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◄ Genesis 15:13►

New International Version
Then the LORD said to him, “Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there.

New Living Translation
Then the LORD said to Abram, “You can be sure that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, where they will be oppressed as slaves for 400 years.

English Standard Version
Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years.

Berean Standard Bible
Then 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.

King James Bible
And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a landthat is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

New King James Version
Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a landthat is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.

New American Standard Bible
ThenGod said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years.

NASB 1995
God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years.

NASB 1977
AndGod said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years.

Legacy Standard Bible
ThenGod said to Abram, “Know for certain that your seed will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.

Amplified Bible
God said to Abram, “Know for sure that your descendants will be strangers [living temporarily] in a land (Egypt) that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years.

Christian Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know this for certain: Your offspring will be resident aliens for four hundred years in a land that does not belong to them and will be enslaved and oppressed.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know this for certain: Your offspring will be foreigners in a land that does not belong to them; they will be enslaved and oppressed 400 years.

American Standard Version
And 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;

English Revised Version
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;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
God said to Abram, "You can know for sure that your descendants will live in a land that is not their own, where they will be slaves, and they will be oppressed for 400 years.

Good News Translation
The LORD said to him, "Your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land; they will be slaves there and will be treated cruelly for four hundred years.

International Standard Version
Then the LORD told Abram, "You can be certain about this: Your descendants will be foreigners in a land that isn't theirs. They will be slaves there and will be oppressed for 400 years.

NET Bible
Then the LORD said to Abram, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign country. They will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years.

New Heart English Bible
And he said to Abram, "Know for certain that your descendants will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs; and they will be servants there. And they will oppress them four hundred years.

Webster's Bible Translation
And 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;

Majority Text Translations

Majority Standard Bible
Then 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.

World English Bible
He 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.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and He says to Abram, “knowing—know that your seed is a sojourner in a land not theirs, and they have served them, and they have afflicted them four hundred years,

Young's Literal Translation
and 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,

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will say to Abram, Knowing thou shalt know that thy seed shall be a sojourner in the land not to them; and they shall serve them and they shall humble them four hundred years.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And it was said unto him: Know thou beforehand that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land not their own, and they shall bring them under bondage, and afflict them four hundred years.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And it was said to him: “Know beforehand that your future offspring will be sojourners in a land not their own, and they will subjugate them in servitude and afflict them for four hundred years.

New American Bible
Then the LORD said to Abram: Know for certain that your descendants will reside as aliens in a land not their own, where they shall be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years.

New Revised Standard Version
Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know this for certain, that your offspring shall be aliens in a land that is not theirs, and shall be slaves there, and they shall be oppressed for four hundred years;

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And the LORD said to Abram, Know of a surety that your descendants shall be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and shall be in servitude: and they shall afflict them for four hundred years;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he said to Abram, “Surely you shall know that your seed shall be an inhabitant in a land that is not theirs, and they shall serve them, and they shall subject them four hundred years;

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
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;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And it was said to Abram, Thou shalt surely know that thy seed shall be a sojourner in a land not their won, and they shall enslave them, and afflict them, and humble them four hundred years.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

God Confirms His Promise
…12As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and suddenly great terror and darkness overwhelmed him.13Then 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.14But I will judge the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will depart with many possessions.…

Berean Standard Bible ·Download

Cross References

Exodus 12:40-41
Now the duration of the Israelites’ stay in Egypt was 430 years. / At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the LORD’s divisions went out of the land of Egypt.

Acts 7:6-7
God told him that his descendants would be foreigners in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. / ‘But I will punish the nation that enslaves them,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come forth and worship Me in this place.’

Exodus 1:8-14
Then a new king, who did not know Joseph, came to power in Egypt. / “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become too numerous and too powerful for us. / Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if a war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.” ...

Deuteronomy 26:5-6
and you are to declare before the LORD your God, “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt few in number and lived there and became a great nation, mighty and numerous. / But the Egyptians mistreated us and afflicted us, putting us to hard labor.

Psalm 105:23-25
Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham. / And the LORD made His people very fruitful, more numerous than their foes, / whose hearts He turned to hate His people, to conspire against His servants.

Exodus 3:7-10
The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings. / I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. / And now the cry of the Israelites has reached Me, and I have seen how severely the Egyptians are oppressing them. ...

Exodus 6:5-6
Furthermore, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered My covenant. / Therefore tell the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians and deliver you from their bondage. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.

Exodus 1:1-7
These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family: / Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; / Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; ...

Exodus 2:23-25
After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God. / So God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. / God saw the Israelites and took notice.

Exodus 11:1
Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will bring upon Pharaoh and Egypt one more plague. After that, he will allow you to leave this place. And when he lets you go, he will drive you out completely.

Exodus 12:35-36
Furthermore, the Israelites acted on Moses’ word and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold, and for clothing. / And the LORD gave the people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that they granted their request. In this way they plundered the Egyptians.

Exodus 13:14
In the future, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

Exodus 14:30-31
That day the LORD saved Israel from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore. / When Israel saw the great power that the LORD had exercised over the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and believed in Him and in His servant Moses.

Acts 13:17
The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers. He made them into a great people during their stay in Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out of that land.

Hebrews 11:9-10
By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. / For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Treasury of Scripture

And he said to Abram, Know of a surety that your seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not their's, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

thy.

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.

Exodus 1:1-2:25
Now theseare the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob…

Exodus 5:1-23
And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness…

four.

Exodus 12:40,41
Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt,was four hundred and thirty years…

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.

Jump to Previous

Abram Afflict Afflicted Assuredly Country Cruel Descendants Enslaved Foreigners Four Hundred Live Oppressed Seed Servants Serve Served Slaves Sojourner Sojourners Stranger Strangers Sure Surety Theirs

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Genesis 15

1.God encourages Abram, who asks for an heir.
4.God promises him a son, and a multiplying of his seed.
6.Abram is justified by faith.
7.Canaan is promised again,
9.and confirmed by a sign, and a vision,
18.prophetic of the condition of his posterity till brought out of Egypt.

Study Bible

Book ◦ Chapter

Then the LORD said to Abram
This phrase indicates a direct communication from God to Abram, emphasizing the personal relationship and covenant between them. It reflects the pattern of divine revelation in the patriarchal narratives, where God often speaks directly to the patriarchs. This communication underscores the importance of Abram in God's redemptive plan, as he is the recipient of promises that will shape the future of Israel and the world.

Know for certain
The phrase "know for certain" conveys the assurance and certainty of God's promises. It highlights the prophetic nature of the message, indicating that what is about to be revealed is not speculative but divinely ordained. This certainty is a key aspect of biblical prophecy, where God's declarations are seen as inevitable and trustworthy.

that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not their own
This prophecy foretells the future sojourn of the Israelites in Egypt. The term "strangers" implies a lack of belonging and foreshadows the hardships they will face. This aligns with the broader biblical theme of God's people living as aliens and sojourners in foreign lands, which is later echoed in the New Testament (e.g.,1 Peter 2:11). The concept of being strangers also points to the spiritual journey of believers, who are called to live in the world but not be of it.

and they will be enslaved and mistreated
This part of the prophecy predicts the oppression and suffering the Israelites will endure in Egypt. Historically, this refers to the period of slavery under the Pharaohs, as described in the book of Exodus. The theme of suffering and deliverance is central to the biblical narrative, prefiguring the ultimate deliverance through Jesus Christ. The experience of enslavement and mistreatment also serves as a type of the bondage of sin, from which Christ redeems humanity.

four hundred years
The duration of "four hundred years" signifies a long period of trial and testing. This time frame is symbolic of completeness and fulfillment in biblical numerology. It is important to note that the actual time the Israelites spent in Egypt is often calculated as 430 years (Exodus 12:40-41), suggesting that the 400 years may refer specifically to the period of severe oppression. This period of waiting and eventual deliverance is a recurring theme in Scripture, illustrating God's timing and faithfulness in fulfilling His promises.

Persons / Places / Events

1.The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant-making God who speaks to Abram, revealing His sovereign plan for Abram's descendants.

2.Abram (Abraham)
The patriarch chosen by God to be the father of a great nation, through whom all nations would be blessed.

3.Abram's Descendants (Israelites)
The future nation that will emerge from Abram, who will experience enslavement and mistreatment in a foreign land.

4.A Land Not Theirs (Egypt)
The place where Abram's descendants will be strangers and endure slavery, later identified as Egypt in the biblical account.

5.Four Hundred Years
The period during which Abram's descendants will be enslaved and mistreated, highlighting God's foreknowledge and the fulfillment of His promises.

Teaching Points

God's Sovereignty and Foreknowledge
God knows the future and orchestrates events according to His divine plan. Trust in His sovereignty, even when circumstances seem challenging.

The Reality of Suffering and Deliverance
God's people may experience suffering and trials, but He promises deliverance and fulfillment of His promises. Hold onto hope and faith during difficult times.

The Importance of Faith and Patience
Like Abraham, believers are called to have faith and patience, trusting in God's timing and promises, even when they are not immediately visible.

The Fulfillment of God's Promises
God's promises are sure and will come to pass. Reflect on how God has been faithful in the past and trust Him for the future.

The Bigger Picture of God's Redemptive Plan
Understand that individual experiences are part of a larger account of God's redemption. Seek to align personal accounts with God's greater purpose.

Bible Study Questions and Answers

1.What is the meaning of Genesis 15:13?

2.How does Genesis 15:13 demonstrate God's foreknowledge and sovereignty over Israel's future?

3.What lessons can we learn about patience from Israel's 400-year affliction?

4.How does Genesis 15:13 connect to God's covenant promises in Genesis 12?

5.In what ways can we trust God's timing in our personal challenges?

6.How does Israel's experience in Genesis 15:13 foreshadow Christ's redemptive work?

7.Why did God allow the Israelites to be enslaved for 400 years in Genesis 15:13?

8.How does Genesis 15:13 align with God's promise of blessing to Abraham's descendants?

9.What is the significance of the 400-year period mentioned in Genesis 15:13?

10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Genesis 15?

11.What defines a holy war?

12.What is the significance of 400 years in Egypt?

13.What is the biblical basis for Israel's land rights?

14.What is the identity of the Kenizzites?

What Does Genesis 15:13 Mean

Then the LORD said to Abram

• The scene unfolds during God’s covenant ceremony with Abram (Genesis 15:7-21).

• “Then the LORD said” underscores that this prophecy comes directly from the mouth of God, guaranteeing its truth (Numbers 23:19).

• God’s initiative in revealing the future shows His sovereignty and intimate involvement in Abram’s story (Isaiah 46:9-10).

Know for certain

• These words (“Know for certain,”) move the promise from possibility to guaranteed reality; there is no condition attached.

• God grants Abram unwavering assurance even before Abram has a single child (Genesis 15:6;Romans 4:20-21).

• The certainty of divine foreknowledge comforts believers facing unknowns today (Psalm 31:14-15).

That your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not their own

• “Descendants” points to the promised seed, later called Israel (Genesis 17:7).

• “Strangers” signals temporary residence, not permanent settlement—fulfilled when Jacob’s family relocated to Egypt (Genesis 46:2-6;Acts 7:15).

• God had already hinted at this pilgrimage theme when He called Abram to leave Ur (Genesis 12:1).

• Living as foreigners prepared Israel to long for the land God had sworn to give them (Exodus 3:8;Hebrews 11:9-10).

And they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years

• The prophecy speaks plainly of oppression in Egypt (Exodus 1:8-14).

• “Enslaved” and “mistreated” highlight both forced labor and harsh affliction, fulfilled under Pharaoh’s decrees (Exodus 5:6-14).

• The “four hundred years” covers the period of Israel’s sojourn and tribulation (Exodus 12:40;Acts 7:6), demonstrating that God knew the exact span long before it began.

• God allowed this season to shape a people who would depend on Him alone, setting the stage for the Exodus and the revelation of His mighty power (Exodus 6:6-7;Deuteronomy 4:34-35).

• The promise of rescue is implicit: bondage is not the end of the story (Genesis 15:14 immediately follows).

summary

Genesis 15:13 is God’s precise, literal forecast of Israel’s future: their residence in Egypt as aliens, their oppression, and the length of that hardship. The verse assures Abram—and every reader—that the Lord sees history in advance, controls its flow, and keeps His covenant word. Through foretelling both suffering and deliverance, God reveals His faithfulness, sovereignty, and redemptive purpose for His people.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13) Four hundred years.--The exact duration of the sojourn in Egypt was 430 years (Exodus 12:40-41), and with this agrees the genealogy of Jehoshua (1Chronicles 7:23-27).

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 13. -And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety - literally,knowing know (cf.Genesis 2:17;vide Ewald's 'Hebrew Syntax,' § 312) -that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land which is not there (literally, not tothem, viz., Egypt, or Egypt and Canaan, according to the view which is taken of the point of departure for the reckoning of the 400 years),and shall serve them (i.e. the inhabitants of that alien country);and they (i.e. these foreigners)shall afflict them - three different stages of adverse fortune are described: -

(1) exile;

(2) bondage;

(3) affliction (Murphy); . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Then the LORD said
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר(way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559:To utter, say

to Abram,
לְאַבְרָ֗ם(lə·’aḇ·rām)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 87:Abram -- 'exalted father', the original name of Abraham

“Know
יָדֹ֨עַ(yā·ḏō·a‘)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 3045:To know

for certain
תֵּדַ֜ע(tê·ḏa‘)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3045:To know

that
כִּי־(kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588:A relative conjunction

your descendants
זַרְעֲךָ֗(zar·‘ă·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 2233:Seed, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity

will be
יִהְיֶ֣ה(yih·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961:To fall out, come to pass, become, be

strangers
גֵ֣ר ׀(ḡêr)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1616:A guest, a foreigner

in a land
בְּאֶ֙רֶץ֙(bə·’e·reṣ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776:Earth, land

that is not their own;
לֹ֣א(lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, no

they will be enslaved
וַעֲבָד֖וּם(wa·‘ă·ḇā·ḏūm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5647:To work, to serve, till, enslave

and mistreated
וְעִנּ֣וּ(wə·‘in·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6031:To be bowed down or afflicted

four
אַרְבַּ֥ע(’ar·ba‘)
Number - feminine singular construct
Strong's 702:Four

hundred
מֵא֖וֹת(mê·’ō·wṯ)
Number - feminine plural
Strong's 3967:A hundred

years.
שָׁנָֽה׃(šā·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8141:A year

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OT Law: Genesis 15:13 He said to Abram Know for sure (Gen. Ge Gn)