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<page type="Approaches">
<h1>Bereshit 15 – One Prophecy or Two?</h1>
<div><b><center><span class="highlighted-notice">This topic is currently in progress</span></center></b></div>
<div class="overview">
<h2>Overview</h2>
In trying to untangle the difficulties raised by Bereshit 15, commentators are led to question the chronology and relationship of its components.&#160; Many exegetes, following the lead of Seder Olam Rabbah, suggest that the chapter is comprised of two disparate events, a promise of progeny which was given after the Battle of the Kings, and the Covenant of the Pieces which was actually sealed much earlier, when Avraham was 70, but recorded only now. This has the advantage of providing a single solution to most of the chapter's difficulties. Nonetheless, as the newly posited ordering makes many assumptions and creates new questions, many other exegetes instead opt to maintain the unity of the chapter and give local answers to the various questions.</div>
<approaches>

<category name="Two Separate Events">
Two Separate Achronological Events
<p>Chapter 15 comprises two distinct prophecies.&#160; The vision described in the first six verses of the chapter is in chronological order and took place after the Battle of the Five Kings, while the rest of the chapter recounts a separate prophecy (ברית בין הבתרים) which occurred many years earlier, when Avraham was 70.</p>
<mekorot><multilink><a href="MekhiltaDeRabbiYishmaelBo14" data-aht="source">Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael</a><a href="MekhiltaDeRabbiYishmaelBo14" data-aht="source">Bo 14</a><a href="Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Shemot" data-aht="parshan">About Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Shemot</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="SederOlamRabbah1" data-aht="source">Seder Olam Rabbah</a><a href="SederOlamRabbah1" data-aht="source">1</a><a href="SederOlamRabbah3" data-aht="source">3</a><a href="Seder Olam Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Seder Olam Rabbah</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="Baraitaof32MiddotMiddah32" data-aht="source">Baraita of 32 Middot</a><a href="Baraitaof32MiddotMiddah32" data-aht="source">Middah 32</a><a href="Baraita of 32 Middot" data-aht="parshan">About Baraita of 32 Middot</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashiShemot12-40" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiBereshit14-4-5" data-aht="source">Bereshit 14:4-5</a><a href="RashiBereshit15-13613" data-aht="source">Bereshit 15:1,3,6, 13</a><a href="RashiShemot12-40" data-aht="source">Shemot 12:40</a><a href="RashiShabbat10b" data-aht="source">Shabbat 10b</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>,<fn>Rashi appears to be somewhat inconsistent.&#160; In his comments to Shemot 12, he asserts that the Covenant took place when Avraham was 70, which suggests that he read the two halves of the chapter as distinct units.&#160; His comments to Bereshit 15:6, though, imply that he viewed the entire chapter as one unit.</fn> <multilink><a href="RashbamReconstructedBereshit15" data-aht="source">Rashbam</a><a href="RashbamReconstructedBereshit15" data-aht="source">Reconstructed Bereshit 15</a><a href="RashbamMSOxford2718" data-aht="source">MS Oxford 271/8</a><a href="RShemuelRashbamMsFarma23421" data-aht="source">MS Parma 2342/1</a><a href="RashbamBereshit22-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 22:1</a><a href="RashbamShemot12-40-41" data-aht="source">Shemot 12:40-41</a><a href="R. Shemuel b. Meir (Rashbam)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel b. Meir</a></multilink>,&#160;<multilink><a href="Chizkuni15-7" data-aht="source">Chizkuni</a><a href="Chizkuni15-7" data-aht="source">15:1-7</a><a href="R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach (Chizkuni)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach</a></multilink>,&#160;<multilink><a href="TosafotAvodahZarah9a" data-aht="source">Ba'alei HaTosafot</a><a href="TosafotBerakhot7b_2" data-aht="source">Berakhot 7b</a><a href="TosafotShabbat10b" data-aht="source">Shabbat 10b</a><a href="TosafotAvodahZarah9a" data-aht="source">Avodah Zarah 9a</a><a href="Ba'alei HaTosafot" data-aht="parshan">About Ba'alei HaTosafot</a></multilink></mekorot>
	<point><b>400 or 430 years?</b> The motivation for this approach is the discrepancy between the accounts of the length of the Egyptian exile in&#160;<a href="Bereshit15" data-aht="source">Bereshit 15:13</a> (400 years) and&#160;<a href="Shemot12-40-41" data-aht="source">Shemot 12:40-41</a> (430 years). This position maintains that the 400 years started from the birth of Yitzchak, while the 430 count began thirty years earlier, at the Covenant of the Pieces.&#160; Since Avraham was 100 when Yitzchak was born, the Covenant must have occurred when he was 70.<fn>For more details regarding how this position resolves the discrepancy, and for other opinions, see <a href="Duration of the Egyptian Exile" data-aht="page">Duration of the Egyptian Exile</a>.</fn></point>
	<point><b>Achronology</b> – As Bereshit 12 is explicitly dated to the 75th year of Avraham's life, this approach is forced to say that the Covenant of the Pieces (i.e. the second part of the chapter) is recorded out of order.<fn>For further discussion and other examples of achronology in Tanakh, see <a href="Chronological and Thematic Order" data-aht="page">Chronological and Thematic Order</a>.</fn>&#160; Rashbam, Chizkuni, and Ba'alei HaTosafot all point out that, nevertheless, the first part of the chapter is in its chronological place, as both the phrase "אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה" and Avraham's fear<fn>See Chizkuni who explains that Avraham feared that surrounding nations would retaliate for his battle, leading Hashem to calm him with: "אַל תִּירָא אַבְרָם...&#8207;".</fn> serve to connect it to the Battle of the Kings in the previous chapter.</point>
	<point><b>Chronology of Bereshit 12-14</b><ul>
<li><b>Chronological</b> – This position works best if one assumes that Chapters 12-14 follow chronologically from one another and occurred at some point after Avraham was 75.&#160; This appears to be the way Seder Olam Rabbah reads the verses,<fn>See the note below, though, that the Midrash is not fully consistent, and that there is room to also interpret it as claiming that Avraham was 74 during the Battle of the Kings.</fn> as the midrash suggests that Avraham's arrival in Canaan, the famine, and the war all took place in the same year, when Avraham was 75.<fn>One could have just as easily spread the events over several years, especially since the next dated event (Bereshit 16) occurs when Avraham is 85.</fn></li>
<li><b>Achronological</b> –&#160;<multilink><a href="RashiShabbat10b" data-aht="source">Rashi on the Bavli</a><a href="RashiShabbat10b" data-aht="source">Shabbat 10b</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink><fn><a href="RashiShabbat10b" data-aht="source">Rashi Shabbat 10b</a>&#160;seems to maintain that Sedom was founded when Avraham was 48 and the Battle of the Kings took place 26 years later.&#160; Rashi in his Torah commentary may take a different position.&#160; See&#160;<a href="RashiBereshit12-10" data-aht="source">Rashi Bereshit 12:10</a> where he likely maintains that the descent to Egypt (and thus the events which followed in Bereshit 12–14) transpired after the command to journey to Canaan (which presumably, according to Rashi, happened when Avraham was 75).</fn> and some <multilink><a href="TosafotBerakhot7b_2" data-aht="source">Tosafists</a><a href="TosafotBerakhot7b_2" data-aht="source">Berakhot 7b</a><a href="TosafotShabbat10b" data-aht="source">Shabbat 10b</a><a href="Ba'alei HaTosafot" data-aht="parshan">About Ba'alei HaTosafot</a></multilink>,<fn><multilink><a href="TosafotBerakhot7b_2" data-aht="source">Tosafot</a><a href="TosafotBerakhot7b_2" data-aht="source">Berakhot 7b</a><a href="TosafotShabbat10b" data-aht="source">Shabbat 10b</a><a href="Ba'alei HaTosafot" data-aht="parshan">About Ba'alei HaTosafot</a></multilink>&#160;set Avraham's age at 73.&#160; However, according to their own calculations (Avraham being 48 when Sedom was built and Sedom living in peace for 26 years afterwards), he should be 74.</fn> though, assume that the Battle of the Kings took place when Avraham was 74.<fn>This is based on their understanding of Seder Olam Rabbah who (as discussed above) counts 26 years of servitude to and rebellion against the four kings. According to this reckoning, Avraham would have been only 74 during the war, and this would contradict Seder Olam's later statement that he was 75.&#160; See Chizkuni who attempts to reconcile the internal contradiction.</fn>&#160; However, since the events of Chapters 12 – 15:6 are causal and sequential,<fn>Avraham gains wealth and cattle in Egypt, leading to the dispute between his and Lot's shepherds. As a result, Lot decides to move to Sedom, and it is his presence there which prompts Avraham to wage war against the four kings.</fn> if one dates the war to Avraham's 74th year, one must similarly date most of Chapters 12–13 earlier.&#160; This would wreak chronological havoc, as it would mean that Tanakh has the story of Avraham unfold in reverse chronological order.&#160; [Chapter 12 opens with Avraham at age 75. The text then moves back in time for the events of the rest of Chapters 12–14 to age 74, and then goes even further back in time in Chapter 15 to age 70.]<fn>If one assumes that the Covenant took place in Israel (see next bullet), an additional difficulty arises, for this new dating would mean that Avraham moved back and forth to Canaan multiple times, coming at at age 70 for the Covenant, at 74 to do battle, and at 75 when Hashem commanded him, "לך-לך".&#160; See R. Yechiel of Paris who, in fact, suggests this.&#160; For elaboration, see <a href="Avraham's Aliyah" data-aht="page">Avraham's Aliyah</a>.</fn></li>
</ul></point>
	<point><b>"וְאַבְרָם בֶּן חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים וְשִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה בְּצֵאתוֹ מֵחָרָן"</b> – Bereshit 12:4 suggests that Avraham first departed for Canaan at 75. &#160; As such, this position must assume either that the Covenant took place out of Israel, or (as Seder Olam Rabbah asserts) that Avraham went to Israel at 70 but then returned to live in Charan for five years.<fn><a href="RanBereshit12-5" data-aht="source">Ran</a> suggests that this might explain the doubling in the description of Avraham's leaving Canaan.&#160; Verse 4 states: "ויֵּלֶךְ אַבְרָם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֵלָיו ה' וַיֵּלֶךְ אִתּוֹ לוֹט", and then verse 5 repeats: "וַיִּקַּח אַבְרָם אֶת שָׂרַי אִשְׁתּוֹ וְאֶת לוֹט... וַיֵּצְאוּ לָלֶכֶת".&#160; Ran posits that the first "וַיֵּלֶךְ" refers to Avraham's leaving at the age of 70, while the second speaks of his second aliyah, at the age of 75.</fn>&#160; Each one of these options, though, is fraught with difficulty:<br/>
<ul>
<li><b>Occurred out of Israel</b>&#160;– Chizkuni points out that the phrase, "לָתֶת לְךָ אֶת <b>הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת</b>" implies that the Covenant is taking place in Israel rather than outside of it.&#8206;</li>
<li><b>Returned to Charan</b> –&#160;<a href="RalbagBereshitBeurHaMilot15-6-813" data-aht="source">Ralbag</a> points out that it is unlikely that Avraham would have emigrated from Israel after being promised the land,<fn>The&#160;<a href="RanBereshit12-5" data-aht="source">Ran </a> suggests that Avraham returned only to take care of his possessions and pack up his "lift".&#160; If so, though, it is strange why Hashem would need to command Avraham, "לֶךְ לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ", as if he had not been planning on returning to Israel.&#160; Alternatively, the Ran could have suggested that the command of "לֶךְ לְךָ", too, occurred when Avraham was 70, before making the Covenant, and not at 75.&#160; If so, Avraham really left at 70 and returned at 75 only to finish packing; when the verse writes, "וְאַבְרָם בֶּן חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים וְשִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה בְּצֵאתוֹ מֵחָרָן" it refers to Avraham's final and full departure.</fn> barring extremely dire circumstances (such as famine).<fn>In addition, Ralbag points out that&#160;<a href="Bereshit11-27-32" data-aht="source">Bereshit 11:31</a> states that Avraham journeyed from Ur Kasdim (rather than Canaan) to Charan.This approach could respond that Avraham had really moved from Ur Kasdim to Charan at some point before the Covenant, and the verses in Chapter 11 describe that move, not his return from Canaan.</fn></li>
</ul></point>
	<point><b>Why record the story out of order?</b> This position must explain why the Torah did not write about the Covenant in its chronological place. Rashbam and Chizkuni suggest that the story is written out of order in order to juxtapose the promise of land with the promise of progeny mentioned in the first part of Chapter 15.&#160; This suggestion, though, is unsatisfying as there are multiple places where Hashem promises Avraham land or seed, and they do not always appear together.</point>
	<point><b>Why make a covenant now?</b> This approach would suggest that as this is the first time that Hashem is promising Avraham the land, He accompanies the promise with a covenant, thereby both strengthening and explaining the conditions of the promise.</point>
	<point><b>Night or day?</b> Rashbam points out that the difference in time between the two halves of the chapter is easily explained if one posits that the two are distinct prophecies, occurring many years apart.</point>
	<point><b>Introductory formula – "אֲנִי ה'&#8207;"</b> – Since verse 6 is the beginning of a new prophecy, rather than the continuation of Hashem's words from verse 1, Hashem's new introduction makes sense.<fn>On the other hand, if one posits that this was a continuation, it would be odd for Hashem to first introduce Himself in the middle of the conversation.</fn>&#160; Moreover, if the Covenant took place when Avraham was 70, it is possible that this was the first time that Hashem spoke with Avraham, making such an introduction even more understandable.</point>
	<point><b>"וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו"</b> – The language of "וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו" at the beginning of the Covenant of the Pieces is difficult for this approach, as it appears to indicate that this story continues from where the preceding narrative left off.&#160; Were it an opening of a separate story, one would have expected the standard opening formula of "ויאמר ה' אל אברהם" to identify the participants in the conversation.</point>
	<point><b>Avraham's doubts&#160;– "בַּמָּה אֵדַע כִּי אִירָשֶׁנָּה"</b> – Chizkuni asserts that according to this chronology, at the point that this prophecy was given, Hashem had just promised Avraham land, but had not yet promised him progeny. As such, Avraham's question is a legitimate one.&#160; He is merely asking that if he dies barren, how will the land be his inheritance?<fn>He asserts that, if the chapter really was chronological, it would not be a valid question from a man of faith like Avraham.&#160; If Hashem had just promised him that his own biological child would inherit him, how could Avraham then question the inheritance?</fn>&#160; Moreover, according to this position, this is the first (not the third) promise of land, and so it is logical that questioning comes here rather than elsewhere.</point>
	<point><b>Belief versus doubt</b> – The inconsistency of tone between verse 6 where the text relates that Avraham "believed in Hashem" and verse 8 where Avraham questions Hashem, is not problematic for this position since there is no continuity in time between the verses.&#160; The doubting does not follow belief, but rather precedes it by several years.</point>
	<point><b>Vision vs. sleep</b> – This position might suggest that the two totally disparate prophecies were relayed in different forms.&#160; The first was a vision, while the second began with a series of actions and culminated in a deep slumber.</point>
</category>
<category name="One Single Event">
One Single Event in&#160;Chronological Order
<p>The events of the entire chapter are connected and they are all recorded in their proper chronological place, after the Battle of the Kings.</p>
<mekorot><multilink><a href="BereshitRabbah46-2" data-aht="source">Bereshit Rabbah</a><a href="BereshitRabbah46-2" data-aht="source">46:2</a><a href="Bereshit Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Bereshit Rabbah</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RSaadiaGaonTafsirBereshit15-13" data-aht="source">R. Saadia Gaon</a><a href="RSaadiaGaonTafsirBereshit11-31" data-aht="source">Commentary Bereshit 11:31</a><a href="RSaadiaGaonTafsirBereshit15-13" data-aht="source">Commentary Bereshit 15:13</a><a href="RSaadiaGaonHaEmunotVeHaDeot8-4" data-aht="source">HaEmunot VeHaDeot 8:4</a><a href="R. Saadia Gaon" data-aht="parshan">About R. Saadia Gaon</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="IbnEzraLongCommentaryShemot12-40" data-aht="source">Ibn Ezra</a><a href="IbnEzraBereshit11-29" data-aht="source">Bereshit 11:29</a><a href="IbnEzraBereshit12-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 12:1</a><a href="IbnEzraBereshit15" data-aht="source">Bereshit 15:1,7,12-13,17</a><a href="IbnEzraBereshit24-4" data-aht="source">Bereshit 24:4</a><a href="IbnEzraLongCommentaryShemot12-40" data-aht="source">Long Commentary Shemot 12:40</a><a href="IbnEzraShortCommentaryShemot12-40" data-aht="source">Short Commentary Shemot 12:40</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RYosefBekhorShorShemot12-40" data-aht="source">R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit12-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 12:1</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit15-1-812" data-aht="source">Bereshit 15:1-8, 12</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorShemot12-40" data-aht="source">Shemot 12:40</a><a href="R. Yosef Bekhor Shor" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RadakBereshit15-1-912-13" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakBereshit11-31" data-aht="source">Bereshit 11:31</a><a href="RadakBereshit12-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 12:1</a><a href="RadakBereshit15-1-912-13" data-aht="source">Bereshit 15:1-9, 12-13</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RambanBereshit15-1-713" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanBereshit15-1-713" data-aht="source">Bereshit 15:1-7,13</a><a href="RambanShemot12-40" data-aht="source">Shemot 12:40</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RalbagBereshitBeurHaMilot15-6-813" data-aht="source">Ralbag</a><a href="RalbagBereshitBeurHaMilot15-6-813" data-aht="source">Bereshit Beur HaMilot 15:6-8,13</a><a href="RalbagBereshitBeurHaParashah15-4-13" data-aht="source">Bereshit Beur HaParashah 15:4-13</a><a href="R. Levi b. Gershom (Ralbag, Gersonides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Levi b. Gershom</a></multilink>, Abarbanel, <multilink><a href="HoilMosheBereshit15-116" data-aht="source">Hoil Moshe</a><a href="HoilMosheBereshit15-116" data-aht="source">Bereshit 15:1, 16</a><a href="HoilMosheShemot6-2" data-aht="source">Shemot 6:2</a><a href="R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi (Hoil Moshe)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RDZHoffmannBereshit15-6-8" data-aht="source">R. David Zvi Hoffmann</a><a href="RDZHoffmannBereshit15-6-8" data-aht="source">Bereshit 15:6-8</a><a href="R. David Zvi Hoffmann" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Zvi Hoffmann</a></multilink></mekorot>
	<point><b>"וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו"</b> – The lack of named speaker and audience in this phrase suggest that the verse is a continuation of what came before and is not introducing a new event.&#160; As such, the entire chapter should be viewed as one episode occurring at one point in time.&#160; Since the opening words of the chapter "אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה" clearly connect it to the previous one, the entire chapter must have occurred after the Battle of the Kings.</point>
	<point><b>Introductory formula – "אֲנִי ה'&#8207;"</b><ul>
<li><b>Language of oath</b> – Radak asserts that, in this verse, Hashem was not introducing Himself to Avraham (as it is in the middle of a conversation), but was rather strengthening His promise of the land by stating it in His name.&#160; Radak sees this as comparable to Hashem taking an oath in His name ("בִּי נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי נְאֻם ה'&#8207;").</li>
<li><b>Special introduction for the Covenant</b> – According to R. D"Z Hoffmann, these words do constitute a new opening, since, in his opinion, verse 7 begins a new prophecy, albeit one given within a day of the previous one (see next point).&#160; As such, the introductory formula is not problematic.<fn>One of the advantages of R. Hoffmann's suggestion that the chapter comprises two connected prophecies, is that it manages to make sense of both the language "וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו", which suggests a continuation, and the words "&#8207;אֲנִי ה'&#8207;&#8206;", which suggest a new opening.</fn>&#160; Moreover, since Hashem is about to make a covenant with Avraham, an elaborate opening is warranted.</li>
</ul></point>
	<point><b>Vision vs. sleep</b> – These sources disagree regarding the nature of the prophecy received by Avraham and thus differ in the way they explain this issue:<br/>
<ul>
<li><b>All one vision</b>&#160;– According to R"Y Bekhor Shor, Radak, Ralbag, and Hoil Moshe, the entire chapter occurs in one long vision, including the various actions done by Avraham such as leaving his tent to view the stars<fn>Radak, thus, points out that Avraham was transported from his tent to view the stars in his vision, similar to the way <a href="Yechezkel8-1-4" data-aht="source">Yechezkel </a>was taken to Yerushalayim "בְּמַרְאוֹת אֱ-לֹהִים".</fn> and the slicing of the animals in half.<fn>See Rambam in <a href="RambamMorehNevukhim2-46" data-aht="source">Moreh Nevukhim 2:46</a>&#160; who also reads the prophecy in this manner.</fn>&#160; They suggest that, in the middle of this vision, due to the power of the prophecy, a slumber fell upon Avraham.<fn>Radak compares this to Daniel's words, "וּבְדַבְּרוֹ עִמִּי נִרְדַּמְתִּי ".&#160; He suggests that in the beginning of the vision, when Hashem shared good news, Avraham was not overcome by sleep and fear, but when Hashem began to share the news of exile, deep sleep came upon him.&#160; This, too, finds a parallel in Daniel, whose sleep is also accompanied by the terror of his vision.<br/>Ralbag posits, instead, that at times, due to a prophet's great efforts during prophecy ("התבודדות שכלו מבין שאר כוחות הנפש"), he falls into a deep slumber.&#160; Alternatively, he suggests that Avraham simply fell asleep due to his weariness after the Battle of the Five Kings.&#160; He suggests that the battle took place the night before the vision, in the morning Avraham met with Malkizedek, and before the sun set, he had the prophecy.&#160; By this point, exhaustion overtook him.</fn></li>
<li><b>Periods of wakefulness and prophecy</b> – Ibn Ezra and Abarbanel, in contrast, assert that the chapter alternates between periods in which Avraham was awake and those in which he was sleeping. Thus, after receiving the first part of the prophecy in a vision, Avraham awoke, cut the animals, and only afterwards fell back asleep to receive further prophecy.</li>
<li><b>Two prophecies</b> – According to R. D"Z Hoffmann, the chapter consists of two distinct but consecutive prophecies, with verses 1-6 occurring at night and the rest of the chapter taking place the following day.&#160; Thus, Avraham does not fall asleep mid-vision, but rather only for a separate second revelation.</li>
</ul></point>
	<point><b>Night or day?</b><ul>
<li><b>Day </b>– According to R"Y Bekhor Shor and Ralbag,<fn>Radak and Hoil Moshe are not explicit but, as they agree that Avraham saw the stars while in a prophetic state, it is probable that they also assume that the passage of time was not real but only part of the vision.</fn> the entire vision occurred during the day, as evidenced by the verse, "וַיְהִי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לָבוֹא"&#8206;.<fn>See the above note that Ralbag assumes that the war took place at night, Avraham met Malkizedek in the morning, and received the prophecy near sundown that day.</fn>&#160; The stars Avraham saw were simply part of his dream.<fn>Radak assumes that the particular time frames served as analogies to reinforce the prophetic message. The stars emphasized both the multitudes of Avraham's future progeny and their everlasting light, while the setting of the sun symbolized the darkness of exile.&#160; It is unclear, though, if Radak is suggesting that Hashem purposely had Avraham dream of both night and day to impart this extra message, or if Hashem took advantage of the real life passing of time to do so.</fn>&#160;</li>
<li><b>Night and following day</b> – According to Ibn Ezra and R. D"Z Hoffman, Hashem really did appear to Avraham over a period of a night and the next day.</li>
</ul></point>
	<point><b>Avraham's doubts – "הֵן לִי לֹא נָתַתָּה זָרַע"</b> – These commentators agree that Avraham's words did not stem from doubt in Hashem's earlier promises, but they disagree regarding what he was thinking instead:<br/>
<ul>
<li><b>Lest he sinned</b> - Radak and Ramban suggest that Avraham thought that maybe he had sinned and was no longer deserving of Hashem's promise of progeny.<fn>Ramban connects this fear to the events of the previous chapter, suggesting that Avraham was afraid he would be punished for the people he had killed in battle.</fn></li>
<li><b>Eliezer included in "זַרְעֲךָ"</b> – R"Y Bekhor Shor and Radak posit that perhaps Avraham thought that Eliezer was intended to be the heir in Hashem's earlier promise "לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת", and he thus requested that he have a real son to inherit.&#160; R. Yosef Bekhor Shor suggests that Eliezer may have been a relative and was, thus, included in the term "&#8206;&#8207;לְזַרְעֲךָ",&#8206;<fn>Hashem reassures him that only his biological son ("אֲשֶׁר יֵצֵא מִמֵּעֶיךָ") will inherit.</fn> while Radak suggests that Avraham thought the term included important members of his household.<fn>He points to the phrase, "דֹּרֵשׁ טוֹב לְעַמּוֹ וְדֹבֵר שָׁלוֹם לְכָל זַרְעוֹ" as an example where the term apparently is not limited to one's offspring.</fn></li>
</ul></point>
	<point><b>Avraham's doubts – "בַּמָּה אֵדַע כִּי אִירָשֶׁנָּה"</b> – Most of these commentators maintain that this question, too, is not an expression of doubt in Hashem, as the previous verse just attested to Avraham's belief.&#160; They differ, though, in how they understand Avraham's words:<br/>
<ul>
<li><b>What if sin interferes?</b>&#160; – Radak, Ramban, and Ralbag maintain that Avraham feared lest his children lose their inheritance due to sins ("שמא יגרום החטא").&#160; Ramban asserts that Hashem responded by sealing a covenant which made the inheritance unconditional.</li>
<li><b>How will I inherit?</b> – R"Y Bekhor Shor reinterprets the phrase to mean, "how will I inherit the land".&#160; According to him, Avraham was asking by what means and when would the promise come to fruition.<fn>See Abarbanel and R. D"Z Hoffmann similarly.</fn> [Hashem answers him that first his sons will be enslaved in exile, and only afterwards will they inherit.]</li>
<li><b>Part of the vision</b> – The Hoil Moshe asserts that these words of Avraham are simply part of the vision that Hashem constructed, and don't represent Avraham's thoughts at all.&#160; Hashem put the question into his mouth only as a means of revealing to him that there would be an exile.</li>
</ul></point>
	<point><b>"וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ לּוֹ צְדָקָה"</b> – These sources disagree regarding who is the subject of this phrase:<br/>
<ul>
<li><b>Hashem</b> – According to Radak and R. D"Z Hoffmann, it is Hashem who thinks that Avraham's belief was meritorious.&#160; At such an old age and after so many years of waiting, it was no easy feat to maintain faith.&#160; R. Hoffmann, in fact, claims that it is as a reward for this faith that Hashem then makes the covenant with him.</li>
<li><b>Avraham</b> – R"Y Bekhor Shor, Ramban, Ralbag, and Abarbanel disagree,<fn>They are preceded by R. Yosef Kara, who relates to this verse in the context of his interpretation of Devarim 24:13 ("וכן והאמין בי"י ויחש[בה לו צדקה] שפתר' ויחשבה לו אברהם שהק'ב'ה' שיבטיח לו הבטחתו לתת לזרעו את הארץ").</fn> claiming that it should be expected that Avraham will have belief.<fn>It is possible that anti-Christian polemics played a role in these exegetes' dismissal of the possibility that the verse would have Hashem praising Avraham just for his faith. Paul's pointing to Avraham as an exemplar of faith rather than deeds, might have led Jewish exegetes to stress that Avraham's belief alone was not particularly meritorious.&#160; For more on this, see Rut Ben Meir, "אברהם בהגותו של רמב"ן", in &#8206;אברהם אבי המאמינים (ed. M. Chalamish, H. Kasher, Y. Silman), Jerusalem, 5762: 155-165.</fn>&#160; Rather, the verse must mean that Avraham viewed Hashem's act as an act of "&#8206;&#8207;צדק".&#8206;<fn>These commentators disagree regarding the meaning of the word "צְדָקָה", with R"Y Bekhor Shor and Ramban understanding it as an act of mercy, and Ralbag and Abarbanel viewing at as righteousness. The difference relates to whether Avraham thought he deserved the promise or not.</fn></li>
</ul></point>
	<point><b>When was the Covenant?</b> Although all of these commentators agree that the Covenant took place after the war (as the opening connecting phase "אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה" would suggest), they disagree regarding the specific year:<fn>Most of these exegetes don't address the exact date at all, simply asserting that the chapters are chronological.&#160; Since the known dates in the surrounding unit are Avraham's leaving Charan at 75 (Chapter 12) and the giving of Hagar to Avraham at 85 (Chapter 16), the Covenant could have occurred at any point between these two.</fn>&#160; <br/>
<ul>
<li><b>Eighty</b> – According to Ramban, Avraham was 80 years old at the time of the Covenant.&#160; This is midway between the two ages mentioned in the surrounding chapters (75 in Chapter 12 and 85 in Chapter 16).</li>
<li><b>Eighty-five</b> – Bereshit Rabbah and Ralbag set Avraham's age at 85,<fn>Cf. Genesis Apocryphon (1Q20) XXII:27 which also places the events of Bereshit 15 ten years after Avraham left from Charan.</fn> the age given for Avraham in the next chapter.<fn>See Bereshit 16:3 which notes that the subsequent events took place ten years after Avraham had immigrated to Canaan.&#160; Ralbag asserts that Avraham's complaint, "וְאָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ עֲרִירִי" connects it to the topic of the next chapter, the giving of Hagar to Avraham so that he could bear children, making it likely that the events of the two chapters are close in time.</fn>&#160;</li>
</ul></point>
	<point><b>Why now?</b> It is not clear why Hashem would have waited until now to make a covenant with Avraham regarding the future inheritance, while sufficing with promises until now:<br/>
<ul>
<li><b>Reward</b> – R. D"Z Hoffmann suggests that Hashem was originally simply responding to Avraham's fears post the war.&#160; Then, as a reward for the great faith that Avraham expressed ("וְהֶאֱמִן בַּי"י וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ לּוֹ צְדָקָה"), Hashem decided to seal His promise with a covenant.</li>
<li><b>Reassurance</b> – Ramban suggests that after the war, Avraham feared that the kings would retaliate and he would be killed before Hashem's promises came to fruition.&#160; Hashem, thus, reconfirmed the blessings, and by making a covenant, He further reassured Avraham that the blessing was unconditional.</li>
<li><b>Explanation</b> – One might posit instead, that after conquering the four kings, Avraham felt that he was beginning to realize the promise of inheriting the land.&#160; Hashem, thus, needed to reveal to him that in reality, the promise was not to be fulfilled until after 400 years of exile and slavery.<fn>See&#160;<a href="http://www.biu.ac.il/jh/Parasha/lech/beny.html">ברית בין הבתרים</a> by Menahem Ben Yashar who explains similarly.</fn></li>
</ul></point>
	<point><b>400 vs. 430</b> – These commentators resolve the discrepancy in a variety of ways, none of which require rearranging the chronology of Bereshit 15:<fn>For a full discussion of the issue, see <a href="Duration of the Egyptian Exile." data-aht="page">Duration of the Egyptian Exile</a>.</fn><br/>
<ul>
<li><b>Varying starting points</b> – According to R. Saadia Gaon, Ibn Ezra, and R"Y Bekhor Shor, the 430 years begin from Avraham's departure from Charan at age 70,<fn>All three exegetes assume that Avraham left Ur Kasdim to go to Charan five years prior to his arrival in Canaan.&#160; According to R. Saadia and Ibn Ezra the command "לֶךְ לְךָ" was given already at this point, while according to R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, it was first issued after Avraham arrived and lived in Charan for five years. For elaboration on the possibilities, see <a href="Avraham's Aliyah" data-aht="page">Avraham's Aliyah</a>.</fn> while the 400 year period starts with Yitzchak's birth (as this verse specifies "זַרְעֲךָ").</li>
<li><b>Change of plan</b> – In contrast, according to both Ramban and Ralbag,<fn>Both raise other possible explanations as well.</fn> the 430 years begin from the Covenant, which took place at either 80 (Ramban) or 85 (Ralbag). Ramban suggests that the original decree was for 400 years, but an extra 30 years of exile were later added due to the nation's sins.&#160; Ralbag, instead, claims that the 400 years begins with Yaakov's birth, but Hashem later decided to shorten the decree by 45 years.</li>
<li><b>Round number</b> – Both Abarbanel<fn>Abarbanel also raises the possibility of Ramban above that Hashem added thirty years to the exile.</fn> and Hoil Moshe resolve the discrepancy by suggesting that 400 is simply a round number.<fn>They disagree, though, regarding what they think the 430 refers to.&#160; Hoil Moshe claims that this was indeed the amount of time spent by the Israelites in Egypt, while Abarbanel claims that it refers to the years of exile starting from Yitzchak's birth.</fn></li>
</ul></point>
</category>
</approaches>
</page>
</aht-xml>