Abraham: The Covenant

One who had escaped came and told Abram, the Hebrew. Now he lived by the oaks of Mamre, the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner; and these were allies of Abram.

When Abram heard that his relative was taken captive, he led out his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan.

He divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and struck them, and pursued them to Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative, Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

The king of Sodom went out to meet him, after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).

Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine: and he was priest of God Most High.

He blessed him, and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth:

and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Abram gave him a tenth of all.

The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, and take the goods for yourself.”

Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted up my hand to the LORD, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth,

that I will not take a thread nor a sandal strap nor anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’

I will accept nothing from you except that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their portion.”

After these things the LORD’s word came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Don’t be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

Abram said, “Lord the LORD, what will you give me, since I go childless, and he who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?”

Abram said, “Behold, to me you have given no seed: and, behold, one born in my house is my heir.”

Behold, the LORD’s word came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir, but he who will come out of your own body will be your heir.”

The LORD brought him outside, and said, “Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “So will your seed be.”

He believed in the LORD; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.

He said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur-Kasdim, to give you this land to inherit it.”

He said, “Lord GOD, how will I know that I will inherit it?”

He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”

He brought him all of these, and divided them in the middle, and laid each half opposite the other; but he didn’t divide the birds.

The birds of prey came down on the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. Now terror and great darkness fell on him.

He said to Abram, “Know for sure that your seed will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will afflict them four hundred years.