In the second part of chapter 15 (verses 7-21), the LORD solemnly promises the land to Abram. The story continues from the previous verse; and as noted in the introduction to the subdivision, there are a number of parallels between this part of the story and verses 1-6.
It will be noted that the event in verse 5 is at night, although the next indication of time, which is in verse 12, is before sundown. If the story is now following the normal narrative pattern, this means that the conversation and actions reported in verses 7-11 take place in a period of time that includes at least the last part of the night, after Abram leaves his tent, and most of the following day.
And he said to him introduces the second stage of the covenant story. Good News Translation and New Revised Standard Version mark this as the next stage of the story by using the connection “Then…” in English. New English Bible and Revised English Bible go further, however, and make this next promise a second consequence of Abram’s faith; they have no break at all between verses 6 and 7 and make verse 7 a part of the same sentence as Gen 15.6. If we accept that verse 7 follows on from verse 6 without any break, then the setting for verses 7-9 will be the same as for verse 5, that is, at night outside Abram’s tent. However, if we take this to be the beginning of a new episode, then it may have all happened on the day after the vision or even a number of days later. In this case we may consider including a time marker such as “On the next day…” or “Some time later….” And we may also take account of this being another conversation between the LORD and Abram by beginning “After that the LORD spoke to Abram again and said….”
I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans recalls the parallel expression in Exo 20.2; Lev 25.38; Deut 5.6, in which the LORD appears as the one who delivered his people from Egypt. Brought translates the same verb used in Gen 15.5. The sense is “led, took out, caused to leave.”
Ur of the Chaldeans: or “Ur in Babylonia.” For discussion see 11.28.
To give you this land to possess: land refers to the land of Canaan, which is defined in an exceptionally broad manner in verses 18-21. If this land is too restrictive (it may refer to little more than a garden area in some languages), we may say with New Jerusalem Bible “this country.” We may also say, for example, “this area, region, territory.” To possess or “take possession of” probably has the sense of taking by force. Note New English Bible “give you this land to occupy,” and New International Version “… to take possession of it.”
Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .