And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
9. Take me an heifer, &c.] The sign to Abram is the sign of the covenant, of which the ceremonial is here described. This ceremonial is evidently of great antiquity. The writer, perhaps, intends to refer the origin of the institution to the time of Abram and to this occasion. The ceremony is as follows: (1) Animals permitted for sacrifice are selected. (2) They are killed, and their carcases divided. (3) The divided portions are placed in two rows over against each other. (4) The contracting parties pass between the rows, invoking, as they do so, an imprecation upon any violator of the covenant, that he should in like manner be cut asunder.
It is this ceremonial which causes the making of a covenant to be expressed by words meaning “to cut,” e.g. Heb. karath b’rth, Lat. foedus icere, Gr. .
The details of the ceremony probably differed slightly from age to age. The origin of some old customs is lost in obscurity. Why, for instance, are the animals mentioned to be three years old? is it because they are to be full grown? (Cf. 1Sa 1:24, R.V. marg.) Why are the birds not to be divided like the beasts? These are questions of a technical ritual character to which at present we can give no answer.
The most interesting Scriptural illustration of covenant ceremonial is afforded by Jer 34:18, “the covenant which they made before me, when they cut the calf in twain and passed between the parts thereof.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 9. Take me a heifer] eglah, a she-calf; a she-goat, ez, a goat, male or female, but distinguished here by the feminine adjective; meshullesheth, a three-yearling; a ram, ayil; a turtle-dove, tor, from which come turtur and turtle; young pigeon, gozal, a word signifying the young of pigeons and eagles. See De 32:11. It is worthy of remark, that every animal allowed or commanded to be sacrificed under the Mosaic law is to be found in this list. And is it not a proof that God was now giving to Abram an epitome of that law and its sacrifices which he intended more fully to reveal to Moses; the essence of which consisted in its sacrifices, which typified the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world?
On the several animals which God ordered Abram to take, Jarchi remarks: “The idolatrous nations are compared in the Scriptures to bulls, rams, and goats; for it is written, Ps 22:12: Many bulls have compassed me about. Da 8:20: The ram which thou hast seen is the king of Persia. The rough goat is the king of Greece. Da 8:21. But the Israelites are compared to doves, c. So 2:14: O my dove, that art in the cleft of the rock. The division of the above carcasses denotes the division and extermination of the idolatrous nations; but the birds not being divided, shows that the Israelites are to abide for ever.” See Jarchi on the place.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Take and offer at my command, and for my service,
an heifer of three years old, at which time it is perfect in stature and strength, and therefore fittest for Gods service. This and the other creatures here following, and sacrifices, are the same which afterwards were prescribed in the Levitical law.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9-21. Take me an heifer, c.Onoccasions of great importance, when two or more parties join in acompact, they either observe precisely the same rites as Abram did,or, where they do not, they invoke the lamp as their witness.According to these ideas, which have been from time immemorialengraven on the minds of Eastern people, the Lord Himselfcondescended to enter into covenant with Abram. The patriarch did notpass between the sacrifice and the reason was that in thistransaction he was bound to nothing. He asked a sign, and God waspleased to give him a sign, by which, according to Eastern ideas, Hebound Himself. In like manner God has entered into covenant with usand in the glory of the only-begotten Son, who passed through betweenGod and us, all who believe have, like Abram, a sign or pledge in thegift of the Spirit, whereby they may know that they shall inherit theheavenly Canaan.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he said unto him, take me an heifer of three years old,…. This, with what follows, is the sign by which Abram might know that he, that is, his seed, should inherit the land of Canaan; for the whole of this is an emblem of the state and condition of his posterity, until they should enter into that land: wherefore he is ordered to “take” out of his herds and flocks this and the following creatures, which were used in sacrifice before the ceremonial law was given, as well as under it; and the distinction of creatures for sacrifice, though not for food, was known as early, as appears from Ge 8:20; hence Onkelos renders the phrase, “offer before me”; and the Targum of Jonathan is,
“take unto me oblations, and offer before me.”
Though this difference is to be observed, that the Levitical law required creatures of a year old only to be offered; whereas these were three years old, because they are then at their full growth, and in their full strength and greatest perfection; and such were used among the Heathens for sacrifice; so Lucian h represents Ganymedes as proposing to Jupiter, that if he would let her go she would offer a ram of three years old: but it should be remarked, that these creatures here were not taken merely for sacrifice, nor is there any mention made of their being offered; though it is probable they might be offered after they had answered the principal end, which was to be a sign, whereby Abram might know that his seed should inherit the land; but the intention of God was, that as by them Abram’s seed might be taught what sort of creatures they were to offer for their sins, so chiefly to show that they themselves would fall a sacrifice to the rage and fury of their enemies, in a land not theirs, and be used as these creatures were: and the number three may denote the three complete centuries in which they would be afflicted, and in the fourth come out safe and whole like the undivided birds, the turtle, dove, and pigeon, to which they were comparable. Ramban i thinks, that this number represents the three sorts of sacrifices, the burnt offering, the sin offering, and the peace offering; and that of these three kinds of animals, only one individual of them was taken, and is called “treble”, because each individual were joined together. Onkelos renders it three heifers, and so three goats and three rams afterwards; in which he is followed by Jarchi and Ben Melech; the former thinks the three heifers refer to the heifer of the day of atonement, that for uncertain murder, and the red heifer; and in like manner he interprets the three goats and rams; but the Targum of Jonathan, and Aben Ezra, interpret them as we do of creatures of three years old: it follows,
and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove and a young pigeon. Some Jewish writers k have a notion that these creatures represent the four monarchies; the “heifer”, the Babylonian monarchy, which had three kings, Nebuchadnezzar, Evilmerodach, and Belshazzar; but others make this to be the fourth monarchy, they call Idumaean or Roman, which is like an heifer at grass, Jer 50:11, which passage better suits with Babylon; the “goat”, Media (or Persia), which had three kings, Cyrus, Darius, and Ahasuerus; and the “ram”, Grecia; but others say the goat signifies the Grecian monarchy, and the ram the Medo-Persian monarchy, which latter agrees with Da 8:3; and by the “turtle”, the word for which, in the Syriac language, signifies an ox, they understand, some the children of Ishmael, or the Turkish empire, and others Edom, or the Roman: but it is much better to interpret them of Abram’s posterity, comparable to these creatures, both for their good and bad qualities; to an “heifer” for laboriousness in service, and patience in sufferings; and for their backslidings, Ho 4:16; to a “goat” for their vicious qualities, their lusts and lasciviousness; and to a “ram”, for their strength and fortitude; and to a “turtle”, and a young pigeon, for their simplicity, innocence, and harmlessness, when they were in their purest state, see Ps 74:19; and it may be observed, that these were the only fowl used in sacrifice.
h Dialogis Deorum. i Apud Munster in loc. k Vid. Bereshit Rabba, sect. 43. fol. 39. 2. Pirke Eliezer, c. 28.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
9. Take me an heifer of three years old. Some, instead of an heifer of three years old translate the passage, ‘three heifers’ and in each species of animals enumerated, would make the number three. Yet the opinion of those who apply the word three to the age of the heifer, is more general. Moreover, although God would not deny his servant what he had asked; he yet, by no means, granted what would gratify the desire of the flesh. For, what certainty could be added to the promise, by the slaughter of an heifer, or goat, or ram? For the true design of sacrifice, of which we shall see more presently, was hitherto hidden from Abram. Therefore by obeying the command of God, of which, however, no advantage was apparent, he hence proves the obedience of his faith; nor did his wish aim at any other end than this; namely, that the obstacle being removed, he might, as was just, reverently acquiesce in the word of the Lord. Let us, therefore, learn meekly to embrace those helps which God offers for the confirmation of our faith; although they may not accord with our judgment, but rather may seem to be a mockery; until, at length, it shall become plain from the effect, that God was as far as possible from mocking us.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(9, 10) Take me an heifer . . . This form of making a covenant was probably that usual in Babylonia, and thus Abram received the assurance of his inheritance by means of a ceremonial with which he was familiar. But in most ancient languages men are said to cut or strike a covenant, because the most solemn formula involved either the cutting of victims in two, or striking them dead, as was the Roman manner. The severing of the bodies was not, as some suppose, to represent the two parties; but, as explained in Jer. 34:18-20, it set forth the penalty of perjury, and was usually accompanied by the imprecation upon the covenant-breaker of a destruction as complete as that which had befallen the slaughtered animals. There is no mention in this place of a sacrifice, although the animals are those subsequently set apart for sacrifice by the Levitical law. The heifer, she-goat, and ram at three years old would each have attained its full maturity; but there may be a further symbolic meaning in there being three animals each three years old.
Laid each piece . . . More exactly, and laid each half over against the other. The birds were not divided; but as there were two, Abram probably placed one on one side and one on the other.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. Take me Select for me . Not any of the animals taken at random is a suitable victim for sacrifice, or for symbolic revelations .
Heifer goat ram Three separate animals representing the three classes of animals suitable for sacrificial offering, and each to be three years old, the age of full maturity and vigour . The fowls suitable for sacrifice were to be represented by a turtle-dove and a young pigeon. These two kinds of fowls were also adopted among the Mosaic offerings . Comp . Lev 1:14; Lev 5:7; Lev 12:8.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And he said to him, “Take on my behalf a three year old heiffer, and a three year old she goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtledove and a young pigeon”.’
As a prophet Abram is commanded to act on God’s behalf. As he acts it is Yahweh Who, as it were, takes the animals and birds.
“Three years old”, three, the number of completeness, indicates one which is complete and full. It is the equivalent of ‘without spot and blemish’. What follows takes some considerable period of time, lasting until sundown. Abram has asked, and now he must act deliberately on Yahweh’s behalf, not knowing fully what He does.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Gen 15:9. He said unto him, take me an heifer, &c. i.e.. says Mede, offer unto me the following creatures; the only ones appointed to be offered under the Mosaic law; which strengthens their opinion (and I confess it is mine) who believe, that animals were divided into clean and unclean for sacrifice before the law, and that the whole apparatus of sacrifice was not then first instituted, but renewed and confirmed. It has much perplexed commentators to find out the reason, why these animals should be three years old, whereas they are commonly ordered to be of one year old only under the law. It appears extremely plain from this whole transaction, that it was a federal act between God and Abram, as well as a prophetic representation of what should befal his seed, before they possessed the promised land: and if the symbols have reference to any thing, one would imagine, it must be to this. The word rendered three years old, signifies also threefold, three, and it is so rendered by the Chaldee and other Jewish interpreters, who suppose, that three of each species of animals were offered in this sacrifice: but whether there were three, or only one of three years old, I should conceive the reference to be to the three generations which were to pass before Abram’s seed was to inherit the land: and the winged birds may represent their passage and flight from AEgypt in the fourth generation, (see Gen 15:16.) as the smoking furnace, Gen 15:17 and the burning lamp, or lamp of fire, may represent, as a kind of hieroglyphics, that kind of servitude in the brick-kilns, which the Israelites endured in AEgypt, and the manner of their delivery, when the pillar of smoke and of light went before them day and night. Let it be observed, that I propose this only as a probable and conjectural interpretation of a difficult passage: and as the context clearly proves, that God gave Abram a prophetic account of what should befal his seed, Gen 15:13 it appears very reasonable, that these symbols or hieroglyphical representations, according to the known ancient manner, should signify the same thing.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.
It is not altogether fanciful to trace even in the minute circumstances of sacrifice, somewhat referring to Him unto whom all the sacrifices referred? Is not the three years of age a type of the Redeemer’s three years ministry? And what do those birds of prey, which came down on Abram’s sacrifice, intimate, but the vain thoughts which hover over our minds in our holy seasons?
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 15:9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
Ver. 9. Take me a heifer, &c. ] Here God commands him a busy sacrifice, and then casts him into a terrible sleep; the better to prepare him to receive the ensuing oracle, and to teach him that he may not rashly rush upon divine mysteries. Heathens could say, Non loquendum de Deo absque lumine ; a that is, without premeditation and advised consideration.
a Pythagoras
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Take me = take for me: i.e. an offering for me, heifer. See App-15.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Gen 22:13, Lev 1:3, Lev 1:10, Lev 1:14, Lev 3:1, Lev 3:6, Lev 9:2, Lev 9:4, Lev 12:8, Lev 14:22, Lev 14:30, Psa 50:5, Isa 15:5, Luk 2:24
Reciprocal: Num 15:3 – the herd
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 15:9. Take me a heifer Perhaps Abram expected some sign from heaven, but God gives him a sign upon a sacrifice. Those that would receive the assurances of Gods favour, must attend instituted ordinances, and expect to meet with God in them.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The animals used were standard types of sacrificial animals and may have represented the nation of Israel, "a kingdom of priests" (Exo 19:6).
"The use of five different kinds of sacrificial animals on this occasion underlines the solemnity of the occasion." [Note: Gordon J. Wenham, "The Symbolism of the Animal Rite in Genesis 15 : A Response to G. F. Hasel, JSOT 19 (1981):61-78," Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 22 (1981):135.]
"We suggest that the animal cutting in Gen 15:9-10; Gen 15:17 is designated a ’covenant ratification sacrifice’ . . . The killing and sectioning of the animals by Abram is the sacrificial preparatio for the subsequent divine ratificatio of the covenant by Yahweh who in passing between the pieces irrevocably pledges the fulfillment of his covenant promise to the patriarch. The initiative of Yahweh remains in the foreground both in the instruction for the ’covenant ratification sacrifice’ (Gen 15:9-10) and in the act of berit [covenant] ratification itself (Gen 15:17). . . .
"Gen 15:7-21 contains covenant-making in which Yahweh binds himself in promise to Abram in the passing through the animals in the act of covenant ratification. Abram had prepared the animals for this ratification act through the ’covenant ratification sacrifice’ which involved both killing and sectioning of the victims. Certain basic features of this covenant ratification rite are most closely paralleled only in aspects of the function of animal rites of the extant early second millennium treaty texts." [Note: Gerhard F. Hasel, "The Meaning of the Animal Rite in Genesis 15," Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 19 (1981):70.]
To "ratify" means to give formal consent to (a treaty, contract, or agreement), making it officially valid.