Genesis

神与亚伯兰立约

1这事以后，耶和华在异象中有话对亚伯兰说：「亚伯兰，你不要惧怕！我是你的盾牌，必大大地赏赐你。」

2亚伯兰说：「主耶和华啊，我既无子，你还赐我什么呢？并且要承受我家业的是大马士革人以利以谢。」

3亚伯兰又说：「你没有给我儿子；那生在我家中的人就是我的后嗣。」

4耶和华又有话对他说：「这人必不成为你的后嗣；你本身所生的才成为你的后嗣。」

5于是领他走到外边，说：「你向天观看，数算众星，能数得过来吗？」又对他说：「你的后裔将要如此。」

6亚伯兰信耶和华，耶和华就以此为他的义。

7耶和华又对他说：「我是耶和华，曾领你出了迦勒底的吾珥，为要将这地赐你为业。」

8亚伯兰说：「主耶和华啊，我怎能知道必得这地为业呢？」

9他说：「你为我取一只三年的母牛，一只三年的母山羊，一只三年的公绵羊，一只斑鸠，一只雏鸽。」

10亚伯兰就取了这些来，每样劈开，分成两半，一半对着一半地摆列，只有鸟没有劈开。

11有鸷鸟下来，落在那死畜的肉上，亚伯兰就把它吓飞了。

12日头正落的时候，亚伯兰沉沉地睡了；忽然有惊人的大黑暗落在他身上。

13耶和华对亚伯兰说：「你要的确知道，你的后裔必寄居别人的地，又服事那地的人；那地的人要苦待他们四百年。

14并且他们所要服事的那国，我要惩罚，后来他们必带着许多财物从那里出来。

15但你要享大寿数，平平安安地归到你列祖那里，被人埋葬。

16到了第四代，他们必回到此地，因为亚摩利人的罪孽还没有满盈。」

17日落天黑，不料有冒烟的炉并烧着的火把从那些肉块中经过。

18当那日，耶和华与亚伯兰立约，说：「我已赐给你的后裔，从埃及河直到幼发拉底大河之地，

19就是基尼人、基尼洗人、甲摩尼人、

20赫人、比利洗人、利乏音人、

21亚摩利人、迦南人、革迦撒人、耶布斯人之地。」

God’s Covenant with Abram

1After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram.I am your shield, your very great reward.”

2But Abram replied, “O Lord GOD, what can You give me, since I remain childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”

3Abram continued, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

4Then the word of the LORD came to Abram, saying, “This one will not be your heir, but one who comes from your own body will be your heir.”

5And the LORD took him outside and said, “Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.” Then He told him, “So shall your offspring be.”

6Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

7The LORD also told him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.”

God Confirms His Promise

8But Abram replied, “Lord GOD, how can I know that I will possess it?”

9And the LORD said to him, “Bring Me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a turtledove and a young pigeon.”

10So Abram brought all these to Him, split each of them down the middle, and laid the halves opposite each other. The birds, however, he did not cut in half.

11And the birds of prey descended on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.

12As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and suddenly great terror and darkness overwhelmed him.

13Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.

14But I will judge the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will depart with many possessions.

15You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a ripe old age.

16In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”

17When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, behold, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the halves of the carcasses.

18On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—

19the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites,

20Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites,

21Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”