Genesis 15:9

Genesis 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.

a. NLT: The LORD told him, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”

b. NIV:  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.”

c. YLT: And He saith unto him, 'Take for Me a heifer of three years, and a she-goat of three years, and a ram of three years, and a turtle-dove, and a young bird;'

d. Amplified Bible: And He said to him, Bring to Me a heifer three years old, a she-goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.

e. Septuagint: And he said to him, Take for me an heifer in her third year, and a she-goat in her third year, and a ram in his third year, and a dove and a pigeon.

f. Stone Edition Chumash: And He said to him, “Take to Me three heifers, three goats, three rams, a turtledove, and a young dove.”

1. “And he said unto him…”

a. he said [559* ‘amar] [Strong: [Strong: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech), utter, X verily, X yet.]

2. “…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.”

a. take [3947 * laqach] [Strong: a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications):--accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, X many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.]

b. a heifer [5697 * ‘eglah] [Strong: feminine of 5695; a (female) calf, especially one nearly grown (i.e. a heifer):--calf, cow, heifer.]

c. three years old [8027 * shalash] [Strong: a primitive root perhaps originally to intensify, i.e. treble; but apparently used only as denominative from 7969, to be (causatively, make) triplicate (by restoration, in portions, strands, days or years):--do the third time, (divide into, stay) three (days, - fold, parts, years old).]

d. a she goat [5795 * ‘ez] [Strong: from 5810; a she-goat (as strong), but masculine in plural (which also is used ellipt. for goat's hair):--(she) goat, kid.]

e. three years old [8027 * shalash] See “three years old” above.

f. a ram [352 * ‘ayil] [Strong: from the same as 193; properly, strength; hence, anything strong; specifically a chief (politically); also a ram (from his strength); a pilaster (as a strong support); an oak or other strong tree:--mighty (man), lintel, oak, post, ram, tree.]

g. three years old [8027 * shalash] See “three years old” above.

h. a turtledove [8449 * ] [Strong: probably the same as 8447; a ring-dove, often (figuratively) as a term of endearment:--(turtle) dove.]

i. a young pigeon [1469 * gowzal] [Strong: or (shortened) gozal {go-zawl'}; from 1497; a nestling (as being comparatively nude of feathers):--young (pigeon).]

1). Old Testament Bible History, Alfred Edersheim, pp. 63, 64. “To confirm Abram’s faith, Jehovah now gave Abram a sign and a seal, He entered into a covenant with him. For this purpose the Lord directed Abram to bring an heifer, a she-goat, and a ram, each of three years old, also a turtle-dove and a young pigeon. These sacrifices…were to be divided, and the pieces laid one against the other, as the custom was in making a covenant, the covenanting parties always passing between them, as it were to show that now there was no longer to be division, but that what had been divided was to be considered as one between them.

2). Unger’s Bible Dictionary, p.224. “Covenants were not only concluded with an oath, but after an ancient custom, confirmed by slaughtering and cutting a victim into two halfs, between which the parties passed, to intimate that if either of them broke the covenant it would fare with him as with the slain and divided beast.”

3). There are more details given in another example given in Jeremiah.

a). Jeremiah 34:18 And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me, when they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts.

b). Here we see that the participants spoke their part of the covenant as they walked between the pieces. This word picture will become more impressive as Chapter 15 unfolds.