Time period
Early 2nd Millennium BC (Patriarchal Period)
Cultural background
The chapter is set in a time when tribal and familial structures were central to society. Covenants were common in ancient Near Eastern cultures as binding agreements.
Political environment
The region was composed of city-states and small kingdoms, with no dominant empire. The land of Canaan was inhabited by various tribes and peoples.
Geographical setting
The events occur in the land of Canaan, a region that would later become the Promised Land for the Israelites.
Societal norms
Covenants were solemn agreements often sealed with rituals. The practice of animal sacrifice was a common way to formalize such agreements.
Significant figures
Abram (later Abraham)
Connected events