Genesis 15:
The covenant involved a sequence of events intertwining spiritual visions (revelation) and physical (ritual) actions.
5 Hebrew words are translated to "vision". G4236 is used least often, only 4 times in the OT.1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision [G4236]: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”
This part of the vision happened while he was awake, probably while lying down.9 He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”
Abram performed the above physical acts.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.
Brenton Septuagint Translation Genesis 15:12 Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him.
The LXX Greek word is ekstasis, Thayer's Greek Lexicon:12 And about sunset a trance fell upon Abram, and lo! a great gloomy terror falls upon him.
God put Abram in a non-awake trance state to inform him of some bad news:STRONGS NT 1611: ἔκστασις
- universally, in Greek writing, any casting down of a thing from its proper place or state; displacement (Aristotle, Plutarch).
- a throwing of the mind out of its normal state, alienation of mind
The trance did not last long. Then, back to the physical reality:13 Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years.
The above was a supernatural happening in the physical realm.17 Now it came about, when the sun had set, that it was very dark, and behold, a smoking oven and a flaming torch appeared which passed between these pieces.
Did God make a covenant with Abram while he was in a trance?18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram.
The covenant involved a sequence of events intertwining spiritual visions (revelation) and physical (ritual) actions.
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