Genesis 15:17

17. When the sun went down, and it was dark The progress of time is marked; in Genesis 15:12, when the sun was going down; here when it went down, and darkness was on all things. The Hebrew word for darkness in this verse is different from that so rendered in Genesis 15:12. There it means soul darkness; here night’s darkness.

A smoking furnace Hebrews, an oven of smoke. According to Jahn, the tannur, here rendered furnace, was a moveable oven, constructed of brick, and plastered within and without with clay. The burning lamp is not to be regarded as another and distinct object, separate from the furnace. A better version is, flames of fire. The thing seen was a moving oven, from the top of which issued a flame of fire in the midst of a cloud of smoke. Like the pillar of cloud and fire, (Exodus 13:21,) this smoke and flame were symbols of the presence and power of Jehovah; not solely “symbols of the wrath of God,” (Keil,) nor yet to be construed as “the smoke of destruction, and the light of salvation . ” Murphy . All these thoughts lie in the background, but the great thought is, that Jehovah himself, by these symbols of his personal presence and manifestation, condescends to covenant with Abram, and passed between those pieces. God’s penal judgments may well be symbolized by a smoking furnace, (comp . Genesis 19:28; Malachi 4:1,) and flaming fire may denote either the consuming wrath (Psalms 89:46; Lamentations 2:3) or the salvation of God, (Isaiah 62:1:) and Jehovah’s presence and power among his covenant people would be displayed in both these ways avenging them on their enemies when they were injured, and chastening and smiting them when they sinned .