Verse 17 picks up again the action of the oath ritual from the end of verse 11. In verse 12 the sun was going down, and now in verse 17 it has gone down and the next events take place in the darkness. Verse 17 describes the rite or ritual of making a covenant and taking an oath. The events described here have parallels in other ancient Middle Eastern texts. See also Jer 34.18-20.

When the sun had gone down and it was dark serves as the time setting of the oath ritual. The darkness conceals from Abram the presence of the LORD, which must not be seen (Exo 33.20).

Behold calls attention to the sudden appearance of the smoking pot and the torch. A smoking fire pot is literally “a smoking oven,” described by Driver as an earthenware stove used for baking bread; the stove is heated by placing burning embers at the bottom. Speiser takes it to refer to a “brazier,” which is a pan for holding burning coals; Revised English Bible also translates “brazier.” But the exact nature of this object is not certain. In many areas an oven is constructed of earth or cement, and it is hard to imagine such an object moving around. Braziers are known in many areas and are light enough to be moved about. If necessary a term such as “a smoking pan of burning coals” or “a pan filled with burning coals” will be adequate.

A flaming torch: that is, a burning stick, or coconut leaf, or other object that flames. Bible en français courant understands that the brazier gives off smoke and flames: “Suddenly a brazier from which flames and smoke escaped passed between….” Good News Translation has “a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch suddenly appeared….”

Passed between these pieces means that the objects moved along between the halves of the divided animals.

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 .