As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This wasn't just a literal deep sleep; it was a divine trance, a state where Abram's senses were bound so he could perceive God's unfolding vision. The "horror of great darkness" wasn't just a scary feeling; it was a symbol from God, foreshadowing the immense suffering his descendants would endure in Egypt.
As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Abram had just performed the ancient covenant ritual, dividing the animals as God instructed. Now, as evening falls, he's left in a trance-like state, overcome by a profound darkness and a sense of dread. This eerie scene unfolds just before God reveals to Abram the future hardships his descendants will face in a foreign land.
Suddenly, Abram is overcome by a deep sleep. What does this profound slumber signify in the midst of a divine encounter?
The text describes a "deep sleep" falling upon Abram. This isn't just ordinary tiredness; it's a supernatural state, often called an ecstasy or trance. It's God's way of setting Abram apart from the everyday world, silencing his senses so his spirit can fully receive a divine message.
Think of it like this: God needed Abram's full attention, not for intellectual debate, but for a profound spiritual download. This deep sleep allowed Abram to be receptive to a revelation that transcended normal human experience, similar to how Adam was put into a deep sleep for the creation of Eve.
A "dreadful and great darkness" descends upon Abram. Is this a sign of God's anger, or something else entirely?
The "horror of great darkness" that falls upon Abram carries multiple layers of meaning:
Symbol of Future Suffering
This darkness wasn't just a scary sensation; it was a prophetic symbol. Commentators widely agree it foreshadowed the "great afflictions" and "bondage" Abram's descendants would face, particularly the 400 years of slavery in Egypt. It’s God giving Abram a stark preview of the hardships his covenant line would endure.
Awe and Divine Presence
However, this darkness also served to underscore the awesome presence of God. Just as God’s glory was sometimes accompanied by darkness (like on Mount Sinai), this enveloping gloom created a sense of profound awe and reverence. It was a terrifying, yet sacred, space where God’s power was manifest, setting Abram apart and preparing him for the covenant ratification.
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Understand the original words
tardemah · Hebrew Noun
A state of heavy, often supernatural unconsciousness, frequently used by God to isolate an individual from their surroundings so He may communicate divine revelation.
This terrifying darkness wasn't just a spooky vision; it was God showing Abram a glimpse of the intense suffering his descendants, the Israelites, would endure during their centuries of slavery in Egypt, a stark foreshadowing of the hardship that would precede their eventual deliverance and inheritance of the promised land.
c. 2091 BC
Abram Called from Ur
God calls Abram to leave his homeland and familiar life in Ur of the Chaldeans, promising to make him a great nation and bless the world through him. This marks the beginning of Abram's journey of faith.
c. 2081 BC
Abram Rescues Lot
Abram, now an older man, leads his trained men to rescue his nephew Lot and others captured by a coalition of kings. This victory demonstrates Abram's growing influence and military capability in the region.
c. 2081 BC
Abram's Encounter with Melchizedek
After rescuing Lot, Abram is blessed by Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High. Abram then gives a tenth of the spoils to Melchizedek, highlighting a priestly and kingly authority above him.
c. 2081 BC
God's Promise and Abram's Doubt
God appears to Abram in a vision, assuring him he will have a great reward and a numerous offspring. Abram expresses concern about being childless and asks how he will know he will inherit the land.
c. 2081 BC— this verse
The Covenant Ceremony
God instructs Abram to prepare a sacrifice. As the sun sets, Abram falls into a deep sleep, and a terrifying darkness falls upon him, signifying future affliction for his descendants.
c. 2081 BC
The Covenant Ratified
A smoking furnace and a flaming torch pass between the pieces of the sacrificed animals, symbolizing God's ratification of the covenant with Abram, promising him and his descendants the land of Canaan.
c. 2081 BC
Prophecy of Egyptian Bondage
In the vision, God reveals to Abram that his descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, enslaved and afflicted for 400 years, but that God will judge their oppressors and they will leave with great wealth.
This passage describes a terrifying encounter with a spirit that brought 'dread and a shuddering,' echoing the 'horror of great darkness' that fell upon Abram, highlighting the profound sense of awe and dread when encountering the divine.
Exodus 12:40This verse directly relates to the prophecy given during Abram's deep sleep, stating that the Israelites 'lived in Egypt 430 years.' It shows the fulfillment of the 'great darkness' that symbolized affliction for Abram's descendants.
Romans 4:18-22Paul references Abram's faith in Genesis 15:6, which occurred around this vision, stating he 'believed in hope against hope.' This highlights that Abram's faith was tested and strengthened even amidst the fearful darkness and the challenging promise of descendants.
Genesis 2:21The 'deep sleep' that fell on Abram is the same phrase used for the sleep God put Adam into before creating Eve. This connection suggests a profound, God-induced state, setting the stage for a significant divine action or revelation.
Jeremiah 34:17-18This passage describes a covenant ratified by cutting an animal in two and passing between the pieces, a ritual similar to what Abram experienced. The imagery of broken pieces and passing through them symbolizes the covenant's seriousness and the consequences of breaking it, connecting to the solemnity of Abram's vision.
gillGenesis 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."
And when the sun was going down,.... Just setting, descending below the hemisphere; or "about to enter" (m) into his chamber, as Piscator observes, from whence he went forth in the morning, as a strong man to run his race; which at sunset is finished according to human appearance, and the common apprehensions of men, who have thought it goes under the earth, or dro…
clarkeGenesis 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."
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; Genesis 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…
This wasn't just a literal deep sleep; it was a divine trance, a state where Abram's senses were bound so he could perceive God's unfolding vision. The "horror of great darkness" wasn't just a scary feeling; it was a symbol from God, foreshadowing the immense suffering his descendants would endure in Egypt.
Abram had just performed the ancient covenant ritual, dividing the animals as God instructed. Now, as evening falls, he's left in a trance-like state, overcome by a profound darkness and a sense of dread. This eerie scene unfolds just before God reveals to Abram the future hardships his descendants will face in a foreign land.
Abram had just performed the ancient covenant ritual, dividing the animals as God instructed. Now, as evening falls, he's left in a trance-like state, overcome by a profound darkness and a sense of dread. This eerie scene unfolds just before God reveals to Abram the future hardships his descendants will face in a foreign land.
"As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him." — This wasn't just a literal deep sleep; it was a divine trance, a state where Abram's senses were bound so he could perceive God's unfolding vision. The "horror of great darkness" wasn't just a scary…
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Last reviewed October 2026