“sheep and cattle.” It was customary in the making of a covenant that gifts would be exchanged.

“cut a covenant.” Although the term “cut a covenant” is sometimes used as a general term for making a covenant even when it is not a blood covenant, it is likely that Abraham and Abimelech made a blood covenant at this time. However, the form of the covenant is not known. For example, instead of cutting themselves, they may have killed animals and walked between the pieces (cp. Gen. 15:10, 17; Jer. 34:18).