Genesis 15 · Verse 13

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;
Genesis 15:13, King James Version

Genesis 15:13 in other translations

BSBThen the LORD said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.
WEBHe said to Abram, “Know for sure that your offspring will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will afflict them four hundred years.
ASVAnd he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be sojourners in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
YLTand He saith to Abram, ‘knowing--know that thy seed is a sojourner in a land not theirs, and they have served them, and they have afflicted them four hundred years,
DARBYAnd he said to Abram, Know assuredly that thy seed will be a sojourner in a land that is not theirs, and they shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years.
BBEAnd he said to Abram, Truly, your seed will be living in a land which is not theirs, as servants to a people who will be cruel to them for four hundred years;
WebsterAnd he said to Abram, Know certainly 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;

What does Genesis 15:13 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 13 Four hundred years - "Which began," says Mr. Ainsworth, "when Ishmael, son of Hagar, mocked and persecuted Isaac, Gen 21:9; Gal 4:29; which fell out thirty years after the promise, Gen 12:3; which promise was four hundred and thirty years before the law, Gal 3:17; and four hundred and thirty years after that promise came Israel out of Egypt, Exo 12:41."

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…

Read the full comment on Genesis 15:12-16 →

Genesis 15:13 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.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
לְאַבְרָ֗םle.'av.Ramto AbramH87
יָדֹ֨עַya.Do.a'certainly <to know>H3045
תֵּדַ֜עte.Da'you will knowH3045
כִּי\־ki-thatH3588
גֵ֣ר\׀gera sojournerH1616
יִהְיֶ֣הyih.Yehit will beH1961
זַרְעֲךָ֗zar.'a.Khaoffspring yourH2233
בְּאֶ֙רֶץ֙be.'E.retzin a landH776
לֹ֣אlo'[which] notH3808
לָהֶ֔םla.Hem[belongs] to <the> them
וַעֲבָד֖וּםva.'a.va.Dumand they will serve themH5647
וְעִנּ֣וּve.'i.Nuand they will afflictH6031
אֹתָ֑ם'o.Tam<obj.> themH853
אַרְבַּ֥ע'ar.Ba'fourH702
מֵא֖וֹתme.'othundred<s>H3967
שָׁנָֽה\׃sha.Nahyear[s]H8141

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

Cross references for Genesis 15:13

  • Acts 7:6-7

    And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years. And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.

  • Exodus 1:11

    Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.

  • Exodus 12:40-41

    Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.

  • Acts 7:17

    But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

  • Exodus 1:1-2

    Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

  • Galatians 3:17

    And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

  • Leviticus 19:34

    But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

  • Genesis 17:8

    And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

  • Psalms 105:11-12

    Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance: When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it.

  • Exodus 23:9

    Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
thy.
17:8; Ex 1:1-2:25; 5:1-23; 22:21; 23:9; Le 19:34; De 10:19; Ps 105:11
Ps 105:12,23-25; Ac 7:6,7; Heb 11:8-13
four.
Ex 12:40,41; Ga 3:17

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

Context

  • 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;

  • Genesis 15:14

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

Read all of Genesis 15

Genesis 15:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Entonces dijo á Abram: Ten por cierto que tu simiente será peregrina en tierra no suya, y servirá á los de allí, y serán por ellos afligidos cuatrocientos años.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et l’ Éternel dit à Abram: Sache certainement que ta semence séjournera dans un pays qui n’est pas le sien, et ils l’asserviront, et l’opprimeront pendant 400 ans.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und er sprach zu Abram: Gewißlich sollst du wissen, daß dein Same ein Fremdling sein wird in einem Lande, das nicht das ihre ist; und sie werden ihnen dienen, und sie werden sie bedrücken vierhundert Jahre.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Dictumque est ad eum: Scito prænoscens quod peregrinum futurum sit semen tuum in terra non sua, et subjicient eos servituti, et affligent quadringentis annis.