| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Some time later, a message came from the LORD to Abram in a vision: "Don't be afraid, Abram. I am your shield. Your reward will be very great." | 1After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Fear not, Abram! I am your shield and the one who will reward you in great abundance." |
| 2But Abram replied, "Lord GOD, what can you give me since I continue to be childless, and the heir of my household is Eliezer from Damascus? | 2But Abram said, "O sovereign LORD, what will you give me since I continue to be childless, and my heir is Eliezer of Damascus?" |
| 3Look!" Abram said, "You haven't given me any offspring, so a servant born in my house is going to be my heir." | 3Abram added, "Since you have not given me a descendant, then look, one born in my house will be my heir!" |
| 4A message came from the LORD to him again: "This one will not be your heir. Instead, the child who will be born to you will be your heir." | 4But look, the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but instead a son who comes from your own body will be your heir." |
| 5Then the LORD took him outside. "Look up at the sky and count the stars—if you can!" he said. "Your descendants will be that numerous." | 5The LORD took him outside and said, "Gaze into the sky and count the stars--if you are able to count them!" Then he said to him, "So will your descendants be." |
| 6Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness. | 6Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD considered his response of faith as proof of genuine loyalty. |
| 7The LORD spoke to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land as an inheritance." | 7The LORD said to him, "I am the LORD who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess." |
| 8But he replied, "Lord GOD, how will I know that I will inherit it?" | 8But Abram said, "O sovereign LORD, by what can I know that I am to possess it?" |
| 9The LORD responded, "Bring me a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon." | 9The LORD said to him, "Take for me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon." |
| 10So Abram brought him all these animals and cut each of them in half, down the middle, placing the pieces opposite each other, but he did not cut the birds in half. | 10So Abram took all these for him and then cut them in two and placed each half opposite the other, but he did not cut the birds in half. |
| 11When birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. | 11When birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. |
| 12As the sun began to set, Abram was overcome with deep sleep, and suddenly a frightening and terrifying darkness descended on him. | 12When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, and great terror overwhelmed him. |
| 13Then the LORD told Abram, "You can be certain about this: Your descendants will be foreigners in a land that isn't theirs. They will be slaves there and will be oppressed for 400 years. | 13Then the LORD said to Abram, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign country. They will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years. |
| 14However, I will judge the nation that they serve, and later they will leave there with many possessions. | 14But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve. Afterward they will come out with many possessions. |
| 15Now as for you, you'll die peacefully, join your ancestors, and be buried at a good old age. | 15But as for you, you will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. |
| 16Your descendants will return here in the fourth generation, since the iniquity of the Amorites has not yet run its course." | 16In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit." |
| 17When the sun had fully set and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a fiery torch passed between the animal pieces. | 17When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking firepot with a flaming torch passed between the animal parts. |
| 18That very day the LORD made this covenant with Abram: "I'm giving this land to your descendants, from the river of Egypt to the great Euphrates River— | 18That day the LORD made a covenant with Abram: "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River-- |
| 19including the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, | 19the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, |
| 20the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, | 20Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, |
| 21the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites." | 21Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites." |
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