| International Standard Version | Christian Standard 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 events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield; your reward will be very great. |
| 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, "Lord GOD, what can you give me, since I am childless and the heir of my house 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 continued, "Look, you have given me no offspring, so a slave 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." | 4Now the word of the LORD came to him: "This one will not be your heir; instead, one 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." | 5He took him outside and said, "Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them." Then he said to him, "Your offspring will be that numerous." |
| 6Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness. | 6Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness. |
| 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." | 7He also said to him, "I am the LORD who brought you 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 he said, "Lord GOD, how can I know that I will 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." | 9He said to him, "Bring me a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, 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 he brought all these to him, cut them in half, and laid the pieces opposite each other, but he did not cut the birds in half. |
| 11When birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. | 11Birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but 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. | 12As the sun was setting, a deep sleep came over Abram, and suddenly great terror and darkness descended on 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 this for certain: Your offspring will be resident aliens for four hundred years in a land that does not belong to them and will be enslaved and oppressed. |
| 14However, I will judge the nation that they serve, and later they will leave there with many possessions. | 14However, I will judge the nation they serve, and afterward they will go out with many possessions. |
| 15Now as for you, you'll die peacefully, join your ancestors, and be buried at a good old age. | 15But you will go to your fathers 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 they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure." |
| 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 set and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the divided animals. |
| 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— | 18On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "I give this land to your offspring, from the brook 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, | 20Hethites, Perizzites, Rephaim, |
| 21the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites." | 21Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites." |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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