Genesis 15

Read on churchofjesuschrist.org (with footnotes)

1After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 1

And it came to pass that after these things, the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying,
IV v. 1 (Inspired Version, 1867)

2And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 2

And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless and Eliezer of Damascus was made the steward of my house?
IV v. 3 (Inspired Version, 1867)

3And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.

4And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 4

This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
IV v. 6 (Inspired Version, 1867)

5And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 5

And he brought him forth abroad, and he said, Look now toward heaven and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them.
IV v. 7 (Inspired Version, 1867)

6And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 6

And it came to pass that Abram looked forth, and saw the days of the Son of Man, and was glad; and his soul found rest, and he believed in the Lord; and the Lord counted it unto him for righteousness.
IV v. 12 (Inspired Version, 1867)

7And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 7

And the Lord said unto him, I, the Lord, brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees to give thee this land to inherit it.
IV v. 13 (Inspired Version, 1867)

8And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?

9And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 9

And Abram said, Lord, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? Yet he believed God. And the Lord said unto him, Take me a heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
IV v. 14 (Inspired Version, 1867)

10And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 10

And he took unto him all these, and he divided them in the midst, and he laid each piece one against the other; but the birds divided he not.
IV v. 15 (Inspired Version, 1867)

11And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.

12And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 12

And when the fowls came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away. And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and lo, a great horror of darkness fell upon him.
IV v. 16 (Inspired Version, 1867)

13And 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;

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 13

And the Lord spake, and he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land which shall not be theirs and shall serve strangers; and they shall be afflicted and serve them four hundred years; and also that nation whom they shall serve will I judge; and afterwards shall they come out with great substance.
IV v. 17 (Inspired Version, 1867)

14And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

15And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 15

And thou shalt die and go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
IV v. 18 (Inspired Version, 1867)

16But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

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

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 17

And it came to pass that when the sun went down and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace and a burning lamp, which passed between those pieces which Abram had divided.
IV v. 20 (Inspired Version, 1867)

18In 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:

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 18

And in that 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 Euphrates—
IV v. 21 (Inspired Version, 1867)

19The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,

20And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,

21And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 21

The Kenites, and the Kenazites, and the Kadmonites, and Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
IV v. 22 (Inspired Version, 1867)

Also cited in commentary

1 Nephi 8 — The Tree, the Rod, and the Building — Two Geographies of the Soul
- The dark and dreary waste
- Where this lands
1 Nephi 12 — The Vision of the Seed, the Three-Day Darkness, and the Lamb Who Comes Down
- The four generations
- Where this lands
1 Nephi 15 — The Return to the Tent, the Olive Tree Explained, and Why the Heavens Seem Closed
- The doctrinal pivot — "have ye inquired?"
- Where this lands
2 Nephi 27 — Isaiah 29 Expanded — The Sealed Book, the Learned Man, the Three Witnesses, the Marvelous Work
- The latter-day darkness and the sealed book
- Where this lands
Alma 5 — Have Ye Received His Image in Your Countenances — Alma's Master Examination at Zarahemla, the Mighty Change of Heart, and the Song of Redeeming Love
- The chapter's architecture
Alma 46 — In Memory of Our God — Moroni and the Title of Liberty
- How the chapter is built
- The covenant of the rent garment
Helaman 14 — A Day, and a Night, and a Day — The Signs of His Coming and His Death
- How the chapter is built
- Ye are free: the whole point was choice
Mosiah 24 — Burdens Made Light — Amulon's Authority, the Forbidden Prayer, the Voice of the Lord in Their Affliction, the Deep Sleep upon the Lamanites, and the Valley Named Alma
Doctrine and Covenants 22 — A New and Everlasting Covenant
- Old covenants done away
- Where this lands
2 Chronicles 20 — Our Eyes Are Upon Thee — The Fast, the Model Prayer of the Outmatched, the Battle That Belonged to God, and the Singers Sent First
- Believe his prophets
- How this chapter changes the reader
2 Kings 23 — The Book That Remade a King — Josiah's Covenant at the Pillar, the Fire Through Every High Place, the Passover No Generation Had Seen, and the Chariot That Came Home from Megiddo
- The covenant at the pillar
2 Kings 24 — According to the Word of the LORD — Nebuchadnezzar Comes Up, Jehoiachin Opens the Gates, Ten Thousand Go to Babylon, and a King Named Righteousness Takes a Tilting Throne
- A king named Righteousness — and the year of Lehi
Job 22 — The Kind Answer Built on a Lie — Eliphaz Invents Job's Crimes, Then Preaches Him a Repentance He Does Not Owe
- Can a man profit God?
Psalms 28 — Be Not Silent to Me — A Cry from the Edge of the Pit, and the Sudden Blessing of a Prayer Heard
- How this chapter changes the reader
- The LORD hath heard
Psalms 32 — The Blessedness of the Uncovered Heart — Forgiveness, the Body's Testimony, and the Confession That Sets a Soul Free
- How this chapter changes the reader
- The body keeps the score
Psalms 40 — Lo, I Come — The Pit, the New Song, and the Son's Willing Offering
- The closing plea in fresh trouble
Moses 3 — Spiritual Before Temporal — the Garden, the Rib, and the One-Flesh Covenant
- The rib, the wedding, and one flesh

Cross-references are extracted from the project’s chapter essays — every link below points back into the original prose.

Public-domain text. The modern LDS edition with footnotes and chapter summaries is available on churchofjesuschrist.org ↗.

Study

Joseph Smith Translation

v. 1
And it came to pass that after these things, the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying,
v. 2
And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless and Eliezer of Damascus was made the steward of my house?
v. 4
This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
v. 5
And he brought him forth abroad, and he said, Look now toward heaven and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them.
v. 6
And it came to pass that Abram looked forth, and saw the days of the Son of Man, and was glad; and his soul found rest, and he believed in the Lord; and the Lord counted it unto him for righteousness.
v. 7
And the Lord said unto him, I, the Lord, brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees to give thee this land to inherit it.
v. 9
And Abram said, Lord, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? Yet he believed God. And the Lord said unto him, Take me a heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
v. 10
And he took unto him all these, and he divided them in the midst, and he laid each piece one against the other; but the birds divided he not.
v. 12
And when the fowls came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away. And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and lo, a great horror of darkness fell upon him.
v. 13
And the Lord spake, and he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land which shall not be theirs and shall serve strangers; and they shall be afflicted and serve them four hundred years; and also that nation whom they shall serve will I judge; and afterwards shall they come out with great substance.
v. 15
And thou shalt die and go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
v. 17
And it came to pass that when the sun went down and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace and a burning lamp, which passed between those pieces which Abram had divided.
v. 18
And in that 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 Euphrates—
v. 21
The Kenites, and the Kenazites, and the Kadmonites, and Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
insertion after v. 1
Fear not, Abram; I will be thy shield; I will be thy exceeding great reward. And according to the blessings of my servant, I will give unto thee.
insertion after v. 3
And behold, the word of the Lord came unto him again, saying,
insertion after v. 5
And he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And Abram said, Lord God, how wilt thou give me this land for an everlasting inheritance? And the Lord said, Though thou wast dead, yet am I not able to give it thee? And if thou shalt die, yet thou shalt possess it, for the day cometh that the Son of Man shall live. But how can he live if he be not dead? He must first be quickened.