Read Scripture ad-free with Bible Gateway Plus—trusted Study Bibles and commentaries beside every verse. Try it FREE for 7 days.
Log In/Sign Up

#
Genesis 15
New International Version

### The Lord’s Covenant With Abram

15 After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram(A) in a vision:(B)

“Do not be afraid,(C) Abram.
I am your shield,[a](D)
your very great reward.[b](E)”

2 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord,(F) what can you give me since I remain childless(G) and the one who will inherit[c] my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?(H)” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant(I) in my household(J) will be my heir.”

4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.(K)” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars(L)—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring[d] be.”(M)

6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.(N)

7 He also said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out(O) of Ur of the Chaldeans(P) to give you this land to take possession of it.”(Q)

8 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord,(R) how can I know(S) that I will gain possession of it?”(T)

9 So the Lord said to him, “Bring me a heifer,(U) a goat and a ram, each three years old,(V) along with a dove and a young pigeon.(W)”

10 Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other;(X) the birds, however, he did not cut in half.(Y) 11 Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses,(Z) but Abram drove them away.

12 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep,(AA) and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. 13 Then the Lord said to him, “Know for certain that for four hundred years(AB) your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved(AC) and mistreated there. 14 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out(AD) with great possessions.(AE) 15 You, however, will go to your ancestors(AF) in peace and be buried at a good old age.(AG) 16 In the fourth generation(AH) your descendants will come back here,(AI) for the sin of the Amorites(AJ) has not yet reached its full measure.”

17 When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch(AK) appeared and passed between the pieces.(AL) 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram(AM) and said, “To your descendants I give this land,(AN) from the Wadi[e] of Egypt(AO) to the great river, the Euphrates(AP)— 19 the land of the Kenites,(AQ) Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites,(AR) Perizzites,(AS) Rephaites,(AT) 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”(AU)

#### Footnotes

1. Genesis 15:1 Or sovereign
2. Genesis 15:1 Or shield; / your reward will be very great
3. Genesis 15:2 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
4. Genesis 15:5 Or seed
5. Genesis 15:18 Or river

#### Cross references

1. Genesis 15:1 : 1Sa 15:10; 2Sa 7:4; 1Ki 6:11; 12:22; Jer 1:13; Eze 3:16; Da 10:1
2. Genesis 15:1 : Ge 46:2; Nu 12:6; 24:4; Ru 1:20; Job 33:15
3. Genesis 15:1 : Ge 21:17; 26:24; 46:3; Ex 14:13; 20:20; 2Ki 6:16; 2Ch 20:15, 17; Ps 27:1; Isa 7:4; 41:10, 13-14; 43:1, 5; Jer 1:8; Hag 2:5
4. Genesis 15:1 : Dt 33:29; 2Sa 22:3, 31; Ps 3:3; 5:12; 18:2; 28:7; 33:20; 84:11; 119:114; 144:2; Pr 2:7; 30:5
5. Genesis 15:1 : Ps 18:20; 37:25; 58:11; Isa 3:10
6. Genesis 15:2 : ver 8; Isa 49:22; Jer 44:26; Eze 5:11; 16:48
7. Genesis 15:2 : Ac 7:5
8. Genesis 15:2 : S Ge 14:15
9. Genesis 15:3 : Ge 24:2, 34
10. Genesis 15:3 : S Ge 12:5
11. Genesis 15:4 : Gal 4:28
12. Genesis 15:5 : Job 11:8; 35:5; Ps 8:3; 147:4; Jer 33:22
13. Genesis 15:5 : S Ge 12:2; S Jer 30:19; Ro 4:18*; Heb 11:12
14. Genesis 15:6 : Ps 106:31; Ro 4:3*, 20-24*; Gal 3:6*; Jas 2:23*
15. Genesis 15:7 : Ge 12:1; Ex 20:2; Ac 7:3; Heb 11:8
16. Genesis 15:7 : S Ge 11:28; Ac 7:4
17. Genesis 15:7 : S Ge 13:17; 17:8; 28:4; 35:12; 48:4; Ex 6:8; Dt 9:5
18. Genesis 15:8 : S ver 2
19. Genesis 15:8 : Lk 1:18
20. Genesis 15:8 : Dt 12:20; 19:8
21. Genesis 15:9 : Nu 19:2; Dt 21:3; Hos 4:16; Am 4:1
22. Genesis 15:9 : 1Sa 1:24
23. Genesis 15:9 : Lev 1:14; 5:7, 11; 12:8
24. Genesis 15:10 : ver 17; Jer 34:18
25. Genesis 15:10 : Lev 1:17; 5:8
26. Genesis 15:11 : Dt 28:26; Jer 7:33
27. Genesis 15:12 : S Ge 2:21
28. Genesis 15:13 : ver 16; Ex 12:40; Nu 20:15; Ac 7:6, 17; Gal 3:17
29. Genesis 15:13 : Ex 1:11; 3:7; 5:6, 10-14, 18; 6:5; Dt 5:15; Job 3:18
30. Genesis 15:14 : Ge 50:24; Ex 3:8; 6:6-8; 12:25; Nu 10:29; Jos 1:2; Ac 7:7*
31. Genesis 15:14 : Ex 12:32-38
32. Genesis 15:15 : Ge 47:30; 49:29; Dt 31:16; 2Sa 7:12; 1Ki 1:21; Ps 49:19
33. Genesis 15:15 : Ge 25:8; 35:29; Ex 23:26; Dt 34:7; Jos 14:11; Jdg 8:32; 1Ch 29:28; Job 5:26; 21:23; 42:17; Ps 91:16; Pr 3:16; 9:11; Isa 65:20
34. Genesis 15:16 : S ver 13; Ex 12:40
35. Genesis 15:16 : Ge 28:15; 46:4; 48:21; 50:24; Ex 3:8, 17
36. Genesis 15:16 : Lev 18:28; Jos 13:4; Jdg 10:11; 1Ki 21:26; 2Ki 16:3; 21:11; Eze 16:3
37. Genesis 15:17 : Jdg 7:16, 20; 15:4, 5
38. Genesis 15:17 : S ver 10
39. Genesis 15:18 : Ge 17:2, 4, 7; Ex 6:4; 34:10, 27; 1Ch 16:16; Ps 105:9
40. Genesis 15:18 : S Ge 12:7
41. Genesis 15:18 : Nu 34:5; Jos 15:4, 47; 1Ki 8:65; 2Ki 24:7; 2Ch 7:8; Isa 27:12; Jer 37:5; 46:2; La 4:17; Eze 30:22; 47:19
42. Genesis 15:18 : S Ge 2:14
43. Genesis 15:19 : Nu 24:21; Jdg 1:16; 4:11, 17; 5:24; 1Sa 15:6; 27:10; 30:29; 1Ch 2:55
44. Genesis 15:20 : S Ge 10:15; S Dt 7:1
45. Genesis 15:20 : S Ge 13:7
46. Genesis 15:20 : S Ge 14:5
47. Genesis 15:21 : S Ge 10:16; Jos 3:10; 24:11; Ne 9:8

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

### More on the NIV

- Unleash God's Word!

#### Bible Gateway Recommends

NIV, The Woman's Study Bible, Full-Color, Red Letter: Receiving God's Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation
Retail: $49.99
Our Price: $34.99
Save: $15.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Journal the Word Bible, Red Letter, Comfort Print: Reflect, Take Notes, or Create Art Next to Your Favorite Verses
Retail: $39.99
Our Price: $27.99
Save: $12.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Lucado Encouraging Word Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New International Version
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Red Letter Edition: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Chronological Study Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New International Version
Retail: $49.99
Our Price: $34.99
Save: $15.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, The Story, Hardcover, Comfort Print: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People
Retail: $19.98
Our Price: $7.50
Save: $12.48 (62%)
Buy Now
View more titles