Genesis 15:10

10 Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half.

Genesis 15:10 in Other Translations

10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.

10 And he brought him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half.

10 So Abram presented all these to him and killed them. Then he cut each animal down the middle and laid the halves side by side; he did not, however, cut the birds in half.

10 He brought all these animals to him, split them down the middle, and laid the halves opposite each other. But he didn't split the birds.

10 So he brought all these to Him, split them down the middle, and laid the pieces opposite each other, but he did not cut up the birds.

Genesis 15:10 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 15:10

And he took unto him all these
The heifer, goat, ram, turtle, and young pigeon, not to himself, but to the Lord, as he was bid, and offered them before him, as the above Targums paraphrase it; or however he took them for his use, and set them before him, and did with them as he directed him:

and divided them in the midst;
that is, the three animals, the heifer, goat, and ram; he did not take off their several limbs, and cut them up in small parts, but cut them in halves;

and laid each piece one against another;
one half against the other, the left side against the right, shoulder against shoulder, and leg against leg, so that they might seem to join, or might be easily joined together again, or however answer one another; though it is generally thought there was such a distance of the one from the other, as that there might be a passage between them; it being usual in making covenants for the covenanters to pass between the parts of a creature slain, signifying, that should they break the covenant made, they deserved to be cut asunder as that creature was, (See Gill on Jeremiah 34:18). So a burning lamp, or lamp of fire, an emblem of the divine Being, is said, ( Genesis 15:17 ) , to pass between those pieces: all this was expressive of the afflictions of the posterity of Abram, of their being distressed in the land of Egypt, cut as it were in twain there, and of their various dispersions in other countries; and yet, like the bones in Ezekiel's vision, were gathered together, and united again: and it may be this may have respect to the division of the people of Israel into two kingdoms, in the times of Rehoboam, and their after reunion, and especially in the latter day, ( Ezekiel 37:7 Ezekiel 37:16-22 ) :

but the birds divided he not;
but laid them one against another, as the pieces were laid; so the birds used in sacrifice under the law were not to be divided, ( Leviticus 1:17 ) ; which may signify, that when the people of the Jews, in the latter day, are converted, and brought together into their own land, when they will better answer the character of turtles and doves than they ever did, will be no more divided and separated from each other.

Genesis 15:10 In-Context

8 But Abram said, “Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?”

9 So the LORD said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.”

10 Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half.

11 Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.

12 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him.

Cross References

• 1. ver 17; Jeremiah 34:18
• 2. Leviticus 1:17; Leviticus 5:8