He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” - Genesis 15:9
When the Lord was establishing the Abrahamic covenant with Abram, Abram asked how he was to know that he is to possess the promised land. The Lord told him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” He brought them, cut all but the birds in half, and laid each half over against the other. When birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. Abram fell into a deep sleep, and the Lord revealed the future of the nation that would descend from him. (Genesis 15)
- “Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
- and come away,
- for behold, the winter is past;
- the rain is over and gone.
- The flowers appear on the earth,
- the time of singing has come,
- and the voice of the turtledove
- is heard in our land.
- The fig tree ripens its figs,
- and the vines are in blossom;
- they give forth fragrance."
(Song of Solomon 2:10-13)