The Word Am I

The First Book of Moses: Genesis

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- Chapter 15 -

(Romans 4:1–12; Hebrews 11:8–19)
1
And so, these things having been transacted, the word of the Lord came to Abram by a vision, saying: “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your protector, and your reward is exceedingly great.”
2
And Abram said: “Lord God, what will you give to me? I may go without children. And the son of the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus.”
3
And Abram added: “Yet to me you have not given offspring. And behold, my servant born in my house will be my heir.”
4
And immediately the word of the Lord came to him, saying: “This one will not be your heir. But he who will come from your loins, the same will you have for your heir.”(a)
5
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.”
6
Abram believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.
7
And he said to him, “I am the Lord who led you away from Ur of the Chaldeans, so as to give you this land, and so that you would possess it.”

God Confirms His Promise

(Numbers 34:1–15; Romans 4:13–25)
8
But he said, “Lord God, in what way may I be able to know that I will possess it?”
9
And the Lord responded by saying: “Take for me a cow of three years, and a she-goat of three years, and a ram of three years, also a turtle-dove and a pigeon.”(b)
10
Taking all these, he divided them through the middle, and placed both parts opposite one another. But the birds he did not divide.
11
And birds descended upon the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.
12
And when the sun was setting, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a dread, great and dark, invaded him.
13
And it was said to him: “Know beforehand that your future offspring will be sojourners in a land not their own, and they will subjugate them in servitude and afflict them for four hundred years.
14
Yet truly, I will judge the nation that they will serve, and after this they will depart with great substance.
15
But you will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age.
16
But in the fourth generation, they will return here. For the iniquities of the Amorites are not yet completed, even to this present time.”
17
Then, when the sun had set, there came a dark mist, and there appeared a smoking furnace and a lamp of fire passing between those divisions.
18
On that day, God formed a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your offspring I will give this land, from the river of Egypt, even to the great river Euphrates:
19
the land of the Kenites and the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites
20
and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, likewise the Rephaim,
21
and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”

Footnotes

(a)15:4 The word ‘utero’ can refer to a man or a woman. When referring to a woman, it is usually translated as ‘womb,’ but it can also refer more generally to a woman’s ability to procreate. When referring to a man, it can be translated as ‘belly,’ or ‘abdomen,’ or ‘loins.’ But it often refers, in men, more generally to the male ability to procreate.(Conte)
(b)15:9 The words ‘dove’ and ‘pigeon’ are generally interchangeable. The word turtle-dove is more specific, but, in the context of ancient times, it probably does not refer to only one species.(Conte)
(Romans 4:1–12; Hebrews 11:8–19)
1
After these things the LORD’s word came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Don’t be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”
2
Abram said, “Lord (a) GOD, what will you give me, since I go childless, and he who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?”
3
Abram said, “Behold, you have given no children to me: and, behold, one born in my house is my heir.”
4
Behold, the LORD’s word came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir, but he who will come out of your own body will be your heir.”
5
The LORD 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.”
6
He believed in the LORD, who credited it to him for righteousness.
7
He said to Abram, “I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land to inherit it.”

God Confirms His Promise

(Numbers 34:1–15; Romans 4:13–25)
8
He said, “Lord GOD, how will I know that I will inherit it?”
9
He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”
10
He brought him all these, and divided them in the middle, and laid each half opposite the other; but he didn’t divide the birds.
11
The birds of prey came down on the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.
12
When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. Now terror and great darkness fell on him.
13
He said to Abram, “Know for sure that your offspring will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will afflict them four hundred years.
14
I will also judge that nation, whom they will serve. Afterward they will come out with great wealth;
15
but you will go to your fathers in peace. You will be buried at a good old age.
16
In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.”
17
It came to pass that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.
18
In that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “I have given this land to your offspring, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates:
19
the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites,
20
the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,
21
the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”

Footnotes

(a)15:2 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai”.
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