Genesis 15:12-21

12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and lo, a 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 at 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."

17 And it came to pass that when the sun went down and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace and a burning lamp passed between those pieces.

18 On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the River Euphrates:

19 the Kenites and the Kenizzites and the Kadmonites,

20 and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Rephaim,

21 and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Girgashites and the Jebusites."

Genesis 15:12-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 15

This chapter informs us of a gracious appearance of God to Abram, and of a kind promise made unto him, Ge 15:1; of Abram's request for an heir, Ge 15:2,3; of an answer to it, that he should have one, and even a numberless seed, Ge 15:4,5; which he gave credit to, Ge 15:6; upon which he has a fresh promise of the land of Canaan, Ge 15:7; of his inheriting of which he desires a sign, and this was given him, Ge 15:8-12; and at the same time it was predicted to him how long his posterity should be afflicted in a land not theirs, and afterwards come out with great substance, Ge 15:13-16; and the grant of the land of Canaan to his seed is renewed, Ge 15:17-21.