As some commentators point out, the section from verse 12 to verse 16 describes another dream or trance that interrupts the course of the oath ritual. The natural sequence of that ritual moves from the end of verse 11 to the beginning of verse 17. For many translators, however, there will be no need for special marking of this section, since it fits naturally into the sequence of events that come before it and after it.

As the sun was going down is the setting in time of the next episode. This setting remains until verse 17, which moves the action to the next development.

A deep sleep fell on Abram: deep sleep translates the same word used in 2.21, when God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam before taking one of his ribs. In a number of languages this kind of sleep is described idiomatically as a “dead sleep,” or people say “he slept as if he were dead.” Speiser, New Jerusalem Bible, and Revised English Bible anticipate the fact that the LORD will speak to Abram in this sleep, by calling it a “trance.” See also Job 33.15.

And lo: see 8.11.

A dread and great darkness is similar to the experience of Eliphaz, when a spirit visited him in the night in Job 4.13-15. The narrator pictures Abram as experiencing the approach of God, which produces a great sense of fear. The darkness may be so that Abram will not see God, as this could cause death.

The Hebrew expression consists of three words, and it is not clear whether these words refer to one or two items. Revised Standard Version apparently takes the expression to mean two things, “fear” and “darkness.” Good News Translation seems to do the same, although it takes darkness as another meaning of fear and so translates “fear and terror came over him.” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “Suddenly he was surrounded by a great darkness and was filled with fear.” Others take the Hebrew expression to refer to one item only; for example, Bible en français courant understands darkness as a quality of terror and so translates “a great and somber terror took hold of him.” Revised English Bible is similar, also Speiser “deep dark dread.” All of these are suitable models for translation.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .