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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse emphasizes that Abram's offspring would not own the land they lived in, but would be "sojourners" and "servants" there. This highlights that their future possession of the land was a promise from God, not an inherent right, and their temporary status as foreigners was a divine preparation for their eventual inheritance.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage unfolds within a divine covenant ceremony between God and Abram. After Abram’s victory in rescuing Lot, God reassures him not to fear, promising to be his shield and exceeding great reward. God then outlines a future for Abram's descendants: they will be foreigners and slaves in another land for 400 years, experiencing affliction, before being judged and liberated with great wealth. This prophetic word serves to deepen Abram's faith and trust in God's promises, even as it reveals a challenging future for his lineage.
God doesn't just share His plans with Abram; He assures him of their certainty. What does it mean to live with a future that is already known and settled by God?
God’s communication to Abram in Genesis 15:13 begins with a powerful command: 'Know for certain' (or 'Know thou assuredly'). This isn't a suggestion or a hopeful prediction; it's a divine declaration of a future reality. God isn't asking Abram to guess or to hope for the best. He is revealing what will happen, even if it seems counterintuitive to Abram’s current circumstances.
A Divine Guarantee
This assurance is rooted in God’s sovereign knowledge and power. He sees the end from the beginning and is able to bring His purposes to pass. For Abram, this meant understanding that despite his lack of an heir, his 'seed' would indeed multiply and inherit the land. For us, this teaches that God’s promises are not dependent on our understanding or our ability to predict the future. They are secured by His unchanging character and His faithful power.
Living in Light of the Future
Knowing that God has already ordained and revealed certain future outcomes can shape our present. It means we can face hardship not with despair, but with the confidence that these trials are part of a larger, divinely orchestrated plan. The 'sojourning' and 'affliction' are not random misfortunes but divinely disclosed stages on the path to fulfillment.
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God’s promise to Abram includes not just blessings, but also hardships. How can 'strangers' and 'servants' be part of a divine plan for inheritance?
The prophecy in Genesis 15:13 presents a paradox: Abram’s descendants will inherit a land they don't yet possess, but before they do, they will be strangers, servants, and afflicted in a foreign land.
A Land Not Theirs
This 'land that is not theirs' highlights a crucial aspect of God's unfolding plan. Even the Promised Land itself was initially 'not theirs' in terms of possession. This meant that the journey to full inheritance would involve periods of displacement and dependence. The concept of 'sojourning' emphasizes that their identity was not rooted in the land they occupied, but in the God who promised it to them.
Servitude and Suffering as a Pathway
The servitude and affliction are not arbitrary punishments but divinely ordained stages. Commentators note that this period, totaling 400 years, was a precursor to their eventual possession and deliverance. This reveals a pattern in God's dealings: often, His people grow and are purified through trials. This suffering wasn't the end of the story but a necessary part of their journey toward fulfillment, ultimately under God's judgment and plan for their liberation and restoration.
Preparing for Possession
This period of being 'strangers,' 'servants,' and 'afflicted' was not meant to be permanent. It served to teach them dependence on God, to distinguish them from the nations around them, and to make their eventual deliverance and possession of the land all the more significant. It underscores that the path to divine promises often involves periods of difficulty that refine faith and prepare for blessing.
Four hundred years is a long time to wait in hardship. How does this specific timeframe reveal God's character and His ultimate purposes?
The mention of 'four hundred years' is not merely a temporal marker; it speaks volumes about God's justice, patience, and faithfulness.
The Fullness of Time
Scholarly discussions highlight that this period is precise yet often debated in its starting point (e.g., birth of Isaac, Ishmael's persecution, or entry into Egypt). Regardless of the exact calculation, the number signifies a divinely appointed duration. It implies that God’s judgments and deliverances unfold according to His perfect timing, not ours. The afflicting nation, the oppressors, would also face divine judgment after this period, as stated in verse 14: 'And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge.' This shows God’s ultimate sovereignty not only over His people's experience but also over their oppressors.
God's Patience and Justice
The prolonged period of affliction reveals God's incredible patience. He doesn't rush to judgment. As Calvin notes, the iniquity of the Amorites was 'not yet full.' This shows that God grants extended time for repentance, yet He is also perfectly just. When that time is complete, He will intervene decisively.
A Promise of Ultimate Victory
For Abram and his descendants, the prophecy of these 400 years wasn't just a description of suffering but a prelude to their eventual exodus and triumphant deliverance. It was a guarantee that their afflictions, however severe, would have an end. This assurance of eventual victory, rooted in God's faithfulness, was meant to sustain them through the long years of hardship.
Understand the original words
Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God in the Old Testament, representing His self-existence, faithfulness, and the One who keeps His promises to His people.
zera · Hebrew Noun
Descendants or progeny; in a covenantal sense, it refers to the seed through which God’s promises are fulfilled across generations.
ger · Hebrew Noun
A person living in a land not their own, possessing no permanent inheritance or citizenship, looking toward a future promise or home.
abad · Hebrew Verb
The condition of being held under the authority of another, often involving hard labor; used frequently to describe Israel’s state in Egypt and, metaphorically, humanity's state under sin.
anah · Hebrew Verb
To experience hardship, oppression, or suffering; it often characterizes the testing or refining process of God's people before deliverance.
This prophecy is given when Abram is still childless, highlighting God's sovereign plan that His promises would unfold over centuries, involving hardship and exile for his descendants before they would inherit the promised land.
c. 2091 BC
Abram called from Ur
God calls Abram (later Abraham) to leave his homeland and journey to a land God will show him. This marks the beginning of God's covenant promises to Abram.
c. 2066 BC
Abram sojourns in Canaan
Abram and his household are living as foreigners in the land of Canaan, which God has promised to his descendants. He experiences famine and is visited by God.
c. 2066 BC
Abram rescues Lot
Abram successfully defeats a coalition of kings who had captured his nephew Lot, demonstrating his growing influence but also potentially attracting unwanted attention.
c. 2066 BC— this verse
God confirms covenant with Abram
In a vision, God reassures Abram, promising him protection and a vast reward. God foretells that Abram's offspring will be strangers in a foreign land, serve them, and be afflicted for 400 years.
c. 2065 BC
Birth of Ishmael
Abram's son Ishmael is born to Hagar, a maidservant. While Ishmael is a descendant, God clarifies that the covenant promise will pass through Isaac.
c. 2045 BC
Birth of Isaac
God fulfills His promise with the birth of Isaac to Sarah, Abram's wife. Isaac becomes the son through whom the covenant promises will continue.
c. 1805 BC
Jacob's family moves to Egypt
Jacob and his family, including his son Joseph who has risen to power, settle in the land of Egypt, beginning their sojourn there.
This passage directly references the 430-year period of Israel's sojourn in Egypt, which is intricately linked to the 400 years mentioned in Genesis 15:13 and helps clarify the timeframe and context of this prophecy.
Galatians 3:17Paul explicitly connects the covenant made with Abraham to the Law given 430 years later, providing a New Testament perspective on the timing and significance of the promise tied to the 400-year period.
Psalm 105:23-24This psalm recounts God's actions in bringing Israel out of Egypt, specifically mentioning their servitude and God's subsequent deliverance, echoing the themes of affliction and future redemption presented in Genesis 15:13.
Acts 7:6Stephen's speech in the book of Acts directly quotes and expands upon this prophecy, stating that Abraham's descendants would be strangers in a foreign land and afflicted for 400 years, underscoring the verse's importance in biblical history.
gillGenesis 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;"
And he said unto Abram,.... While he was in a deep sleep; this he said to him in a vision of prophecy: know of a surety, or "in knowing thou shall or mayest know" (n); and be assured of it, being now told it by the Lord himself, who foreknows all things that ever come to pass; many of which he acquaints hi…
calvinGenesis 15:1-21: "After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward."
Et eduxit eum foras, et dixit, Suspice nunc coelum, et numera stellas, si poteris numerare eas. Et dixit ei, Sic erit semen tuum.
And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Et credidit Jehovae, et reputavit illud ei ad justitiam.
And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of U…
The verse emphasizes that Abram's offspring would not own the land they lived in, but would be "sojourners" and "servants" there. This highlights that their future possession of the land was a promise from God, not an inherent right, and their temporary status as foreigners was a divine preparation for their eventual inheritance.
This passage unfolds within a divine covenant ceremony between God and Abram. After Abram’s victory in rescuing Lot, God reassures him not to fear, promising to be his shield and exceeding great reward. God then outlines a future for Abram's descendants: they will be foreigners and slaves in another land for 400 years, experiencing affliction, before being judged and liberated with great wealth. This prophetic word serves to deepen Abram's faith and trust in God's promises, even as it reveals a challenging future for his lineage.
This passage unfolds within a divine covenant ceremony between God and Abram. After Abram’s victory in rescuing Lot, God reassures him not to fear, promising to be his shield and exceeding great reward. God then outlines a future for Abram's descendants: they will be foreigners and slaves in another land for 400 years, experiencing affliction, before being judged and liberated with great wealth. This prophetic word serves to deepen Abram's faith and trust in God's promises, even as it reveals a challenging future for his lineage.
"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." — The verse emphasizes that Abram's offspring would not own the land they lived in, but would be "sojourners" and "servants" there. This highlights that their future possession of the land was a prom…
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Last reviewed October 2026