Lexical Summary bathar: To cut, to divide, to cleave Original Word: בָּתַר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance divide A primitive root, to chop up -- divide. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to cut in two NASB Translation cut (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs [בָּתַר] verb cut in two (Arabic  cut off prematurely; extirpate by cutting) — Qal Perfect בָּתָ֑ר Genesis 15:10; Pi`el Imperfect וַיְבַתֵּר Genesis 15:10 id. Topical Lexicon בתר (Strong’s Hebrew 1334)Root Meaning and Semantic Range The verb denotes the deliberate severing of something into distinct parts, especially the halving of sacrificial animals. While other Hebrew verbs speak of “cutting” in a general sense, בָּתַר emphasizes a careful partition intended to create two parallel pieces. Biblical Occurrences בָּתַר appears twice, both in Genesis 15:10, where Abram “brought all these to Him, split them down the middle, and laid the pieces opposite each other”. The duplication reflects the Hebrew narrative style rather than separate events, underscoring the deliberate act of division central to the covenant scene. Historical Background of Covenant-Cutting Rituals Archaeological records and ancient Near Eastern treaties reveal that parties sometimes ratified covenants by halving animals, then passing between the pieces. The divided carcasses symbolized the fate awaiting any covenant-breaker: “May I become like these parts if I violate the oath.” Jeremiah 34:18-19 alludes to this practice. Genesis 15 presents the earliest canonical example, demonstrating that the custom was already known in Abraham’s day. Theological Significance in Genesis 15 1. Divine initiative: Only “a smoking firepot and a blazing torch passed between the pieces” (Genesis 15:17). God alone traversed the blood-path, binding Himself unilaterally and showing that fulfillment rested entirely on His faithfulness. Typological and Christological Implications Hebrews 9:16-17 links covenant enactment with death: “Where a will exists, the death of the one who made it must be established.” The Genesis 15 ritual prefigures the cross, where the Son’s body was “pierced” (Zechariah 12:10; John 19:34) so that the new covenant might stand on God’s sworn faithfulness, not on human merit. The solitary passage of the divine presence foreshadows Christ bearing the covenant curse alone (Galatians 3:13). Practical Ministry Applications • Assurance of salvation: Believers can rest in promises ratified by God’s own sacrifice; assurance flows from divine commitment, not fluctuating human performance. Related Passages and Themes • Jeremiah 34:18-19 – human covenant-breakers contrasted with God’s faithfulness. בָּתַר thus enriches our understanding of God’s irrevocable promises, the costliness of covenant, and the redemptive drama culminating in Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations בָתָֽר׃ בתר׃ וַיְבַתֵּ֤ר ויבתר ḇā·ṯār ḇāṯār vaTar vayvatTer way·ḇat·têr wayḇattêrLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 15:10 HEB: כָּל־ אֵ֗לֶּה וַיְבַתֵּ֤ר אֹתָם֙ בַּתָּ֔וֶךְ NAS: these to Him and cut them in two, KJV: And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, INT: all these and cut two and laid Genesis 15:10 2 Occurrences |
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