Genesis 15

Genesis 15:2

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?

And Abram, which hitherto had only heard God’s promises to him, now said; Alas, Lord, all the blessings, that thou shalt personally give me, cannot much avail me, seeing I go childless; and the man, whom I shall leave heir of my house, is but a stranger in blood and country, this Eliezer of Damascus.

Genesis 15:5

And 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.

Moreover, he brought him forth of his house in the evening, after he had spent the day within, in the exercise of his faith, and said; Look up, now, to heaven, and count the stars thou seest there, if thou canst possibly number them, so far shalt thou be from barrenness, that thy seed, both spiritual and carnal, shall be as infinite in number, as they.

Genesis 15:6

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

And Abram believed in God, and stedfastly relied on these gracious promises, which were made unto him; and therefore, upon his faith God accounted him truly just and righteous in his sight.

Genesis 15:8

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

And Abram said, O Lord God, I do believe, that my seed shall, as thou sayest, inherit this land; but yet, I desire thee to give me some further confirmation and assurance of my faith, in this point.

Genesis 15:12

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

And when the sun was set, there fell, by the appointment of God, a deep sleep upon Abram; and his mind was troubled in his dream, with much fear and unquietness.

Genesis 15:13

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 them four hundred years.

Then the Lord said to him, for the declaring of these doubtful visions of his sleep, Know, for certain, that thy seed shall be a stranger in Egypt and Canaan, which as yet also is not thine, for the space of four hundred years; in a great part whereof, they shall serve, and be evil entreated.

Genesis 15:16

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

And in the fourth succession of men, they shall come forth to this place again which then shall be theirs, for the wickedness of the Amorites, who must be driven out hence to give room to thy posterity, is not yet come to their full ripeness for my intended judgments.

Genesis 15:17

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.

Also, yet somewhat longer after the going down of the sun, there was represented unto him a great darkness, and behold, a smoking furnace in which God would foreshew to Abram the affliction and servility of his posterity; and withal, there was a clear lamp, betokening his deliverance; both which passed between the pieces formerly divided.