BERĔSHITH 15 (Genesis 15)

1 After these events the word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 came to Aḇram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Aḇram. I am your shield, your reward is exceedingly great.”

2 And Aḇram said, “Aḏonai 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, what would You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eli’ezer of Dammeseq?”

3 And Aḇram said,  “See, You have given me no seed, and see, one born in my house is my heir!”

4 And see, the word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 came to him, saying, “This one is not your heir, but he who comes from your own body is your heir.”

5 And He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward the shamayim, and count the stars if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So are your seed.”

6 And he believed in 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and He reckoned it to him for righteousness.

7 And He said to him, “I am 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, who brought you out of Ur-Kasdim, to give you this land to inherit it.”

8 And he said, “Aḏonai 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, whereby do I know that I possess it?”

9 And He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, and a three-year­-old female goat, and a three-year-old ram, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”

10 And he took all these to Him and cut them in the middle, and placed each half opposite the other, but he did not cut the birds.

11 And the birds of prey came down on the carcasses, and Aḇram drove them away.

12 And it came to be, when the sun was going down, and a deep sleep fell upon Aḇram, that see, a frightening great darkness fell upon him.

13 And He said to Aḇram, “Know for certain that your seed are to be sojourners in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them, and they shall afflict them four hundred years.

14 “But the nation whom they serve I am going to judge, and afterward let them come out with great possessions.

15 “Now as for you, you are to go to your fathers in peace, you are to be buried at a good old age.

16 “Then, in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the wickedness of the Amorites is not yet complete.”

17 And it came to be, when the sun went down and it was dark, that see, a smoking oven and a burning torch passing between those pieces.

18 On the same day 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 made a Covenant with Aḇram, saying, “I have given this land to your seed, from the river of Mitsrayim to the great river, the River Perath,

19 with the Qĕynite, and the Qenizzite, and the Qaḏmonite,

20 and the Ḥittite, and the Perizzite, and the Repha’im,

21 and the Amorite, and the Kena’anite, and the Girgashite, and the Yeḇusite.”