Deuteronomy 29:12

“That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the Lord thy God, etc.] That is, they were all to appear and stand in this order before the Lord, that they might solemnly avouch him to be their God, and hear him declaring them to be his people, and the many promises and prophecies of good things he should deliver to them, as well as threatenings of wrath and vengeance in case of disobedience to him: or “that thou shouldest pass” f542 : which some think is an allusion to the manner of making covenants, by slaying a creature, and cutting it in pieces, and passing between them, as in (<243418>Jeremiah 34:18); so Jarchi and Aben Ezra: and into his oath; annexed to his covenant and promise, to show…”

“Into covenant and into his oath - Into covenant, confirmed by a solemn oath. Deuteronomy 29:13”

“29:12 The technical phrase to enter into the covenant meant subscribing to the terms of the agreement.”

“thou shouldest: Deu 5:2, Deu 5:3; Exo 19:5, Exo 19:6; Jos 24:25; Kg2 11:17; Ch2 15:12-15 enter: Heb. pass, This is an allusion to the solemn ceremony used by several ancient nations, when they entered into a covenant with each other. The victims, slain as a sacrifice on this occasion, were divided, and and parts laid asunder. the contracting parties then passed between them, imprecating, as a curse on those who violated the sacred compact, that they might in like manner be cut asunder ( Gen 15:10). St. Cyril, in his work against Julian, shows that passing between the divided parts of a victim was used also among the Chaldeans and other people. into his oath: Deu 29:14; Ch2 15:12-15; Neh…”