Commentaries:
Adam Clarke
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 Deuteronomy 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, Psalms 22:12 : Many bulls have compassed me about. Daniel 8:20 : The ram which thou hast seen is the king of Persia. The rough goat is the king of Greece. Daniel 8:21. But the Israelites are compared to doves, etc.; Song of Songs 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.
Other Adam Clarke entries containing Genesis 15:9:
Genesis 15:5
Exodus 6:28
Leviticus 1:2
1 Samuel 1:24
1 Chronicles 7:21
Psalms 74:20
Jeremiah 34:18
Micah 7:20
Acts 2:3
Acts 2:17
Hebrews 9:28
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