Genesis 15Genesis15

Berean Standard BibleKing James Version

1. God’s Covenant with Abram

   (Romans 4:1–12; Hebrews 11:8–19)

2. 1BSBAfter 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.”KJVKJV: After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
3. 2BSBBut Abram replied, “O Lord GOD, what can You give me, since I remain childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”KJVKJV: And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
4. 3BSBAbram continued, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, so a servant in my household will be my heir.”KJVKJV: And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
5. 4BSBThen 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.”KJVKJV: And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
6. 5BSBAnd 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.”KJVKJV: 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.
7. 6BSBAbram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.KJVKJV: And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
8. 7BSBThe LORD also told him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.”KJVKJV: And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.

9. God Confirms His Promise

   (Numbers 34:1–15; Romans 4:13–25)

10. 8BSBBut Abram replied, “Lord GOD, how can I know that I will possess it?”KJVKJV: And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?
11. 9BSBAnd 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.”KJVKJV: And he said unto 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.
12. 10BSBSo 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.KJVKJV: And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.
13. 11BSBAnd the birds of prey descended on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.KJVKJV: And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.
14. 12BSBAs the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and suddenly great terror and darkness overwhelmed him.KJVKJV: And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
15. 13BSBThen 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.KJVKJV: And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
16. 14BSBBut I will judge the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will depart with many possessions.KJVKJV: And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
17. 15BSBYou, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a ripe old age.KJVKJV: And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
18. 16BSBIn the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”KJVKJV: But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
19. 17BSBWhen 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.KJVKJV: 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.
20. 18BSBOn 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—KJVKJV: In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
21. 19BSBthe land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites,KJVKJV: The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,
22. 20BSBHittites, Perizzites, Rephaites,KJVKJV: And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,
23. 21BSBAmorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”KJVKJV: And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.