Abraham's Covenant Animals as the Four Kingdoms over Israel

"And the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses" (Genesis 15:11) — these are the birds that tear at prey. "And Abram drove them away" — he made them fly off from upon them. Another interpretation: "Take Me a heifer of three years old" (Genesis 15:9) — this is Babylon, which set up three kings over Israel: Nebuchadnezzar, and Evil-merodach, and Belshazzar. And just as a heifer loves to thresh, so the kingdom of Babylon loves to thresh Israel, as it is said, "O my threshing, and the corn of my floor" (Isaiah 21:10). "And a she-goat of three years old" — this is Greece, of which it is written, "And the rough he-goat of the goats came from the west" (Daniel 8:8), and it set up three kings: Alexander of Macedon, and Gaskalnes, and Antoninus. "And a ram of three years old" — this is Media, as it is said, "The ram which you saw having the two horns are the kings of Media and Persia" (Daniel 8:20), and it set up three kings over Israel: Cyrus, and Ahasuerus, and Darius son of Ahasuerus. "And a turtledove" — this is Edom, for thus it is written, "And much increase is by the strength of the ox" (Proverbs 14:4). "And a young pigeon" — these are Israel, as it is said, "the wings of a dove covered with silver" (Psalms 68:14). And why is it called a young pigeon (gozal)? Because these four kingdoms rob (gozelin) Israel. "And he divided them in the midst" — in order to weaken them. "And laid each piece one against another" — for no kingdom touches its fellow even by so much as a hair's breadth. "But the bird he did not divide" — this is the young pigeon, so that Israel should have strength to endure their decrees. "And the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses" — this is David son of Jesse, who is called a bird of prey, as it is said, "the speckled bird of prey is My heritage to Me" (Jeremiah 12:9). "And Abram drove them away" — Abraham made them fly off, so that they should have no portion in the World to Come. "And as the sun was about to set" (Genesis 15:12) — this is the Messiah son of David, who is called "sun," as it is said, "and his throne as the sun before Me" (Psalms 89:36). "And a deep sleep fell upon Abram" — until the Messiah comes, Israel will be as though slumbering among them. "And lo, a dread" (Genesis 15:12) — this is the kingdom of Edom, as it is said, "dreadful and terrible and exceedingly strong" (Daniel 7:7). "Darkness" — this is Greece, which darkened the eyes of Israel with their decrees, for they would write upon the horn of Israel's ox: "You have no portion in the God of Israel." "Great" — this is the kingdom of Media, as it is said, "After these things King Ahasuerus made great" (Esther 3:1). "Fell upon him" — this is Babylon, as it is said, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon" (Isaiah 21:9). Four things did the Holy One, blessed be He, show to Abraham: Torah, and sacrifices, and the kingdoms, and Gehinnom. Torah, from where? As it is said, "and a flaming torch" (Genesis 15:17). Sacrifices: "Take Me a heifer of three years old." Gehinnom: "a smoking furnace" (Genesis 15:17). The kingdoms: "dread, darkness." He said to him: All the while that your children occupy themselves with Torah and with the commandments, they are saved from Gehinnom and from the kingdoms; but the Temple is destined to be destroyed and the sacrifices to cease. Abraham said to Him: What do You wish — that Your children descend into Gehinnom, or that they be enslaved to the kingdoms? [Abraham chose for himself the kingdoms; what is the reason? As it is said, "unless their Rock had sold them" (Deuteronomy 32:30), and "their Rock" is none other than Abraham], as it is said, "Look to the rock from which you were hewn; look to Abraham your father" (Isaiah 51:1-2). And from where do we know that the Holy One, blessed be He, desired this matter? As it is said, "and the LORD had given them up" (Deuteronomy 32:30).