Genesis 15:1

1. After these things After the exciting events of the last chapter Abram returned to the oak grove of Mamre, and seems to have grown despondent . He had implicitly confided in Jehovah, and would not entangle himself with the nations around him beyond the simple alliances of mutual friendship . But where was his reward? The years passed on and he remained childless, and yet Jehovah had promised to make his seed as the dust of the earth . Genesis 13:16. It would have been only human, under such circumstances, to yield to doubts and fears, and the recent invasion of the Eastern kings may well have impressed him with a feeling of insecurity and danger. Under such circumstances a fresh revelation from Jehovah was especially opportune.

The word of the Lord came “This is the first time in which the word of the Lord is said to “come” (Hebrews, to be) unto man. The ancient Jews regarded all the manifestations of Jehovah as made through his Word, or through the Shechinah, and hence the Targums often translate Lord by Word of the Lord where there is such manifestation. God is also often said to reveal himself by his angel, or messenger; and yet this angel is identified with him, as Jacob wrestled with an angel in the form of man, (Genesis 32:24,) who yet is called God . Genesis 32:28-30. Hagar receives a communication from an angel whom yet she names God. Genesis 16:7; Genesis 16:13. The promised Messiah was to be the ‘angel of mighty counsel,’ (Isaiah 9:5, in LXX,) the ‘angel of the covenant,’ (Malachi 3:1,) and when at last the ‘Word was made flesh’ these Old Testament adumbrations of the Incarnation were understood as they could not have been by patriarchs and prophets. The God revealed was ever the Word, afterwards Incarnate, although they knew it not.” HENGST. Christol., 3: 2.

Vision All the incidents of this chapter may have passed before Abram in vision, that is, “in a state of ecstasy by an inward spiritual intuition, and that not in a nocturnal vision, as in Genesis 46:2, but in the daytime.” Keil. But more likely it continued through one day and parts of two nights. See note at the beginning of the chapter.

Fear not. Why this admonition? 1) The flesh shrinks when the purest are brought face to face with God. So Daniel, (Daniel 10:19,) Mary, (Luke 1:30,) and John, (Revelation 1:17,) shrank before their wondrous revelations, and heard the strengthening words, “Fear not.” 2) Abram had just fought and vanquished the confederate kings of the East (chap. 14,) in order to rescue Lot, his “brother,” and would naturally fear a rally and return of these powerful chiefs.

I am thy shield A mighty defence against all earthly foes. With such a cover, why fear?

Exceeding great reward Or, thy reward shall be great exceedingly; grow greater and greater with the coming years. “There is here a double promise, 1) of protection from evil, and 2) bestowal of good. God would be a shield between him and all his foes, and would be himself a reward ‘great exceedingly’ (not simply bestow rewards) for his obedience and trust. He was childless and landless, but JEHOVAH himself, the Self-existent, would be his inheritance.” Newhall.