Yahweh Cuts a Covenant with Abram

1After these things the word of Yahweh came to Abram in a vision, saying,

“Do not fear, Abram,

I am a shield to you;

[†]Your reward shall be very great.”

2And Abram said, “O Lord Yahweh, what will You give me, as I go on being childless, and the [†]heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3And Abram said, “[†]Since You have given no seed to me, behold, [†]one born in my house is my heir.” 4Then behold, the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, “This one will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own [†]body, he shall be your heir.” 5And He brought him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your seed be.” 6Then he believed in Yahweh; and He counted it to him as righteousness. 7And He said to him, “I am Yahweh who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to [†]possess it.” 8And he said, “O Lord Yahweh, how may I know that I will [†]possess it?” 9So He said to him, “[†]Bring Me a three year old heifer, and a three year old female goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10Then he [†]brought all these to Him and split them into parts [†]down the middle and laid each part opposite the other; but he did not split apart the birds. 11Then the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

12Now it happened that when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, [†]terror and great darkness fell upon him. 13Then God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your seed will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs, [†]and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. 14But I will also judge the nation to whom they are enslaved, and afterward they will come out with [†]many possessions. 15As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age. 16Then in the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.”

17Now it happened that the sun had set, and it was very dark, and behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a flaming torch which passed between these pieces. 18On that day Yahweh cut a covenant with Abram, saying,

“To your seed I have given this land,

From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates:

19the Kenite and the Kenizzite and the Kadmonite 20and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Rephaim 21and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Girgashite and the Jebusite.”