8. But Abram said, "Lord and King, how can I know I will take this land as my own?"
9. So the Lord said to him, "Bring me a young cow. Also bring a goat and a ram. All of them must be three years old. Bring a dove and a young pigeon along with them."
10. Abram brought all of them to the Lord. Abram cut them in two. He placed the halves opposite each other. But he didn't cut the birds in half.
11. Then large birds came down to eat the dead bodies of the animals and birds. But Abram chased the large birds away.
12. As the sun was going down, Abram fell into a deep sleep. A thick and terrible darkness covered him.