Genesis Vol 3.pdf - College Press

THE PROMISE AND COVENANT lj:6, 7
It should be noted, in this connection, that the Amor-
ites of the Mari documents used asses for this kind of
ritual, with the result that “to slay an ass” was in their
terminology idiomatic for “to enter into a compact.’) It
was this prominence of the ass in pagan cults that caused
the Israelites to proscribe that animal in their own ritual
sacrifices (Exo. 13:13, 34:20). Archaeologists tell us also
that the Hurrians (Horites) of Nuzi resorted on solemn
occasions to a combination of “one bull, one ass, and ten
sheep.” Turtle doves and pigeons are mentioned repeated-
ly in connection with the ritual provisions laid down in
the book of Leviticus (1422). (HSB, 26) : “Cutting the
animals in halves may have been part of the normal custom
or ritual at a covenant sealing. The Hebrew of 15:18
reads that God ‘cut a covenant’ with Abraham. For a long
time Old Testament scholars doubted the accuracy of this
expression, but texts have been uncovered in Quatna and
Mari informing us that covenants were sealed by some
ritual invo1,ving the cutting up of asses.” Cf. JB, 31:
“Ancient ritual of covenant (Jer. 34: 18) : the contracting
parties passed between the parts of the slain animal and
called down upon themselves the fate of the victim should
they violate the agreement. The flame symbolizes Yahweh
(cf. the burning bush, Exo. 3:2, the pillar of fire, Exo.
13 :21; the smoke of Sinai, Exo. 19 : 19) ; He alone passes
between the parts because His Covenant is a unilateral
pact, the initiative is His; cf. 9:9 ff.” (The covenant with
Noah was likewise a unilateral covenant). (Some com-
mentators hold that this covenant was bilateral (as de-
scribed in ch. 15) because Abram passed between the parts
when he placed them in proper order.)
Is any symbolic significance to be attributed to the
respective animals used in this covenantal response by
Abrain? (JB, 3 1) : “The birds of prey were a bad omen
(cf. 40:17 ff.) signifying the miseries of Israel’s bondage
in Egypt; the dispersal of the birds symbolizes her de-
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