Genesis 15:1

The LORD’s Covenant With Abram

1 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield,^[a]your very great reward.^[b] ”

Genesis 15:1 in Other Translations

1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great."

1 Some time later, the LORD spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.”

1 After all these things, this word of God came to Abram in a vision: "Don't be afraid, Abram. I'm your shield. Your reward will be grand!"

1 After these things the word of Jehovah came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, [and] thy exceeding great reward.

1 Later the LORD spoke his word to Abram in a vision. He said, "Abram, don't be afraid. I am your shield. Your reward will be very great."

1 After these events, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield; your reward will be very great.

1 Some time later, Abram had a vision. The LORD said to him, "Abram, do not be afraid. I am like a shield to you. I am your very great reward."

Genesis 15:1 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 15:1

After these things
The battle of the kings, the captivity of Lot, the rescue of him and his goods, and of those of Sodom and Gomorrah by Abram, and the conversation that passed between him, and the kings of Sodom and Salem:

the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision;
Christ, the essential Word, appeared to Abram in an human form, visible to him, and with an articulate voice spoke unto him:

saying,
as follows,

fear not, Abram;
calling him by his name, the more to encourage him, and to dissipate his fears to which he was subject; which might be, lest the nations that belonged to the four kings he had conquered and slain should recruit their armies, and come against him with greater force; and the brethren and relations of those he had slain should avenge themselves on him, as the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem suggest; and therefore the Lord bids him not give way to those fears, for, adds he,

I [am] thy shield;
to protect him against all his enemies, be they ever so strong and numerous; as Christ is the shield of his people against all their spiritual enemies, sin, Satan, and the world, which being held up in the hand of faith, called therefore the shield of faith, is a security against them:

[and] thy exceeding great reward;
though he had generously refused taking any reward for the service he had done in pursuing the kings, and slaughtering them, and bringing back the persons and goods they had took away; yet he should be no loser by it, the Lord would reward him in a way of grace with greater and better things; nay, he himself would be his reward, and which must be a great one, an exceeding great one; as Christ is to his people in his person, offices, and grace, all being theirs, and he all in all to them; all the blessings of grace and glory coming along with him, and he being their portion here and hereafter, to all eternity; for since he is theirs, all are theirs, all things appertaining to life and godliness, and eternal life itself.

Genesis 15:1 In-Context

1 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield,your very great reward. ”

2 But Abram said, “Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?”

3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

4 Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.”

5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

Cross References

• 1. 1 Samuel 15:10; 2 Samuel 7:4; 1 Kings 6:11; 1 Kings 12:22; Jeremiah 1:13; Ezekiel 3:16; Daniel 10:1
• 2. Genesis 46:2; Numbers 12:6; Numbers 24:4; Ruth 1:20; Job 33:15
• 3. Genesis 21:17; Genesis 26:24; Genesis 46:3; Exodus 14:13; Exodus 20:20; 2 Kings 6:16; 2 Chronicles 20:15,17; Psalms 27:1; Isaiah 7:4; Isaiah 41:10,13-14; Isaiah 43:1,5; Jeremiah 1:8; Haggai 2:5
• 4. Deuteronomy 33:29; 2 Samuel 22:3,31; Psalms 3:3; Psalms 5:12; Psalms 18:2; Psalms 28:7; Psalms 33:20; Psalms 84:11; Psalms 119:114; Psalms 144:2; Proverbs 2:7; Proverbs 30:5
• 5. Psalms 18:20; Psalms 37:25; Psalms 58:11; Isaiah 3:10

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "sovereign"
• [b]. Or "shield;" / "your reward will be very great"