The Cutting of the Covenant (Exodus 24:1-18)

The Epic Life - Bob Hallman · Nov 21, 2024 · 53m

In Old Testament times, legal and binding covenants were not drafted by attorneys and then signed by the parties involved. Instead, legal agreements were formalized by means of a very graphic covenant ceremony.

Called, “Beriyth” (to cut a covenant), this ceremony ratifying a legal agreement was sealed by cutting an animal in half. Then the two participating parties would pass between the halves while repeating the terms of the covenant. By doing so, the two parties were stating, “If I fail to fulfill my commitments to this covenant, may I suffer the same fate as this animal.”

This process is…