Genesis 15:1
1. After these things—the conquest of the invading kings.
the word of the Lord—a phrase used, when connected with a vision, to denote a prophetic message. Fear not, Abram—When the excitement of the enterprise was over, he had become a prey to despondency and terror at the probable revenge that might be meditated against him. To dispel his fear, he was favored with this gracious announcement. Having such a promise, how well did it become him (and all God's people who have the same promise) to dismiss fears, and cast all burdens on the Lord (Ps 27:3). Job 22:21-26
21. Eliphaz takes it for granted, Job is not yet "acquainted" with God; literally, "become a companion of God." Turn with familiar confidence to God.
and be—So thou shalt be: the second imperatively expresses the consequence of obeying the first (Ps 37:27). peace—prosperity and restoration to Job; true spiritually also to us (Ro 5:1; Col 1:20). good— (1Ti 4:8).22. lay up— (Ps 119:11).
23. Built up—anew, as a restored house.
thou shalt put away—rather, "If thou put away" [MICHAELIS].24. Rather, containing the protasis from the last clause of Job 22:23, "If thou regard the glittering metal as dust"; literally, "lay it on on the dust"; to regard it of as little value as the dust on which it lies. The apodosis is at Job 22:25, Then shall the Almighty be, &c. God will take the place of the wealth, in which thou didst formerly trust.
gold—rather, "precious" or "glittering metal," parallel to "(gold) of Ophir," in the second clause [UMBREIT and MAURER]. Ophir—derived from a Hebrew word "dust," namely, gold dust. HEEREN thinks it a general name for the rich countries of the South, on the African, Indian, and especially the Arabian coast (where was the port Aphar. El Ophir, too, a city of Oman, was formerly the center of Arabian commerce). It is curious that the natives of Malacca still call their mines Ophirs. stones of the brooks—If thou dost let the gold of Ophir remain in its native valley among the stones of the brooks; that is, regard it as of little worth as the stones, &c. The gold was washed down by mountain torrents and lodged among the stones and sand of the valley.25. Apodosis.
Yea—rather, Then shall the Almighty be, &c. defence—rather, as the same Hebrew means in Job 22:24 (see on Job 22:24) —Thy precious metals; God will be to thee in the place of riches. plenty of silver—rather, "And shall be to thee in the place of laboriously-obtained treasures of silver" [GESENIUS]. Elegantly implying, it is less labor to find God than the hidden metals; at least to the humble seeker (Job 28:12-28). But [MAURER] "the shining silver."26. lift up . . . face, &c.—repeated from Zophar (Job 11:15).
Psalms 37:4
4. desires— (Ps 20:5; 21:2), what is lawful and right, really good (Ps 84:11).