Genesis 15 · Verse 12

Genesis 15:12

And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
Genesis 15:12, King James Version

Genesis 15:12 in other translations

BSBAs the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and suddenly great terror and darkness overwhelmed him.
WEBWhen the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. Now terror and great darkness fell on him.
ASVAnd when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, a horror of great darkness fell upon him.
YLTAnd the sun is about to go in, and deep sleep hath fallen upon Abram, and lo, a terror of great darkness is falling upon him;
DARBYAnd as the sun was just going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, a horror, a great darkness, fell upon him.
BBENow when the sun was going down, a deep sleep came on Abram, and a dark cloud of fear.
WebsterAnd when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and lo, a horror of great darkness fell upon him.

What does Genesis 15:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 15:9-21

9-21. Take me an heifer, &c.--On occasions of great importance, when two or more parties join in a compact, they either observe precisely the same rites as Abram did, or, where they do not, they invoke the lamp as their witness. According to these ideas, which have been from time immemorial engraven on the minds of Eastern people, the Lord Himself condescended to enter into covenant with Abram. The patriarch did not…

Read the full comment on Genesis 15:9-21 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 A deep sleep - תרדמה tardemah, the same word which is used to express the sleep into which Adam was cast, previous to the formation of Eve; Gen 2:21. A horror of great darkness - Which God designed to be expressive of the affliction and misery into which his posterity should be brought during the four hundred years of their bondage in Egypt; as the next verse particularly states.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 15:12-16
A deep sleep fell upon Abram; with this sleep a horror of great darkness fell upon him: a sudden change. The children of light do not always walk in the light. Several things were then foretold. 1. The suffering state of Abram's seed for a long time. They shall be strangers. The heirs of heaven are strangers on earth. They shall be servants; but Canaanites serve under a curse, the Hebrews under a blessing. They shall be suffers. Those that are blessed and beloved of God, are often sorely afflicted by wicked men. 2. The judgment of the enemies of Abram's seed. Though God may allow persecutors and oppressors to trample upon his people a great while, he will certainly reckon with them at last. 3. That great event, the deliverance of Abram's seed out of Egypt, is here foretold. 4. Their happy settlement in Canaan. They shall come hither again. The measure of sin fills gradually. Some people's measure of sin fills slowly. The knowledge of future events would seldom add to our comfort. In the most favoured families, and most happy lives, there are so many afflictions, that it is merciful in God to conceal what will befall us and ours.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Genesis 15:12 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיְהִ֤יvay.Hiand it wasH1961
הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ha.She.meshthe sunH8121
לָב֔וֹאla.Vo'[about] to goH935
וְתַרְדֵּמָ֖הve.tar.de.Mahand a deep sleepH8639
נָפְלָ֣הna.fe.Lahit fellH5307
עַל\־'al-onH5921
אַבְרָ֑ם'av.RamAbramH87
וְהִנֵּ֥הve.hi.Nehand there!H2009
אֵימָ֛ה'ei.MahdreadH367
חֲשֵׁכָ֥הcha.she.KhahdarknessH2825
גְדֹלָ֖הge.do.LahgreatH1419
נֹפֶ֥לֶתno.Fe.let[was] fallingH5307
עָלָֽיו\׃'a.Lavon himH5921

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 15:12

  • 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 10:8-9

    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. 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.

  • Acts 9:8-9

    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. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

  • Job 4:13-14

    In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.

  • Psalms 4:3-5

    But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him. Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.

  • 1 Samuel 26:12

    So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
deep.
2:21; 1Sa 26:12; Job 4:13,14; 33:15; Da 10:8,9; Ac 20:9
horror.
Ps 4:3-5; Ac 9:8,9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 15:11

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

  • Genesis 15:12

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

  • Genesis 15:13

    And 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;

Read all of Genesis 15

Genesis 15:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas á la caída del sol sobrecogió el sueño á Abram, y he aquí que el pavor de una grande obscuridad cayó sobre él.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et comme le soleil se couchait, un profond sommeil tomba sur Abram; et voici, une frayeur, une grande obscurité, tomba sur lui.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und es geschah, als die Sonne untergehen wollte, da fiel ein tiefer Schlaf auf Abram; und siehe, Schrecken, dichte Finsternis überfiel ihn.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Cumque sol occumberet, sopor irruit super Abram, et horror magnus et tenebrosus invasit eum.