Genesis 15:13

¹¹ And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.

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 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;

¹⁴ And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

¹⁵ And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: 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.
KJV: 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;
WEB: 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.
ASV: 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;
DARBY: And 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.
BLB: And He said to Abram, “Know for certain that your seed will be a sojourner in a land not theirs, and they will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.

ÅB: Og han sa til Abram: Det skal du vite, at dine etterkommere skal bo som fremmede i et land som ikke hører dem til, og de skal slave for folket der og plages av dem i fire hundre år.
OTB: Da sa Herren til Abram: «Vit for visst at dine etterkommere skal være fremmede i et land som ikke er deres eget, hvor de skal bli slaver og undertrykt i fire hundre år.
B1930: Og han sa til Abram: Det skal du vite, at din ætt skal bo som fremmede i et land som ikke hører dem til, og de skal træle for folket der og plages av dem i fire hundre år.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

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