Study Desk

After these things ^(C1)the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "^(C2)Do not fear, Abram, I am ^(C3)a shield to you; ^(F1)Your ^(C4)reward shall be very great."

But Abram said, "Lord ^(F1)GOD, what will You give me, since I ^(F2)am childless, and the ^(F3)heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?"

Abram also said, "^(F1)Since You have given me no ^(F2)son, ^(F3)one who has been ^(C1)born in my house is my heir."

Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir; ^(C1)but one who will come from your own ^(F1)body shall be your heir."

And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward the heavens and ^(C1)count the stars, if you are able to count them." And He said to him, "^(C2)So shall your ^(F1)descendants be."

^(C1)Then he believed in the LORD; and He ^(F1)credited it to him as righteousness.

And He said to him, "I am the LORD who brought you out of ^(C1)Ur of the Chaldeans, to ^(C2)give you this land to ^(F1)possess it."

But he said, "Lord ^(F1)GOD, ^(C1)how may I know that I will ^(F2)possess it?"

So He said to him, "^(F1)Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon."

Then he ^(F1)brought all these to Him and ^(C1)cut them ^(F2)in two, and laid each half opposite the other; but he ^(C2)did not cut the birds.

And birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

Now when the sun was going down, ^(C1)a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, ^(F1)terror and great darkness fell upon him.

Then God said to Abram, "Know for certain that ^(C1)your ^(F1)descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, ^(F2)where ^(C2)they will be enslaved and oppressed for ^(C3)four hundred years.

"But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out ^(C1)with ^(F1)many possessions.

"As for you, ^(C1)you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age.

"Then in ^(C1)the fourth generation they will return here, for ^(C2)the wrongdoing of the Amorite is not yet complete."

Now it came about, when the sun had set, that it was very dark, and behold, a smoking oven and a flaming torch appeared which ^(C1)passed between these pieces.

On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "^(C1)To your ^(F1)descendants I have given this land, From ^(C2)the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates: