God's Covenant with Abram

(Romans 4:1-12; Galatians 3:1-9; Hebrews 11:8-19; James 2:14-26)

1After these things hath the word of Jehovah been unto Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Fear not, Abram, I [am] a shield to thee, thy reward [is] exceeding great.’

2And Abram saith, ‘Lord Jehovah, what dost Thou give to me, and I am going childless? and an acquired son in my house is Demmesek Eliezer.’ 3And Abram saith, ‘Lo, to me Thou hast not given seed, and lo, a domestic doth heir me.’ 4And lo, the word of Jehovah [is] unto him, saying, ‘This [one] doth not heir thee; but he who cometh out from thy bowels, he doth heir thee;’ 5and He bringeth him out without, and saith, ‘Look attentively, I pray thee, towards the heavens, and count the stars, if thou art able to count them;’ and He saith to him, ‘Thus is thy seed.’ 6And he hath believed in Jehovah, and He reckoneth it to him — righteousness. 7And He saith unto him, ‘I [am] Jehovah who brought thee out from Ur of the Chaldees, to give to thee this land to possess it;’

God Confirms His Promise

(Numbers 34:1-15; Romans 4:13-25)

8and he saith, ‘Lord Jehovah, whereby do I know that I possess it?’ 9And He saith unto him, ‘Take for Me a heifer of three years, and a she-goat of three years, and a ram of three years, and a turtle-dove, and a young bird;’ 10and he taketh to him all these, and separateth them in the midst, and putteth each piece over against its fellow, but the bird he hath not divided; 11and the ravenous birds come down upon the carcases, and Abram causeth them to turn back.

12And the sun is about to go in, and deep sleep hath fallen upon Abram, and lo, a terror of great darkness is falling upon him; 13and He saith to Abram, ‘knowing — know that thy seed is a sojourner in a land not theirs, and they have served them, and they have afflicted them four hundred years, 14and the nation also whom they serve I judge, and after this they go out with great substance; 15and thou — thou comest in unto thy fathers in peace; thou art buried in a good old age; 16and the fourth generation doth turn back hither, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.’

17And it cometh to pass — the sun hath gone in, and thick darkness hath been — and lo, a furnace of smoke, and a lamp of fire, which hath passed over between those pieces.

18In that day hath Jehovah made with Abram a covenant, saying, ‘To thy seed I have given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Phrat,

19with the Kenite, and the Kenizzite, and the Kadmonite, 20and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Rephaim, 21and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Girgashite, and the Jebusite.’