New American Standard Bible 1995

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Genesis

15

:

10

Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
Then he brought to take Verb H3947 וַיִּֽקַּֽח־ vai·yik·kach-
all the whole, all Noun H3605 כָּל־ kol-
these these Pronoun H428 אֵ֗לֶּה el·leh
to Him and cut to cut in two Verb H1334 וַיְבַתֵּ֤ר vay·vat·ter
them in two, midst Noun H8432 בַּתָּ֔וֶךְ bat·ta·vech,
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

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and laid to give, put, set Verb H5414 וַיִּתֵּ֥ן vai·yit·ten
each man Noun H376 אִישׁ־ ish-
half a part, piece Noun H1335 בִּתְרֹ֖ו bit·rov
opposite to encounter, befall H7122    
the other; friend, companion, fellow Noun H7453 רֵעֵ֑הוּ re·'e·hu;
but he did not cut to cut in two Verb H1334 בָתָֽר׃ va·tar.
the birds. a bird Noun H6833 הַצִפֹּ֖ר ha·tzip·por

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds.
King James Bible Then And he brought took unto him all these to Him these, and cut divided them in two, the midst, and laid each half opposite piece one against another: but the other; but birds divided he did not cut the birds.not.
Hebrew Greek English Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds.