15
GOD APPEARED TO ABRAM (15:1-6)
1 After that God appeared to Abram in a dream. He said to him, “Abram, don't be afraid. I am the one who will look after you for ever. Truly I will give you great possessions.”
2 Abram answered him, “You are boss for everything. Why will you give me lots of possessions? Still I have no child. After I am dead my worker, that Eliezer, he is the one who will get my possessions.
3 You have not given me a child. My worker will get all my possessions.”
4 In reply God said to him, “Not your worker, not Eliezer, he will not get your possessions. Your own child, he is the one who will get your possessions.”
5 After that God took Abram outside, he said to him, “Look up, look at those stars. They are very many. You cannot count them [lit. 'cannot put names on them'], they are many. Your own grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them also will become very many. You will not be able put names on them, they will be very many.” Like that God spoke to him.
6 Abram listened, truly he believed God. Because of that God became happy with him.
GOD SPOKE TO ABRAM (15:7-21)
7 Again God spoke to him. “I am the one who earlier told you in the country Chaldea to leave your camp. You came here in accord with my word. This very land I will give you, it will be yours forever.”
8 Abram said to him, “God, you are the boss for everything. How will I know about that word, it is true?”
9 God replied, “Bring me animals, one bullock, one goat, one ram. Also bring me one dove and one pigeon.”
10 Abram brought those animals in accord with God's word. He killed them all. After that the bullock and goat and ram he split down the middle, he separated them. He did not split the birds down the middle.
11 Eagles came, they landed on the meat. Abram frightened them, they went away.
12 When the sun was setting Abram became deeply asleep. In a dream when he was asleep fear truly came on him.
15 God said to him, “Listen. You will become old, you will die in this country, they will put you in the ground in this country.
13 Later your grandchildren will go to another country. Not to their country, they will go to the country of foreigners. They will be right there for a long time, for 400 years. The inhabitants of that country will make them work hard, for no money, just for food. Truly they will keep your people for a long time in a very bad way.
14 After that in return I will hit those inhabitants. After that I will bring your people right back here, they will bring great possessions from that country.
16 They will stay in that country for 400 years, after that they will come back here. Not now I will give them this country. It is for later. Right now those people what's-their-name, Amu's mob, they are here. This is their country. Later they will become evil-doers, very bad. Right after that I will hit them, truly this country I will give to your people.” Like that God spoke to him.
17 After the sun set, when it had become dark, Abram saw two somethings, a smoking fire thing and something with a light, they were going in the middle of the pieces of meat.
18 At that time God spoke to him seriously, “Truly I will give this country to your people. The country from here in every direction I will give them, westwards all the way to the river in Egypt, eastwards all the way to the river, to the Euphrates river.
19-21 At present the land belongs to many others. I will take it away from them, I will give it to your grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them.” [The list of the people groups has been summarised by 'many others'.]