The Covenant of the Pieces

God tells Abram to cut a heifer, a goat, a ram, a dove, and a pigeon in half and lay the halves opposite each other. As the sun sets Abram falls into a deep sleep and a terrifying darkness descends. God announces 400 years of slavery for his descendants. Then, at midnight, a smoking firepot and a blazing torch pass between the severed pieces — and the covenant is sealed in blood.