Genesis 15:18

Translations

Modern

On 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—

Traditional

In 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:

Literal

On that day YHWH cut a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your seed I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates,

Latin

In illo die pepigit Dominus fœdus cum Abram, dicens: Semini tuo dabo terram hanc a fluvio Ægypti usque ad fluvium magnum Euphraten,

Original

Hebrew

English

On 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—

Notes

Genesis 15:17–18

smoking firepot and a flaming torch: Fire represented the Lord's cleansing and consuming zeal. It also represented how no one could come near him because of his holiness (compare Isaiah 6:3–7). The holy God made (literally cut) a one-sided covenant with Abram. The promises were absolutely certain. This was because they did not rely on what Abram or his descendants' might do.

Genesis 15:18–19

God clearly defined the borders of the promised land (the land he promised to give). He told Abram that even though there would be death and suffering, including slavery, he and his descendants would still receive these promises. God confirmed this with an oath (see Hebrews 6:13–14). Nothing can separate God’s people from his love or stop the fulfillment (the bringing about) of his plans (see Romans 8:18–39; 2 Peter 1:3–4).

Genesis 15:7–21

In a special ceremony, God made a covenant with Abram and promised to do what he had said.

Genesis 15:1–21

God made a covenant (a special agreement) with Abram. In this covenant, God confirmed the promises he had made earlier when he summoned Abram to leave his country (12:1–3). Abram's descendants would experience a long period of slavery before God made these promises come true.

Theme notes and profiles

Abraham Caleb God’s Covenant with Abraham God’s Covenant with David God’s Covenants God’s New Covenant Holy War Inheriting the Land Promised Land Security and Obedience Symbolic Numbers

Related verses

Joshua 1:3–4
I have given you every place where the sole of your foot will tread, just as I promised to Moses.
Genesis 12:7
Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
Genesis 24:7
The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me from my father’s house and my native land, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’—He will send His angel before you so that you can take a wife for my son from there.
Genesis 13:15
…for all the land that you see, I will give to you and your offspring forever.
Deuteronomy 11:24
Every place where the sole of your foot treads will be yours. Your territory will extend from the wilderness to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the Western Sea.
Numbers 34:2–3
“Command the Israelites and say to them: When you enter the land of Canaan, it will be allotted to you as an inheritance with these boundaries:
Exodus 23:27–31
I will send My terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn and run.
Numbers 34:5
…where it will turn from Azmon, join the Brook of Egypt, and end at the Sea.
Isaiah 27:12
In that day the LORD will thresh from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, and you, O Israelites, will be gathered one by one.
Nehemiah 9:8
You found his heart faithful before You, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites and Hittites, of the Amorites and Perizzites, of the Jebusites and Girgashites—to give it to his descendants. You have kept Your promise, because You are righteous.
Hebrews 13:20
Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,
Deuteronomy 34:4
And the LORD said to him, “This is the land that I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you will not cross into it.”

Parallels

Numbers 34:1–15 Romans 4:13–25

People

Abraham: Patriarch, chosen by God to father His people

Places

Egypt: Ancient nation; Israelites enslaved there; plagues and Exodus Euphrates: Major river in ancient Near East; boundary of Promised Land

Glossary

Ashteroth-Karnaim Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Brook of Egypt Canaan, Canaanite Circumcision Covenant Curse, Cursed Ebla Tablets Euphrates River Genesis, Book of Heir History of Israel Inheritance Land Mamre (Place) Nations Palestine Patriarchs, Period of the Prayer Promise River of Egypt Torah

Topics

Abraham: Canaan Given To Canaan: Land of According to the Promise Canaan: Land of Promised to Abraham and his Seed Canaanites: Given to the Israelites Canaanites: Territory of Condescension of God: Enters Into Covenant with Abraham Dividing God's Land Egypt: A Small Stream Flowing Into the Mediterranean Sea Euphrates: The Eastern Limit of the Kingdom of Israel Holy Land: Extent of As Promised Promised Land Rivers of Egypt Rivers: Great and Mighty The Canaanites: Abraham was Promised the Country of, of Inheritance The Covenant: Made With: Abraham The Euphrates River The Euphrates: Called: The Great River The Euphrates: Extreme Eastern Boundary of the Promised Land The Jews: Promises Respecting Made to Abraham The Land of Israel The Nile River

Genesis 15:18

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