And he took unto him all these, and (c) divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.
(c) This was the old custom in making covenants, (Jeremiah 39:18), to which God added these conditions, that Abram's posterity would be as torn in pieces, but after they would be rejoined: also that it would be assaulted, but yet delivered.