After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am your shield, and your exceeding great reward.
A.
Genesis 46:2 And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.
Numbers 12:6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
1 Samuel 9:9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)
Fear.
Genesis 15:14-16 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance…
Genesis 26:24 And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.
Genesis 46:3 And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:
thy shield.
Deuteronomy 33:29 Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.
Psalm 3:3 But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
Psalm 5:12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
and thy.
Deuteronomy 33:26-29 There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky…
Ruth 2:12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.
Psalm 16:5,6 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot…
the word of the LORD came to Abram
This indicates divine revelation, a common biblical motif where God communicates directly with His chosen individuals. It underscores the personal relationship between God and Abram, a precursor to the covenant relationship.
in a vision
Visions are a means of divine communication in the Bible, often used to convey important messages. This method emphasizes the supernatural aspect of God's revelation and Abram's role as a prophet.
Do not be afraid, Abram.
Fear is a natural human response, especially after significant events like battles. God's reassurance addresses Abram's potential fears about retaliation or uncertainty about his future, emphasizing God's protection and provision.
I am your shield,
The imagery of a shield suggests protection and defense. This metaphor is used throughout Scripture to describe God's protective nature (e.g., Psalm 3:3, Psalm 18:2), reinforcing the idea of divine security.
your very great reward.
This promise highlights God's provision and blessing, not just materially but spiritually. It foreshadows the covenant promises of descendants and land, and ultimately points to the spiritual inheritance found in Christ (Galatians 3:29).
• The phrase looks back to Abram’s rescue of Lot and refusal to keep the spoils of war (Genesis 14).
• Abram had turned down wealth offered by the king of Sodom (Genesis 14:22-23), choosing to trust God’s provision.
• His faith was rewarded with God’s immediate response, much like Elijah’s faith after Carmel led to fresh revelation (1 Kings 19:5-13).
• God initiates the conversation; Abram is not seeking a sign, but God graciously gives one (cf. 1 Samuel 3:1-10).
• Visions are one of God’s chosen means of revelation (Numbers 12:6; Acts 9:10-12).
• The personal nature—“to Abram”—highlights that God knows His servant by name (Isaiah 43:1).
• Fear was natural after battling four powerful kings (Genesis 14:15-16). God quiets that fear before giving further promises (Joshua 1:9; Isaiah 41:10).
• The command “Do not be afraid” appears repeatedly to God’s people whenever He is about to act on their behalf (Luke 2:10; Revelation 1:17).
• God Himself promises protective covering, not merely sending protection (Deuteronomy 33:29; Psalm 3:3).
• Abram’s earlier victory could tempt reliance on military strength; God redirects the focus to divine defense (Psalm 91:4-5).
• A “shield” implies absorbing blows meant for Abram, foreshadowing the ultimate protection found in Christ (Ephesians 6:16).
• Abram had refused earthly reward; God offers Himself instead (Psalm 73:25-26).
• Eternal reward outweighs temporal riches (Hebrews 11:6, 13-16).
• The wording underlines relationship over possessions: God is both Giver and Gift (Psalm 16:5; Revelation 21:3-4).
Genesis 15:1 shows the Lord stepping into Abram’s story right after a costly act of faith. God reassures, protects, and rewards by giving nothing less than Himself. The verse teaches that when believers risk obedience, God personally addresses their fears, stands as their defense, and becomes their greatest treasure.
XV.JEHOVAH'S COVENANT WITH ABRAM.
(1) After these things.--After the war with Chedorlaomer.
The word of the Lord came (Heb., was) unto Abram.--This phrase, used so constantly afterwards to signify revelation, occurs here for the first time. The revelation on this occasion is made by night (Genesis 15:5), not however in a dream, but in a trance, in which the senses of Abram were closed to all earthly impressions and he became passive in the hands of the Almighty. Up to this time Abram had received only general promises of offspring, and of the land being the possession of his seed; but years were passing by, and the fulfilment of his hopes remained distant as ever. By the war with the Elamite king he had also made for himself powerful enemies; and though the immediate result was fortunate, yet many Canaanite nations may have witnessed with displeasure so remarkable an exhibition of the power and energy of an "immigrant." And thus the time had come when the patriarch needed and obtained more formal assurances, first, of the bestowal upon him of offspring (Genesis 15:1-6), and, secondly, of the future possession of Palestine (Genesis 15:18-21).
Verse 1. - After these things - the events just recorded - the word of the Lord - Deb ar Jehovah; the first occurrence of this remarkable phrase, afterwards so common in the Hebrew Scriptures (Exodus 9:20; Numbers 3:16; Deuteronomy 34:5; 1 Samuel 3:1; Psalm 33:6 , et passim). That this was a personal designation of the pre-incarnate Logos, if not susceptible of complete demonstration, yet receives not a little sanction from the language employed throughout this narrative (cf. Vers. 5, 7, 9, 13, 14, etc.). At least the expression denotes "the Lord manifesting himself by speech to his servant" (Murphy; vide Genesis 1:3) - came (literally, was) unto Abram in a vision - a night vision, but no dream (vide Ver. 5). Biblically viewed, the vision, as distinguished from the ordinary dream, defines the presentation to the bodily senses or to the mental consciousness of objects usually beyond the sphere of their natural activities; hence visions might be imparted in dreams (Numbers 12:6), or in trances (Numbers 24:4, 16, 17). Saying, Fear not, Abram. With allusion, doubtless, to the patriarch's mental dejection, which was probably occasioned by the natural re action consequent upon his late high-pitched excitement (cf. 1 Kings 19:4), which might lead him to anticipate either a war of revenge from the Asiatic monarchs (Jonathan), or an assault from the heathen Canaanites, already jealous of his growing power, or perhaps both. Wordsworth observes that the words here addressed to Abram are commonly employed in Scripture to introduce announcements of Christ (Luke 1:13, 30; John 12:15; cf. St. John's vision, Revelation 4:1). I am thy shield, and thy exceed lag great reward. Literally, thy reward, exceeding abundantly, the hiphil inf. abs. הַרְבֵּה being always used adverbially (cf. Nehemiah 2:2; Nehemiah 3:33), The other rendering, "thy reward m exceeding great" (LXX., Rosenmüller, Delitzsch, Ewald), fails to give prominence to the thought that the patriarch's reward was to be the all-sufficient Jehovah himself. It is not needful to suppose with Lange an actual vision of a shield and treasure.