וַיְהִ֤י הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ לָב֔וֹא וְתַרְדֵּמָ֖ה נָפְלָ֣ה עַל־אַבְרָ֑ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֵימָ֛ה חֲשֵׁכָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה נֹפֶ֥לֶת עָלָֽיו׃
Le soleil étant sur son déclin, une torpeur s’empara d’Abram: tandis qu’une angoisse sombre profonde pesait sur lui.
The Midrash of Philo
What is the meaning of the words, "About the time of the setting of the sun a trance fell upon Abraham; and lo, a great horror of darkness came over him?" (Genesis 15:12).
Who is the Heir of Divine Things
[249] “About sunset” it continues, “an ‘ecstasy’ fell upon Abraham and lo a great dark terror falls upon him” (Gen. 15:12). Now “ecstasy” or “standing out” takes different forms. Sometimes it is a mad fury producing mental delusion due to old age or melancholy or other similar cause. Sometimes it is extreme amazement at the events which so often happen suddenly and unexpectedly. Sometimes it is passivity of mind, if indeed the mind can ever be at rest; and the best form of all is the divine possession or frenzy to which the prophets as a class are subject.