KJV ORIGINAL
And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and suddenly a terrifying darkness came over him.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
God caused Abram to fall into a deep, supernatural sleep, and Abram experienced an overwhelming sense of dread and darkness.
📚 Historical Context
This verse occurs during God's covenant ceremony with Abram, where God was about to make promises about Abram's descendants and the land they would inherit. In ancient Near Eastern culture, covenant-making often involved elaborate rituals with sacrificed animals. The 'horror of great darkness' likely represents the weight and solemnity of what God was about to reveal about his people's future, including their coming enslavement in Egypt.
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