King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
¶ And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
Complete Jewish Bible:
As the sun was about to set, a deep sleep fell on Avram; horror and great darkness came over him.
Berean Standard Bible:
As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and suddenly great terror and darkness overwhelmed him.
American Standard Version:
And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, a horror of great darkness fell upon him.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And when the sun{H8121} was going down{H935}, a deep sleep{H8639} fell{H5307} upon Abram{H87}; and, lo, an horror{H367} of great{H1419} darkness{H2825} fell{H5307} upon him.
Cross-References (KJV):
Genesis 2:21
- ¶ And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
Job 33:15
- In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;
Daniel 10:8
- Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.
Daniel 10:9
- Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.
Job 4:13
- In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,
Job 4:14
- Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.
Acts 9:8
- And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought [him] into Damascus.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Genesis 15:12
1. Themes:
- **Divine Promise and Reassurance**: The verse is part of a larger narrative where God reassures Abram (later named Abraham) of His promise to make Abram's descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, despite Abram's lack of an heir.
- **Covenant**: This event is a prelude to a covenant-making ceremony where God formalizes His promise to Abram, emphasizing the theme of a binding agreement between God and humanity.
- **Faith and Trust**: Abram's willingness to trust in God's promise, despite the odds and his own doubts, is a central theme in his life and in this chapter.
- **Transition and Transformation**: The deep sleep and darkness symbolize a transition phase for Abram, as he moves from a state of questioning to one of assured faith.
2. Historical Context:
- **Patriarchal Era**: The events surrounding Genesis 15:12 are set during the patriarchal era, which is traditionally dated around the early second millennium BCE.
- **Cultural Practices**: The narrative includes elements common to ancient Near Eastern covenant-making rituals, such as the cutting of animals, which would typically involve both parties walking between the halves to symbolize their commitment to the covenant's terms.
- **Migratory Context**: Abram was a nomadic leader, and his story reflects the migratory lifestyle of ancient Semitic peoples, moving with their flocks and herds in search of pasture and water.
- **Early Israelite History**: This event is foundational in early Israelite history, as it establishes the lineage of the Israelite people through God's promise to Abram, setting the stage for the narrative of the Jewish people's origins.
In summary, Genesis 15:12 is embedded in a narrative that emphasizes trust in God's promises, the establishment of a divine covenant, and the transformation of Abram's faith, against the backdrop of ancient Near Eastern cultural practices and the early history of the Israelite people.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H8121
There are 127 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שֶׁמֶשׁ
Transliteration: shemesh
Pronunciation: sheh'-mesh
Description: from an unused root meaning to be brilliant; the sun; by implication, the east; figuratively, a ray, i.e. (architectural) a notched battlement; [phrase] east side(-ward), sun (rising), [phrase] west(-ward), window. See also בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ. - Strong's Number: H935
There are 2307 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בּוֹא
Transliteration: bôwʼ
Pronunciation: bo
Description: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications); abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way. - Strong's Number: H8639
There are 7 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: תַּרְדֵּמָה
Transliteration: tardêmâh
Pronunciation: tar-day-maw'
Description: from רָדַם; a lethargy or (by implication) trance; deep sleep. - Strong's Number: H5307
There are 403 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָפַל
Transliteration: nâphal
Pronunciation: naw-fal'
Description: a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative); be accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide (by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall (away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have (inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for פָּלַל), lay (along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be ([idiom] hast) lost, lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make to) rot, slay, smite out, [idiom] surely, throw down. - Strong's Number: H87
There are 17014 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אַבְרָם
Transliteration: ʼAbrâm
Pronunciation: ab-rawm'
Description: contracted from אֲבִירָם; high father; Abram, the original name of Abraham; Abram. - Strong's Number: H367
There are 249 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֵימָה
Transliteration: ʼêymâh
Pronunciation: ay-maw'
Description: or (shortened) אֵמָה; from the same as אָיֹם; fright; concrete, an idol (as a bugbear); dread, fear, horror, idol, terrible, terror. - Strong's Number: H1419
There are 499 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: גָּדוֹל
Transliteration: gâdôwl
Pronunciation: gaw-dole'
Description: or גָּדֹל; (shortened) from גָּדַל; great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent; [phrase] aloud, elder(-est), [phrase] exceeding(-ly), [phrase] far, (man of) great (man, matter, thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble, proud thing, [idiom] sore, ([idiom]) very. - Strong's Number: H2825
There are 5 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חֲשֵׁכָה
Transliteration: chăshêkâh
Pronunciation: khash-ay-kaw'
Description: or חֲשֵׁיכָהxlit chăshêkâh corrected to chăshêykâh; from חָשַׁךְ; darkness; figuratively, misery; darkness.