4Then behold, the word of Adonai came to him saying, “This one will not be your heir, but in fact, one who will come from your own body will be your heir.

5He took him outside and said, “Look up now, at the sky, and count the stars—if you are able to count them.” Then He said to him, “So shall your seed be.”

6Then he believed in Adonai and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.

7Then He said to him, “I am Adonai who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans, in order to give you this land to inherit it.”

8So he said, “My Lord Adonai, how will I know that I will inherit it?”

9Then He said to him, “Bring Me a three year old young cow, a three year old she-goat, a three year old ram, a turtle-dove and a young bird.”

10So he brought all these to Him and cut them in half, and put each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds.

11Then birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.

12When the sun was about to set and a deep sleep fell on Abram, behold, terror of great darkness was falling upon him!

13Then He said to Abram, “Know for certain that your seed will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and they will be enslaved and oppressed 400 years.

14But I am going to judge the nation that they will serve. Afterward they will go out with many possessions.

15But you, you will come to your fathers in peace. You will be buried at a good old age.

16Then in the fourth generation they will return here—for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”

17When the sun set and it became dark, behold, there was a smoking oven and a fiery torch that passed between these pieces.

18On that day Adonai cut a covenant with Abram, saying, “I give this land to your seed, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River:

19the Kenite, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites,

20the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Raphaites,

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

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Bereshis 15

1After these things the Devar Hashem came unto Avram in a makhazeh, saying, Fear not, Avram; I am thy mogen, and thy exceeding great sachar (reward).

2And Avram said, Adonoi Hashem, what wilt Thou give me, since I go childless, and the Ben Meshek of my Bais is this Eli'ezer of Damesek (Damascus)?

3And Avram said, See, to me Thou hast given no zera; and, hinei, one born in my bais is my yoresh (heir).

4And, hinei, the Devar Hashem came unto him saying, This shall not be thy yoresh; but he that shall come forth out of thine own body shall be thy yoresh.

5And He brought him forth outside, and said, Look now toward Shomayim, and count the kokhavim, if thou be able to number them; and He said unto him, So shall thy zera be.

6And he believed in Hashem; and He credited [emunah (faith)] to him as tzedakah (righteousness).

7And He said unto him, I am Hashem Who brought thee out of Ur Kasdim, to give thee ha'aretz hazot to be the yoresh of it.

8And he said, Adonoi Hashem, how can I have da'as that I will be its yoresh?

9And He said unto him, Bring Me a heifer meshuleshet, and a she goat meshuleshet, and a ram meshulash, and a dove, and a pigeon.

10And he brought unto Him all these, and divided them in two, and laid each half one opposite another; but the birds divided he not.

11And when the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, Avram drove them away.

12And when the shemesh was going down, a tardemah fell upon Avram; and, hinei, a horror of great darkness fell upon him.

13And Hashem said unto Avram, Know of a surety that thy zera shall be a ger in a land not their own, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them arba me'ot shanah;

14And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge; and afterward shall they come out with rechush gadol (great substance).

15And thou shalt go to thy avot in shalom; thou shalt be buried at a good old age.

16But in the fourth generation they shall come back here again; for the avon (iniquity) of the Emori (Amorite) is not yet full.

17And it came to pass, that, when the shemesh went down, and it was dark, hinei a smoking fire-pot, and a blazing torch passed between those pieces.

18On that day Hashem cut a brit (covenant) with Avram, saying, Unto thy zera have I given ha'aretz hazot, from the Wadi of Mitzrayim unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

19[the land of] the Keni, and the Kenizzi, and the Kadmoni,

20And the Chitti, and the Perizzi, and the Repha'im,

21And the Emori, and the Kena'ani, and the Girgashi, and the Yevusi.

THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BIBLE

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Genesis 15

Bereshis 15