB: On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—
19 AKJV The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, BSB BSB: the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites,
20 AKJV And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, BSB BSB: Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites,
21 AKJV And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites. BSB BSB: Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”