As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and suddenly great terror and darkness overwhelmed him.
Parallel translations
- WEB When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. Now terror and great darkness fell on him.
- KJV And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
- NKJV Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him.
- NASB Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him.
- NLT As the sun was going down, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a terrifying darkness came down over him.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
As the sun set, a deep sleep and a dreadful darkness fell on Abram. This solemn dread prepares him to receive a weighty revelation.
Overview
God brings a supernatural sleep over Abram, accompanied by terror and darkness, signaling the gravity of what He is about to reveal. The scene recalls how God moves sovereignly while humans are passive recipients. The dread fittingly precedes the disclosure of Israel's coming affliction and the awesome self-binding of God in covenant.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Gen 2:21So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he slept, He took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the area with flesh.
- Job 33:15In a dream, in a vision in the night, when deep sleep falls upon men as they slumber on their beds,
- Dan 10:8–9So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision. No strength remained in me; my face grew deathly pale, and I was powerless.
- Acts 9:8–9Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could not see a thing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
- Job 4:13–14In disquieting visions in the night, when deep sleep falls on men,
- 1 Sam 26:12So David took the spear and water jug by Saul’s head, and they departed. No one saw them or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up; they all remained asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.
- Ps 4:3–5Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for Himself; the LORD hears when I call to Him.
- Acts 20:9And a certain young man named Eutychus, seated in the window, was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell from the third story and was picked up dead.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 15:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.