Genesis 15

King James Version

Full text for Genesis Chapter 15

1¶ After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I [am] thy shield, [and] thy exceeding great reward.

2¶ And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house [is] this Eliezer of Damascus?

3And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.

4And, behold, the word of the LORD [came] unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.

5And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

6And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

7¶ And he said unto him, I [am] the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.

8And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?

9And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.

10And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.

11And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.

12¶ And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.

13And 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 them four hundred years;

14And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

15And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.

16But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites [is] not yet full.

17¶ And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.

18In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

19The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,

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

21And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

The LORD appears to Abram in a vision, reaffirming promises of protection, a great reward, and a biological heir, which Abram believes, and it is counted to him for righteousness. God then establishes a covenant with Abram, revealing the future affliction of his descendants in a foreign land for four hundred years before their return to the promised land. The covenant is ratified by a symbolic passing of a smoking furnace and a burning lamp between divided animal pieces, with the land's boundaries and current inhabitants specified.

Medium Summary

Genesis 15 opens with the LORD appearing to Abram, assuring him of divine protection and an exceeding great reward. Abram expresses concern over his childlessness, but the LORD promises him a direct heir, stating his descendants will be as numerous as the stars, a promise Abram believes, and it is credited to him as righteousness. The LORD then reminds Abram of His bringing him out of Ur to give him the land, prompting Abram to ask for a sign regarding this inheritance. In response, God instructs Abram to prepare several animals for a covenant ceremony, which Abram performs, driving away birds of prey. As the sun sets, a deep sleep and a "horror of great darkness" fall upon Abram, during which the LORD reveals that Abram's seed will be strangers and afflicted in a foreign land for four hundred years, but will eventually return with great substance after the judgment of their oppressors. Finally, a smoking furnace and a burning lamp pass between the divided pieces, symbolizing the LORD's unilateral ratification of the covenant, confirming the grant of land from the River of Egypt to the Euphrates to Abram's descendants, and listing the ten nations currently dwelling there.

Long Summary

Genesis chapter 15 records a pivotal encounter between the LORD and Abram, beginning with a divine vision where God reassures Abram, declaring Himself to be Abram's shield and exceeding great reward. Abram, however, voices his concern over his childless state, lamenting that Eliezer of Damascus, a servant, is his heir. The LORD directly addresses this, promising that Abram's true heir will be one who comes forth from his own body. To emphasize the vastness of this promise, God brings Abram outside and instructs him to count the stars, declaring that his seed will be similarly innumerable. Significantly, Abram believes in the LORD's promise, and this act of faith is accounted to him for righteousness. The LORD then reiterates His identity as the one who brought Abram out of Ur of the Chaldees to give him the land. Abram, seeking assurance, asks how he shall know that he will inherit it. In response, God commands Abram to prepare a specific set of animals: a three-year-old heifer, a she-goat, a ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon. Abram complies, dividing the large animals in the midst and laying the pieces opposite each other, though he does not divide the birds. He then diligently drives away fowls that come down upon the carcasses. As the sun is about to set, a deep sleep, accompanied by a "horror of great darkness," falls upon Abram. During this profound state, the LORD reveals a significant prophecy concerning Abram's future descendants: they will be strangers in a foreign land, afflicted for four hundred years. However, God promises to judge the nation that enslaves them, and afterward, Abram's seed will come out with great substance. Abram himself is assured of a peaceful death in old age. The prophecy further states that his descendants will return to the promised land in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete. Finally, as darkness fully descends, a smoking furnace and a burning lamp, representing the divine presence, pass between the divided pieces of the animals. This solemn act signifies the LORD's unilateral ratification of the covenant. On that same day, the LORD formally makes a covenant with Abram, explicitly granting his seed the land stretching from the River of Egypt to the great river Euphrates, and enumerating the ten nations, including the Kenites, Hittites, Amorites, and Jebusites, whose territories are encompassed by this divine promise.

Core Concepts

  • Divine AssuranceThe LORD initiates the chapter by reassuring Abram, promising to be his "shield" and "exceeding great reward," addressing Abram's fears and concerns about his future.
  • Promise of HeirAbram, being childless, is promised a direct biological heir, not a servant, from his own body, establishing the lineage through which God's promises will be fulfilled.
  • Righteousness by FaithAbram's belief in the LORD's seemingly impossible promise of countless descendants is explicitly stated as being "counted to him for righteousness," a foundational theological concept.
  • Covenant CeremonyGod commands Abram to prepare animals for a specific ritual, where the animals are divided, symbolizing the solemnity and binding nature of the covenant being established.
  • Prophecy of Affliction and DeliveranceThe LORD reveals to Abram a future period of 400 years where his descendants will be strangers and afflicted in a foreign land, followed by divine judgment upon their oppressors and their return with great substance.
  • Unilateral Covenant RatificationThe covenant is formally sealed when a "smoking furnace" and a "burning lamp" (representing God) pass between the divided pieces, indicating God's sole commitment to fulfill the terms of the agreement.
  • Boundaries of the Promised LandThe chapter concludes with a precise definition of the land granted to Abram's seed, extending from the River of Egypt to the River Euphrates, and listing the ten nations currently inhabiting this territory.