Genesis 15:16

‘This country’ was the country that was called *Canaan. The Amorites were *Canaan’s original inhabitants. Later, Abram’s *descendants lived in *Canaan. And God told them to kill the Amorites. (See Deuteronomy 20:17.) But God did not say that immediately. He waited for more than 400 years. If the Amorites did good things, he would save them. But if they continued to do evil things, he would kill them.

God does not kill people quickly. He waited for 120 years before he killed people by the flood. (See Genesis 6:3 and the comment.)

v17 The sun set and the sky was dark. Then a pot appeared, which contained fire. It produced smoke. Also a branch appeared, which burned with flames. They both moved between the pieces of meat. v18 On that day the *Lord made a firm agreement with Abram. The *Lord said, ‘I give this country to your *descendants. I give all the land from the river of Egypt to the great river, which is called Euphrates. v19 I give the Kenites’ land and the Kenizzites’ land. I give the Kadmonites’ land v20 and the Hittites’ land. I give the Perizzites’ land and the Rephaim people’s land. v21 I give the Amorites’ land and the *Canaanites’ land. I give the Girgashites’ land and the Jebusites’ land.’