Genesis 15:11

11 And fowls came down on the carrions, and Abram drove them away. (And when birds came down onto the carcasses, Abram drove them away.)

Genesis 15:11 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 15:11

And when the fowls came down upon the carcasses
Upon the birds, as Aben Ezra and Ben Melech interpret it, whose carcasses were whole; or rather upon the divided carcasses of the animals, and indeed on both: this is to be understood of birds of prey, as eagles, vultures, kites, crows and are an emblem of the Egyptians chiefly, and other enemies of Israel, who came upon them to devour them; so the Targum of Jonathan,

``and the idolatrous nations descended, who were like to an unclean fowl, to spoil the goods of the Israelites;''

and likewise the Targum of Jerusalem,

``this unclean fowl are the idolatrous kingdoms of the earth:''

Abram drove them away:
that they might not settle upon the carcasses, and devour them: the Septuagint version is, "Abram sat with them"; he sat by the carcasses and watched them, that no hurt came to them, and to take notice of them, and consider and learn what they were an emblem of. The Jews ^F12 also observe, that

``Abram sat and waved over them with his napkin or handkerchief, that the birds might not have power over them until the evening.''

This may respect not the merit of Abram, as the above Targums, by which his posterity were protected, and the designs of their enemies frustrated; but the effectual fervent prayer of Abram, his prayer of faith for them, in answer to which they were delivered out of the hands of the Egyptians, and other enemies, whom Abram foresaw they would be distressed with.

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 Pirke Eliezer, ut supra. (c. 28)

Genesis 15:11 In-Context

9 And the Lord answered, and said, Take thou to me a cow of three years, and a goat of three years, and a ram of three years, and a turtle, and a culver. (And the Lord answered, Bring thou to me a cow of three years, and a goat of three years, and a ram of three years, and a turtledove, and a pigeon.)

10 Which took all these things, and parted those by the midst (And he brought him all these things, and divided them in half), and setted ever either part each against (the) other; but he parted not the birds.

11 And fowls came down on the carrions, and Abram drove them away. (And when birds came down onto the carcasses, Abram drove them away.)

12 And when the sun was gone down, dread felled on Abram, and a great hideousness and dark assailed him. (And as the sun went down, fear fell upon Abram, and a great dark hideousness assailed him.)

13 And it was said to him, Know thou (a) before-knowing, that thy seed shall be [a] pilgrim four hundred years in a land not his own, and they shall make them subject to servage, and they shall torment them; (And the Lord said to him, Know thou a fore-knowing, that thy descendants shall be foreigners in a land not their own, and they shall make them subject to servitude, or to slavery, and they shall torment them for four hundred years;)