Genesis 15:8-16
New English Translation
8 But[a] Abram[b] said, “O Sovereign Lord,[c] by what[d] can I know that I am to possess it?”
9 The Lord[e] said to him, “Take for me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.” 10 So Abram[f] took all these for him and then cut them in two[g] and placed each half opposite the other,[h] but he did not cut the birds in half. 11 When birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
12 When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep,[i] and great terror overwhelmed him.[j] 13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain[k] that your descendants will be strangers[l] in a foreign country.[m] They will be enslaved and oppressed[n] for 400 years. 14 But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve.[o] Afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15 But as for you,[p] you will go to your ancestors[q] in peace and be buried at a good old age.[r] 16 In the fourth generation[s] your descendants[t] will return here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit.”[u]
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- Genesis 15:8 tn Here the vav carries adversative force and is translated “but.”
- Genesis 15:8 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Genesis 15:8 tn See note on the phrase “Sovereign Lord” in 15:2.
- Genesis 15:8 tn Or “how.”
- Genesis 15:9 tn Heb “He”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Genesis 15:10 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Genesis 15:10 tn Heb “in the middle.”
- Genesis 15:10 tn Heb “to meet its neighbor.”sn For discussion of this ritual see G. F. Hasel, “The Meaning of the Animal Rite in Genesis 15, ” JSOT 19 (1981): 61-78.
- Genesis 15:12 tn Heb “a deep sleep fell on Abram.”
- Genesis 15:12 tn Heb “and look, terror, a great darkness was falling on him.”
- Genesis 15:13 tn The Hebrew construction is emphatic, with the Qal infinitive absolute followed by the imperfect from יָדַע (yadaʿ, “know”). The imperfect here has an obligatory or imperatival force.
- Genesis 15:13 tn The Hebrew word גֵּר (ger, “sojourner, stranger”) is related to the verb גּוּר (gur, “to sojourn, to stay for awhile”). Abram’s descendants will stay in a land as resident foreigners without rights of citizenship.
- Genesis 15:13 tn Heb “in a land not theirs.”
- Genesis 15:13 tn Heb “and they will serve them and they will oppress them.” The verb עִנּוּ, (ʾinnu, a Piel form from עָנָה, ʾanah, “to afflict, to oppress, to treat harshly”), is used in Exod 1:11 to describe the oppression of the Israelites in Egypt.
- Genesis 15:14 tn The participle דָּן (dan, from דִּין, din) is used here for the future: “I am judging” = “I will surely judge.” The judgment in this case will be condemnation and punishment. The translation “execute judgment on” implies that the judgment will certainly be carried out.
- Genesis 15:15 tn The vav with the pronoun before the verb calls special attention to the subject in contrast to the preceding subject.
- Genesis 15:15 sn You will go to your ancestors. This is a euphemistic expression for death.
- Genesis 15:15 tn Heb “in a good old age.”
- Genesis 15:16 sn The term generation is being used here in its widest sense to refer to a full life span. When the chronological factors are considered and the genealogies tabulated, there are 400 years of bondage. This suggests that in this context a generation is equivalent to 100 years.
- Genesis 15:16 tn Heb “they”; the referent (“your descendants”) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
- Genesis 15:16 tn Heb “is not yet complete.”sn The sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit. The justice of God is apparent. He will wait until the Amorites are fully deserving of judgment before he annihilates them and gives the land to Israel.
Genesis 15:8-16
King James Version
8 And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?
9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.
11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.
12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
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Genesis 15:8-16
New King James Version
8 And he said, “Lord God, (A)how shall I know that I will inherit it?”
9 So He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 Then he brought all these to Him and (B)cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut (C)the birds in two. 11 And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
12 Now when the sun was going down, (D)a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. 13 Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly (E)that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and (F)they will afflict them four hundred years. 14 And also the nation whom they serve (G)I will judge; afterward (H)they shall come out with great possessions. 15 Now as for you, (I)you shall [a]go (J)to your fathers in peace; (K)you shall be buried at a good old age. 16 But (L)in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity (M)of the Amorites (N)is not yet complete.”
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- Genesis 15:15 Die and join your ancestors
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
