How did Abram divide the sacrificial animals in Genesis 15:10?
Abram took the animals and divided them in the midst, splitting each carcass down the middle as a slaughterhouse splits beef on a rail. He laid each piece one against another with a space between them, like an alleyway, but he did not divide the birds.
Les explains that the parting of these sacrificial animals was the customary way of transferring real estate in ancient times. Since the Tower of Babel, paganism was steeped in constant animal sacrifice, and pagan title-deed transfer used the same practice. God was doing this on Abram's behalf to prove He meant what He said. God told Abram to take a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon. Abram divided the carcasses in the midst, splitting them down the middle like a slaughterhouse splits beef on a rail. He laid each piece one against another with a space between, like an alleyway. But the birds he did not divide. Later, in that hot Middle East, birds of prey and vultures came down on the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.
And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.