Font Size
Genesis 12-17
New King James Version
Genesis 12-17
New King James Version
Promises to Abram(A)
12 Now the (B)Lord had said to Abram:
“Get (C)out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.
2 (D)I will make you a great nation;
(E)I will bless you
And make your name great;
(F)And you shall be a blessing.
3 (G)I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in (H)you all the families of the earth shall be (I)blessed.”
4 So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and (J)the [a]people whom they had acquired (K)in Haran, and they (L)departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan. 6 Abram (M)passed through the land to the place of Shechem, (N)as far as [b]the terebinth tree of Moreh. (O)And the Canaanites were then in the land.
7 (P)Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, (Q)“To your [c]descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an (R)altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. 8 And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the Lord and (S)called on the name of the Lord. 9 So Abram journeyed, (T)going on still toward the [d]South.
Abram in Egypt
10 Now there was (U)a famine in the land, and Abram (V)went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was (W)severe in the land. 11 And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “Indeed I know that you are (X)a woman of beautiful countenance. 12 Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they (Y)will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 (Z)Please say you are my (AA)sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that [e]I may live because of you.”
14 So it was, when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful. 15 The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s house. 16 He (AB)treated Abram well for her sake. He (AC)had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
17 But the Lord (AD)plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18 And Pharaoh called Abram and said, (AE)“What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’? I might have taken her as my wife. Now therefore, here is your wife; take her and go your way.” 20 (AF)So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away, with his wife and all that he had.
Abram Inherits Canaan
13 Then Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and (AG)Lot with him, (AH)to the [f]South. 2 (AI)Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he went on his journey (AJ)from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the (AK)place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram (AL)called on the name of the Lord.
5 Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. 6 Now (AM)the land was not able to [g]support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. 7 And there was (AN)strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. (AO)The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land.
8 So Abram said to Lot, (AP)“Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. 9 (AQ)Is not the whole land before you? Please (AR)separate from me. (AS)If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.”
10 And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all (AT)the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord (AU)destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) (AV)like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward (AW)Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. 12 Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot (AX)dwelt in the cities of the plain and (AY)pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. 13 But the men of Sodom (AZ)were exceedingly wicked and (BA)sinful against the Lord.
14 And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot (BB)had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—(BC)northward, southward, eastward, and westward; 15 for all the land which you see (BD)I give to you and (BE)your [h]descendants forever. 16 And (BF)I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. 17 Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.”
18 (BG)Then Abram moved his tent, and went and (BH)dwelt by [i]the terebinth trees of Mamre, (BI)which are in Hebron, and built an (BJ)altar there to the Lord.
Lot’s Captivity and Rescue
14 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king (BK)of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of (BL)Elam, and Tidal king of [j]nations, 2 that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of (BM)Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, (BN)Zoar). 3 All these joined together in the Valley of Siddim (BO)(that is, the Salt Sea). 4 Twelve years (BP)they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
5 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him came and attacked (BQ)the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, (BR)the Zuzim in Ham, (BS)the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6 (BT)and the Horites in their mountain of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is by the wilderness. 7 Then they turned back and came to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and attacked all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who dwelt (BU)in Hazezon Tamar.
8 And the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and joined together in battle in the Valley of Siddim 9 against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of [k]nations, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of (BV)asphalt pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled; some fell there, and the remainder fled (BW)to the mountains. 11 Then they took (BX)all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12 They also took Lot, Abram’s (BY)brother’s son (BZ)who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the (CA)Hebrew, for (CB)he dwelt by [l]the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; (CC)and they were allies with Abram. 14 Now (CD)when Abram heard that (CE)his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were (CF)born in his own house, and went in pursuit (CG)as far as Dan. 15 He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants (CH)attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is [m]north of Damascus. 16 So he (CI)brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people.
17 And the king of Sodom (CJ)went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the (CK)King’s Valley), (CL)after his return from the [n]defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him.
Abram and Melchizedek(CM)
18 Then (CN)Melchizedek king of Salem brought out (CO)bread and wine; he was (CP)the priest of (CQ)God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said:
(CR)“Blessed be Abram of God Most High,
(CS)Possessor of heaven and earth;
20 And (CT)blessed be God Most High,
Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”
And he (CU)gave him [o]a tithe of all.
21 Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the [p]persons, and take the goods for yourself.”
22 But Abram (CV)said to the king of Sodom, “I (CW)have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, (CX)the Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that (CY)I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’— 24 except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.”
God’s Covenant with Abram(CZ)
15 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram (DA)in a vision, saying, (DB)“Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your (DC)shield, [q]your exceedingly (DD)great reward.”
2 (DE)But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, (DF)seeing I [r]go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed (DG)one[s] born in my house is my heir!”
4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who (DH)will come from your own body shall be your heir.” 5 Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and (DI)count the (DJ)stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, (DK)“So shall your (DL)descendants be.”
6 And he (DM)believed in the Lord, and He (DN)accounted it to him for righteousness.
7 Then He said to him, “I am the Lord, who (DO)brought you out of (DP)Ur of the Chaldeans, (DQ)to give you this land to inherit it.”
8 And he said, “Lord God, (DR)how shall I know that I will inherit it?”
9 So He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 Then he brought all these to Him and (DS)cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut (DT)the birds in two. 11 And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
12 Now when the sun was going down, (DU)a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. 13 Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly (DV)that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and (DW)they will afflict them four hundred years. 14 And also the nation whom they serve (DX)I will judge; afterward (DY)they shall come out with great possessions. 15 Now as for you, (DZ)you shall [t]go (EA)to your fathers in peace; (EB)you shall be buried at a good old age. 16 But (EC)in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity (ED)of the Amorites (EE)is not yet complete.”
17 And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that (EF)passed between those pieces. 18 On the same day the Lord (EG)made a covenant with Abram, saying:
(EH)“To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates— 19 the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”
Hagar and Ishmael
16 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, (EI)had borne him no children. And she had (EJ)an Egyptian maidservant whose name was (EK)Hagar. 2 (EL)So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord (EM)has restrained me from bearing children. Please, (EN)go in to my maid; perhaps I shall [u]obtain children by her.” And Abram (EO)heeded the voice of Sarai. 3 Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram (EP)had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. 4 So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became (EQ)despised in her [v]eyes.
5 Then Sarai said to Abram, [w]“My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. (ER)The Lord judge between you and me.”
6 (ES)So Abram said to Sarai, “Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, (ET)she fled from her presence.
7 Now the (EU)Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, (EV)by the spring on the way to (EW)Shur. 8 And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?”
She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”
9 The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and (EX)submit yourself under her hand.” 10 Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, (EY)“I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.” 11 And the Angel of the Lord said to her:
“Behold, you are with child,
(EZ)And you shall bear a son.
You shall call his name [x]Ishmael,
Because the Lord has heard your affliction.
12 (FA)He shall be a wild man;
His hand shall be against every man,
And every man’s hand against him.
(FB)And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.”
13 Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-[y]the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here [z]seen Him (FC)who sees me?” 14 Therefore the well was called (FD)Beer Lahai Roi;[aa] observe, it is (FE)between Kadesh and Bered.
15 So (FF)Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
The Sign of the Covenant(FG)
17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord (FH)appeared to Abram and said to him, (FI)“I am [ab]Almighty God; (FJ)walk before Me and be (FK)blameless. 2 And I will make My (FL)covenant between Me and you, and (FM)will multiply you exceedingly.” 3 Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: 4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be (FN)a father of [ac]many nations. 5 No longer shall (FO)your name be called [ad]Abram, but your name shall be [ae]Abraham; (FP)for I have made you a father of [af]many nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make (FQ)nations of you, and (FR)kings shall come from you. 7 And I will (FS)establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, (FT)to be God to you and (FU)your descendants after you. 8 Also (FV)I give to you and your descendants after you the land (FW)in[ag] which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and (FX)I will be their God.”
9 And God said to Abraham: “As for you, (FY)you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. 10 This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: (FZ)Every male child among you shall be circumcised; 11 and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be (GA)a sign of the covenant between Me and you. 12 He who is eight days old among you (GB)shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. 13 He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person (GC)shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”
15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but [ah]Sarah shall be her name. 16 And I will bless her (GD)and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother (GE)of nations; (GF)kings of peoples shall be from her.”
17 Then Abraham fell on his face (GG)and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” 18 And Abraham (GH)said to God, “Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!”
19 Then God said: “No, (GI)Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My (GJ)covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and (GK)will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget (GL)twelve princes, (GM)and I will make him a great nation. 21 But My (GN)covenant I will establish with Isaac, (GO)whom Sarah shall bear to you at this (GP)set time next year.” 22 Then He finished talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
23 So Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very same day, as God had said to him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 That very same day Abraham was circumcised, and his son Ishmael; 27 and (GQ)all the men of his house, born in the house or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.
Footnotes
- Genesis 12:5 Lit. souls
- Genesis 12:6 Heb. Alon Moreh
- Genesis 12:7 Lit. seed
- Genesis 12:9 Heb. Negev
- Genesis 12:13 Lit. my soul
- Genesis 13:1 Heb. Negev
- Genesis 13:6 Lit. bear
- Genesis 13:15 Lit. seed
- Genesis 13:18 Heb. Alon Mamre
- Genesis 14:1 Heb. goyim
- Genesis 14:9 Heb. goyim
- Genesis 14:13 Heb. Alon Mamre
- Genesis 14:15 Lit. on the left hand of
- Genesis 14:17 Lit. striking
- Genesis 14:20 one-tenth
- Genesis 14:21 Lit. souls
- Genesis 15:1 Or your reward shall be very great
- Genesis 15:2 am childless
- Genesis 15:3 a servant
- Genesis 15:15 Die and join your ancestors
- Genesis 16:2 Lit. be built up from
- Genesis 16:4 sight
- Genesis 16:5 The wrong done to me be
- Genesis 16:11 Lit. God Hears
- Genesis 16:13 Heb. El Roi
- Genesis 16:13 Seen the back of
- Genesis 16:14 Lit. Well of the One Who Lives and Sees Me
- Genesis 17:1 Heb. El Shaddai
- Genesis 17:4 Lit. a multitude of nations
- Genesis 17:5 Lit. Exalted Father
- Genesis 17:5 Lit. Father of a Multitude
- Genesis 17:5 a multitude of
- Genesis 17:8 Lit. of your sojournings
- Genesis 17:15 Lit. Princess
Genesis 12-17
New International Version
Genesis 12-17
New International Version
The Call of Abram
12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household(A) to the land(B) I will show you.(C)
2 “I will make you into a great nation,(D)
and I will bless you;(E)
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.[a](F)
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;(G)
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.(H)”[b]
4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot(I) went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old(J) when he set out from Harran.(K) 5 He took his wife Sarai,(L) his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated(M) and the people(N) they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan,(O) and they arrived there.
6 Abram traveled through the land(P) as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh(Q) at Shechem.(R) At that time the Canaanites(S) were in the land. 7 The Lord appeared to Abram(T) and said, “To your offspring[c] I will give this land.(U)”(V) So he built an altar there to the Lord,(W) who had appeared to him.
8 From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel(X) and pitched his tent,(Y) with Bethel on the west and Ai(Z) on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.(AA)
9 Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev.(AB)
Abram in Egypt(AC)
10 Now there was a famine in the land,(AD) and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.(AE) 11 As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai,(AF) “I know what a beautiful woman(AG) you are. 12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister,(AH) so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”
14 When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman.(AI) 15 And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. 16 He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.(AJ)
17 But the Lord inflicted(AK) serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household(AL) because of Abram’s wife Sarai. 18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?”(AM) he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?(AN) 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’(AO) so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” 20 Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.
Abram and Lot Separate
13 So Abram went up from Egypt(AP) to the Negev,(AQ) with his wife and everything he had, and Lot(AR) went with him. 2 Abram had become very wealthy(AS) in livestock(AT) and in silver and gold.
3 From the Negev(AU) he went from place to place until he came to Bethel,(AV) to the place between Bethel and Ai(AW) where his tent had been earlier 4 and where he had first built an altar.(AX) There Abram called on the name of the Lord.(AY)
5 Now Lot,(AZ) who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 6 But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together.(BA) 7 And quarreling(BB) arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites(BC) and Perizzites(BD) were also living in the land(BE) at that time.
8 So Abram said to Lot,(BF) “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me,(BG) or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives.(BH) 9 Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”(BI)
10 Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain(BJ) of the Jordan toward Zoar(BK) was well watered, like the garden of the Lord,(BL) like the land of Egypt.(BM) (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom(BN) and Gomorrah.)(BO) 11 So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan,(BP) while Lot(BQ) lived among the cities of the plain(BR) and pitched his tents near Sodom.(BS) 13 Now the people of Sodom(BT) were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.(BU)
14 The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west.(BV) 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring[d] forever.(BW) 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.(BX) 17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land,(BY) for I am giving it to you.”(BZ)
18 So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre(CA) at Hebron,(CB) where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord.(CC)
Abram Rescues Lot
14 At the time when Amraphel was king of Shinar,[e](CD) Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer(CE) king of Elam(CF) and Tidal king of Goyim, 2 these kings went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboyim,(CG) and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).(CH) 3 All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim(CI) (that is, the Dead Sea Valley(CJ)). 4 For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer,(CK) but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
5 In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer(CL) and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites(CM) in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites(CN) in Shaveh Kiriathaim 6 and the Horites(CO) in the hill country of Seir,(CP) as far as El Paran(CQ) near the desert. 7 Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh),(CR) and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites,(CS) as well as the Amorites(CT) who were living in Hazezon Tamar.(CU)
8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah,(CV) the king of Admah, the king of Zeboyim(CW) and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar)(CX) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim(CY) 9 against Kedorlaomer(CZ) king of Elam,(DA) Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim(DB) was full of tar(DC) pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah(DD) fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills.(DE) 11 The four kings seized all the goods(DF) of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. 12 They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot(DG) and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.
13 A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew.(DH) Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre(DI) the Amorite, a brother[f] of Eshkol(DJ) and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative(DK) had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained(DL) men born in his household(DM) and went in pursuit as far as Dan.(DN) 15 During the night Abram divided his men(DO) to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.(DP) 16 He recovered(DQ) all the goods(DR) and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.
17 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer(DS) and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom(DT) came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).(DU)
18 Then Melchizedek(DV) king of Salem(DW) brought out bread(DX) and wine.(DY) He was priest of God Most High,(DZ) 19 and he blessed Abram,(EA) saying,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,(EB)
Creator of heaven and earth.(EC)
20 And praise be to God Most High,(ED)
who delivered your enemies into your hand.”
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.(EE)
21 The king of Sodom(EF) said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods(EG) for yourself.”
22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom,(EH) “With raised hand(EI) I have sworn an oath to the Lord, God Most High,(EJ) Creator of heaven and earth,(EK) 23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you,(EL) not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ 24 I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshkol and Mamre.(EM) Let them have their share.”
The Lord’s Covenant With Abram
15 After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram(EN) in a vision:(EO)
2 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord,(ES) what can you give me since I remain childless(ET) and the one who will inherit[i] my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?(EU)” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant(EV) in my household(EW) will be my heir.”
4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.(EX)” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars(EY)—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring[j] be.”(EZ)
6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.(FA)
7 He also said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out(FB) of Ur of the Chaldeans(FC) to give you this land to take possession of it.”(FD)
8 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord,(FE) how can I know(FF) that I will gain possession of it?”(FG)
9 So the Lord said to him, “Bring me a heifer,(FH) a goat and a ram, each three years old,(FI) along with a dove and a young pigeon.(FJ)”
10 Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other;(FK) the birds, however, he did not cut in half.(FL) 11 Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses,(FM) but Abram drove them away.
12 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep,(FN) and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. 13 Then the Lord said to him, “Know for certain that for four hundred years(FO) your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved(FP) and mistreated there. 14 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out(FQ) with great possessions.(FR) 15 You, however, will go to your ancestors(FS) in peace and be buried at a good old age.(FT) 16 In the fourth generation(FU) your descendants will come back here,(FV) for the sin of the Amorites(FW) has not yet reached its full measure.”
17 When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch(FX) appeared and passed between the pieces.(FY) 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram(FZ) and said, “To your descendants I give this land,(GA) from the Wadi[k] of Egypt(GB) to the great river, the Euphrates(GC)— 19 the land of the Kenites,(GD) Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites,(GE) Perizzites,(GF) Rephaites,(GG) 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”(GH)
Hagar and Ishmael
16 Now Sarai,(GI) Abram’s wife, had borne him no children.(GJ) But she had an Egyptian slave(GK) named Hagar;(GL) 2 so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children.(GM) Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.”(GN)
Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3 So after Abram had been living in Canaan(GO) ten years,(GP) Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. 4 He slept with Hagar,(GQ) and she conceived.
When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress.(GR) 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.”(GS)
6 “Your slave is in your hands,(GT)” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated(GU) Hagar; so she fled from her.
7 The angel of the Lord(GV) found Hagar near a spring(GW) in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur.(GX) 8 And he said, “Hagar,(GY) slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”(GZ)
“I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered.
9 Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” 10 The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.”(HA)
11 The angel of the Lord(HB) also said to her:
“You are now pregnant
and you will give birth to a son.(HC)
You shall name him(HD) Ishmael,[l](HE)
for the Lord has heard of your misery.(HF)
12 He will be a wild donkey(HG) of a man;
his hand will be against everyone
and everyone’s hand against him,
and he will live in hostility
toward[m] all his brothers.(HH)”
13 She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,(HI)” for she said, “I have now seen[n] the One who sees me.”(HJ) 14 That is why the well(HK) was called Beer Lahai Roi[o];(HL) it is still there, between Kadesh(HM) and Bered.
15 So Hagar(HN) bore Abram a son,(HO) and Abram gave the name Ishmael(HP) to the son she had borne. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old(HQ) when Hagar bore him Ishmael.
The Covenant of Circumcision
17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old,(HR) the Lord appeared to him(HS) and said, “I am God Almighty[p];(HT) walk before me faithfully and be blameless.(HU) 2 Then I will make my covenant between me and you(HV) and will greatly increase your numbers.”(HW)
3 Abram fell facedown,(HX) and God said to him, 4 “As for me, this is my covenant with you:(HY) You will be the father of many nations.(HZ) 5 No longer will you be called Abram[q]; your name will be Abraham,[r](IA) for I have made you a father of many nations.(IB) 6 I will make you very fruitful;(IC) I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.(ID) 7 I will establish my covenant(IE) as an everlasting covenant(IF) between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God(IG) and the God of your descendants after you.(IH) 8 The whole land of Canaan,(II) where you now reside as a foreigner,(IJ) I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you;(IK) and I will be their God.(IL)”
9 Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant,(IM) you and your descendants after you for the generations to come.(IN) 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised.(IO) 11 You are to undergo circumcision,(IP) and it will be the sign of the covenant(IQ) between me and you. 12 For the generations to come(IR) every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised,(IS) including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised.(IT) My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant.(IU) 14 Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised(IV) in the flesh, will be cut off from his people;(IW) he has broken my covenant.(IX)”
15 God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai(IY) your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah.(IZ) 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her.(JA) I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations;(JB) kings of peoples will come from her.”
17 Abraham fell facedown;(JC) he laughed(JD) and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old?(JE) Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”(JF) 18 And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael(JG) might live under your blessing!”(JH)
19 Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son,(JI) and you will call him Isaac.[s](JJ) I will establish my covenant with him(JK) as an everlasting covenant(JL) for his descendants after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers.(JM) He will be the father of twelve rulers,(JN) and I will make him into a great nation.(JO) 21 But my covenant(JP) I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you(JQ) by this time next year.”(JR) 22 When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.(JS)
23 On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household(JT) or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him.(JU) 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old(JV) when he was circumcised,(JW) 25 and his son Ishmael(JX) was thirteen; 26 Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that very day. 27 And every male in Abraham’s household(JY), including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him.
Footnotes
- Genesis 12:2 Or be seen as blessed
- Genesis 12:3 Or earth / will use your name in blessings (see 48:20)
- Genesis 12:7 Or seed
- Genesis 13:15 Or seed; also in verse 16
- Genesis 14:1 That is, Babylonia; also in verse 9
- Genesis 14:13 Or a relative; or an ally
- Genesis 15:1 Or sovereign
- Genesis 15:1 Or shield; / your reward will be very great
- Genesis 15:2 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
- Genesis 15:5 Or seed
- Genesis 15:18 Or river
- Genesis 16:11 Ishmael means God hears.
- Genesis 16:12 Or live to the east / of
- Genesis 16:13 Or seen the back of
- Genesis 16:14 Beer Lahai Roi means well of the Living One who sees me.
- Genesis 17:1 Hebrew El-Shaddai
- Genesis 17:5 Abram means exalted father.
- Genesis 17:5 Abraham probably means father of many.
- Genesis 17:19 Isaac means he laughs.
Isaiah 40:27-41:16
New King James Version
Isaiah 40:27-41:16
New King James Version
27 (A)Why do you say, O Jacob,
And speak, O Israel:
“My way is hidden from the Lord,
And my just claim is passed over by my God”?
28 Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
(B)His understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
31 But those who (C)wait on the Lord
(D)Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
Israel Assured of God’s Help
41 “Keep (E)silence before Me, O coastlands,
And let the people renew their strength!
Let them come near, then let them speak;
Let us (F)come near together for judgment.
2 “Who raised up one (G)from the east?
Who in righteousness called him to His feet?
Who (H)gave the nations before him,
And made him rule over kings?
Who gave them as the dust to his sword,
As driven stubble to his bow?
3 Who pursued them, and passed [a]safely
By the way that he had not gone with his feet?
4 (I)Who has performed and done it,
Calling the generations from the beginning?
‘I, the Lord, am (J)the first;
And with the last I am (K)He.’ ”
5 The coastlands saw it and feared,
The ends of the earth were afraid;
They drew near and came.
6 (L)Everyone helped his neighbor,
And said to his brother,
[b]“Be of good courage!”
7 (M)So the craftsman encouraged the (N)goldsmith;[c]
He who smooths with the hammer inspired him who strikes the anvil,
Saying, [d]“It is ready for the soldering”;
Then he fastened it with pegs,
(O)That it might not totter.
8 “But you, Israel, are My servant,
Jacob whom I have (P)chosen,
The descendants of Abraham My (Q)friend.
9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth,
And called from its farthest regions,
And said to you,
‘You are My servant,
I have chosen you and have not cast you away:
10 (R)Fear not, (S)for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
11 “Behold, all those who were incensed against you
Shall be (T)ashamed and disgraced;
They shall be as nothing,
And those who strive with you shall perish.
12 You shall seek them and not find them—
[e]Those who contended with you.
Those who war against you
Shall be as nothing,
As a nonexistent thing.
13 For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand,
Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’
14 “Fear not, you (U)worm Jacob,
You men of Israel!
I will help you,” says the Lord
And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
15 “Behold, (V)I will make you into a new threshing sledge with sharp teeth;
You shall thresh the mountains and beat them small,
And make the hills like chaff.
16 You shall (W)winnow them, the wind shall carry them away,
And the whirlwind shall scatter them;
You shall rejoice in the Lord,
And (X)glory in the Holy One of Israel.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 41:3 Lit. in peace
- Isaiah 41:6 Lit. Be strong
- Isaiah 41:7 refiner
- Isaiah 41:7 Or The soldering is good
- Isaiah 41:12 Lit. Men of your strife
Isaiah 40:27-41:16
New International Version
Isaiah 40:27-41:16
New International Version
27 Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?(A)
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?(B)
The Lord is the everlasting(C) God,
the Creator(D) of the ends of the earth.(E)
He will not grow tired or weary,(F)
and his understanding no one can fathom.(G)
29 He gives strength(H) to the weary(I)
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men(J) stumble and fall;(K)
31 but those who hope(L) in the Lord
will renew their strength.(M)
They will soar on wings like eagles;(N)
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.(O)
The Helper of Israel
41 “Be silent(P) before me, you islands!(Q)
Let the nations renew their strength!(R)
Let them come forward(S) and speak;
let us meet together(T) at the place of judgment.
2 “Who has stirred(U) up one from the east,(V)
calling him in righteousness(W) to his service[a]?(X)
He hands nations over to him
and subdues kings before him.
He turns them to dust(Y) with his sword,
to windblown chaff(Z) with his bow.(AA)
3 He pursues them and moves on unscathed,(AB)
by a path his feet have not traveled before.
4 Who has done this and carried it through,
calling(AC) forth the generations from the beginning?(AD)
I, the Lord—with the first of them
and with the last(AE)—I am he.(AF)”
5 The islands(AG) have seen it and fear;
the ends of the earth(AH) tremble.
They approach and come forward;
6 they help each other
and say to their companions, “Be strong!(AI)”
7 The metalworker(AJ) encourages the goldsmith,(AK)
and the one who smooths with the hammer
spurs on the one who strikes the anvil.
One says of the welding, “It is good.”
The other nails down the idol so it will not topple.(AL)
8 “But you, Israel, my servant,(AM)
Jacob, whom I have chosen,(AN)
you descendants of Abraham(AO) my friend,(AP)
9 I took you from the ends of the earth,(AQ)
from its farthest corners I called(AR) you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’;(AS)
I have chosen(AT) you and have not rejected you.
10 So do not fear,(AU) for I am with you;(AV)
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen(AW) you and help(AX) you;
I will uphold you(AY) with my righteous right hand.(AZ)
11 “All who rage(BA) against you
will surely be ashamed and disgraced;(BB)
those who oppose(BC) you
will be as nothing and perish.(BD)
12 Though you search for your enemies,
you will not find them.(BE)
Those who wage war against you
will be as nothing(BF) at all.
13 For I am the Lord your God
who takes hold of your right hand(BG)
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help(BH) you.
14 Do not be afraid,(BI) you worm(BJ) Jacob,
little Israel, do not fear,
for I myself will help(BK) you,” declares the Lord,
your Redeemer,(BL) the Holy One(BM) of Israel.
15 “See, I will make you into a threshing sledge,(BN)
new and sharp, with many teeth.
You will thresh the mountains(BO) and crush them,
and reduce the hills to chaff.(BP)
16 You will winnow(BQ) them, the wind will pick them up,
and a gale(BR) will blow them away.(BS)
But you will rejoice(BT) in the Lord
and glory(BU) in the Holy One(BV) of Israel.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 41:2 Or east, / whom victory meets at every step
Romans 4
New King James Version
Romans 4
New King James Version
Abraham Justified by Faith(A)
4 What then shall we say that (B)Abraham our (C)father[a] has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was (D)justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? (E)“Abraham believed God, and it was [b]accounted to him for righteousness.” 4 Now (F)to him who works, the wages are not counted [c]as grace but as debt.
David Celebrates the Same Truth
5 But to him who (G)does not work but believes on Him who justifies (H)the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also (I)describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed(J) are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered;
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”
Abraham Justified Before Circumcision
9 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11 And (K)he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that (L)he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father (M)Abraham had while still uncircumcised.
The Promise Granted Through Faith
13 For the promise that he would be the (N)heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For (O)if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because (P)the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.
16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be (Q)according to grace, (R)so that the promise might be [d]sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, (S)who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, (T)“I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, (U)who gives life to the dead and calls those (V)things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, (W)“So shall your descendants be.” 19 And not being weak in faith, (X)he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), (Y)and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised (Z)He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore (AA)“it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
23 Now (AB)it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe (AC)in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 (AD)who was delivered up because of our offenses, and (AE)was raised because of our justification.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Romans 4:1 Or (fore)father according to the flesh has found?
- Romans 4:3 imputed, credited, reckoned, counted
- Romans 4:4 according to
- Romans 4:16 certain
Romans 4
New International Version
Romans 4
New International Version
Abraham Justified by Faith
4 What then shall we say(A) that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh,(B) discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God.(C) 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[a](D)
4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift(E) but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.(F) 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are those
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”[b](G)
9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised?(H) We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.(I) 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.(J) So then, he is the father(K) of all who believe(L) but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise(M) that he would be heir of the world,(N) but through the righteousness that comes by faith.(O) 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless,(P) 15 because the law brings wrath.(Q) And where there is no law there is no transgression.(R)
16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace(S) and may be guaranteed(T) to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.(U) 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”[c](V) He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life(W) to the dead and calls(X) into being things that were not.(Y)
18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations,(Z) just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”[d](AA) 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead(AB)—since he was about a hundred years old(AC)—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.(AD) 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened(AE) in his faith and gave glory to God,(AF) 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.(AG) 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”(AH) 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us,(AI) to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him(AJ) who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.(AK) 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins(AL) and was raised to life for our justification.(AM)
Footnotes
- Romans 4:3 Gen. 15:6; also in verse 22
- Romans 4:8 Psalm 32:1,2
- Romans 4:17 Gen. 17:5
- Romans 4:18 Gen. 15:5
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.