Gênesis 15

¹ After these things, the worde of the Lorde came vnto Abram in a vision, saying, Feare not, Abram, I am thy buckler, and thine exceeding great reward.

² And Abram said,His fear was not only lest he should not have children, but lest the promise of the blessed seed should not be accomplished in him.Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house [is] this Eliezer of Damascus?

³ Againe Abram saide, Beholde, to me thou hast giuen no seede: wherefore loe, a seruant of mine house shalbe mine heire.

⁴ Then beholde, the worde of the Lorde came vnto him, saying, This man shall not be thine heire, but one that shall come out of thine owne bowels, he shalbe thine heire.

⁵ Moreouer he brought him forth and said, Looke vp nowe vnto heauen, and tell ye starres, if thou be able to number them: and he said vnto him, So shall thy seede be.

⁶ And Abram beleeued the Lorde, and he counted that to him for righteousnesse.

⁷ Againe he saide vnto him, I am the Lord, that brought thee out of Vr of the Caldees, to giue thee this land to inherite it.

⁸ And he said, Lord GOD,This is a particular motion of God's Spirit, which is not lawful for all to follow, in asking signs: but was permitted for some by a peculiar motion, as to Gideon and Ezekiel.whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?

⁹ Then he said vnto him, Take me an heifer of three yeeres olde, and a shee goate of three yeeres olde, and a ramme of three yeeres olde, a turtle doue also and a pigeon.

¹⁰ And he took unto him all these, andThis was the old custom in making covenants, (Jer_39:18), to which God added these conditions, that Abram's posterity would be as torn in pieces, but after they would be rejoined: also that it would be assaulted, but yet delivered.divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.

¹¹ Then foules fell on the carkases, and Abram droue them away.

¹² And when the sunne went downe, there fell an heauie sleepe vpon Abram: and loe, a very fearefull darkenes fell vpon him.

¹³ 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 themCounting from the birth of Isaac to their departure of Egypt: Which declares that God will allow his to be afflicted in this world.four hundred years;

¹⁴ Notwithstanding the nation, whom they shall serue, will I iudge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

¹⁵ But thou shalt goe vnto thy fathers in peace, and shalt be buried in a good age.

¹⁶ But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for theThough God tolerates the wicked for a time, yet his vengeance falls on them when the measure of their wickedness is full.iniquity of the Amorites [is] not yet full.

¹⁷ Also when the sunne went downe, there was a darkenes: & behold, a smoking fornace, and a firebrand, which went betweene those pieces.

¹⁸ In that same day the Lord made a couenant with Abram, saying, Vnto thy seede haue I giuen this lande, from the riuer of Egypt vnto the great riuer, the riuer Euphrates.

¹⁹ The Kenites, and the Kenizites, and the Kadmonites,

²⁰ And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,

²¹ The Amorites also, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Iebusites.