| 10. Linguistic Exegesis The verse employs a sequence of wayyiqtol verbs—vayyiqach {וַיִּֽקַּֽח | way-yiq-qaḥ} “and he took,” vayevater {וַיְבַתֵּ֤ר | way-ḇat-tēr} “and he divided,” and vayitten {וַיִּתֵּ֥ן | way-yit-tēn} “and he placed”—to present Abram’s actions as a structured ritual procedure. The phrase et kol eileh {אֶת־כָּל־אֵ֗לֶּה | ʾeṯ kāl ʾêl-leh} “all these” identifies the animals designated for the covenant. Batavekh {בַּתָּוֶךְ | bat-tā-weḵ} “in the middle” specifies the spatial manner of division. The distributive expression ish bitro {אִישׁ־בִּתְר֖וֹ | ʾîš biṯ-rô} “each one his piece” emphasizes individual halves. Likrat reehu {לִקְרַ֣את רֵעֵ֑הוּ | liq-rāṯ rē-ʿê-hû} “opposite its companion” depicts the paired arrangement typical of covenant rituals where parties pass between cut parts. The fronting of the direct object in ve-et hatsippor lo vatar {וְאֶת־הַצִפֹּ֖ר לֹ֥א בָתָֽר | wə-ʾeṯ haṣ-ṣip-pôr lōʾ bā-ṯar} creates contrast, indicating that the bird remains undivided. |