Genesis 15:1
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.
Study Note
Study Note
The divine word 'Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward' comes after the battle of the kings (Genesis 14) in a context of both military victory and existential vulnerability — Abram has made enemies and remains childless. The word 'shield' (magen) is the first occurrence of this title for God in the Hebrew Bible, and it becomes a standard divine epithet in the Psalms (Psalm 3:3; 18:2; 28:7) and liturgical tradition (the first benediction of the Amidah: 'Shield of Abraham'). The declaration 'I am thy exceeding great reward' (ANI shekarcha harbeh meod) is theologically significant: God does not merely give reward, he is the reward — the promise itself is the relationship with the promiser. Hebrews 11:6's 'he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him' and Revelation 21:7's 'I will be his God, and he shall be my son' preserve this relational definition of divine reward.
Other Translations
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.
After these things hath the word of Jehovah been unto Abram in a vision, saying, `Fear not, Abram, I <FI>am<Fi> a shield to thee, thy reward <FI>is<Fi> exceeding great.'
After these things, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, Have no fear, Abram: I will keep you safe, and great will be your reward.
Cross References
Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, …
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; …
Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer, …
But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: …
Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the …
Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O …
Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are …
I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that …
And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be …
And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, …