Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 22:48 — Verse 1 Kings 22:48. Ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold — In the parallel place (2 Chronicles 20:36) it is said that Jehoshaphat joined himself to Ahaziah, to make ships to go to Tharshish; and they made the ships in Ezion-geber. Concerning these places, and the voyage thither, see the notes on 1 Kings 9:26-28; 1 Kings 10:11; 1 Kings 10:22. Some translate, instead of ships of Tharshish, ships of burden. See Houbigant, who expresses himself doubtful as to the meaning of the word.

2 Kings 9:17 — Verse 2 Kings 9:17. A watchman on the tower — These watchmen, fixed on elevated places and generally within hearing of each other, served as a kind of telegraphs, to communicate intelligence through the whole country. But, in some cases, it appears that the intelligence

2 Chronicles 13:20 — Verse 2 Chronicles 13:20. The Lord struck him, and he died. — Who died? Abijah or Jeroboam? Some think it was Jeroboam; some, that it was Abijah. Both rabbins and Christians are divided on this point; nor is it yet settled. The prevailing opinion is that Jeroboam is meant, who was struck then with that disease of which he died about two years after; for he did not die till two years after Abijah: see 1 Kings 14:20; 1 Kings 15:9. It seems as if Jeroboam was meant, not Abijah.

2 Chronicles 22:1 — CHAPTER XXII Ahaziah beans to reign; and reigns wickedly under the counsels of his bad mother, 1-4. He is slain by Jehu, who destroys all the house of Ahab, 5-9. Athaliah destroys all the seed royal of Judah, except Joash, who is hidden by his nurse in the temple six years, 10-12. NOTES ON CHAP. XXIIVerse 2 Chronicles 22:1. Made Ahaziah his youngest son king — All the others had been slain by the Arabians, c. see the preceding chapter, 2 Chronicles 21:17.

2 Chronicles 9:12 — Verse 2 Chronicles 9:12. Beside that which she had brought unto the king — In 1 Kings 10:13 it is stated that Solomon gave her all she asked, besides that which he gave her of his royal bounty. It is not at all likely that he gave her back the presents which she brought to him, and which he had accepted. She had, no doubt, asked for several things which were peculiar to the land of Judea, and would be curiosities in her own kingdom; and besides these, he gave her other valuable presents.

Ezra 9:3 — Verse Ezra 9:3. I rent my garment and my mantle — The outer and inner garment, in sign of great grief. This significant act is frequently mentioned in the sacred writings, and was common among all ancient nations.Plucked off the hair — Shaving the head

Nehemiah 9:2 — Verse Nehemiah 9:2. The seed of Israel separated themselves — A reformation of this kind was begun by Ezra, Ezra 10:3; but it appears that either more were found out who had taken strange wives, or else those who had separated from them had taken them again.And

Nehemiah 9:5 — Verse Nehemiah 9:5. Stand up and bless the Lord your God — It is the shameless custom of many congregations of people to sit still while they profess to bless and praise God, by singing the Psalms of David or hymns made on the plan of the Gospel! I ask such persons, Did they ever feel the spirit of devotion while thus employed? If they do, it must be owned that, by the prevalence of habit, they have counteracted the influence of an attitude most friendly to such acts of devotion.

Esther 9:23 — Verse Esther 9:23. The Jews undertook to do as they had begun — They had already kept the fifteenth day, and some of them in the country the fourteenth also, as a day of rejoicing: Mordecai wrote to them to bind themselves and their successors, and all their

Job 12:15 — Verse Job 12:15. He withholdeth the waters — This is, I think, an allusion to the third day's work of the creation, Genesis 1:9: And God said, Let the waters be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear. Thus the earth was drained, and the waters collected into seas, and bound to their particular places.Also he sendeth them out — Here is also an allusion to the flood, for when he broke up the fountains of the great deep, then the earth was overturned.

Job 13:1 — CHAPTER XIII Job defends himself against the accusations of his friends, and accuses them of endeavouring to pervert truth, 1-8. Threatens them with God's judgments, 9-12. Begs some respite, and expresses strong confidence in God, 13-19. He pleads with God, and deplores his severe trials and sufferings, 20-28. NOTES ON CHAP. XIIIVerse Job 13:1. Lo, mine eye hath seen all this] Ye have brought nothing new to me; I

Job 26:9 — Verse Job 26:9. He holdeth back the face of his throne — Though all these are most elegant effects of an omniscient and almighty power, yet the great Agent is not personally discoverable; he dwelleth in light unapproachable, and in mercy hides himself from the

Job 42:1 — CHAPTER XLII Job humbles himself before God, 1-6. God accepts him; censures his three friends; and commands Job to offer sacrifices for then, that he might pardon and accept them, as they had not spoken what was right concerning their Maker, 7-9. The Lord turns Job's captivity; and his friends visit him, and bring him presents, 10, 11. Job's affluence becomes double to what it was before, 12. His family is also increased, 13-15. Having lived one hundred and forty years after his calamities,

Job 9:25 — Verse Job 9:25. Swifter than a post — מני רץ minni rats, than a runner. The light-footed messenger or courier who carries messages from place to place.They flee away — The Chaldee says, My days are swifter than the shadow of a flying bird. So swiftly

Job 9:28 — Verse Job 9:28. I am afraid of all my sorrows — Coverdale translates, after the Vulgate, Then am I afrayed of all my workes. Even were I to cease from complaining, I fear lest not one of my works, however well intentioned, would stand thy scrutiny, or meet

Job 9:31 — Verse Job 9:31. And mine own clothes shall abhor me. — Such is thine infinite purity, when put in opposition to the purity of man, that it will bear no comparison. Searched and tried by the eye of God, I should be found as a leper, so that my own clothes

Job 9:5 — Verse Job 9:5. Removeth the mountains, and they know not — This seems to refer to earthquakes. By those strong convulsions, mountains, valleys, hills, even whole islands, are removed in an instant; and to this latter circumstance the words, they know not,

Psalms 2:9 — Verse Psalms 2:9. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron — This may refer to the Jewish nation, whose final rejection of the Gospel was foreseen, and in whose place the Gentiles or heathen were brought into the Church of Christ. They were dispossessed of their

Psalms 8:8 — Verse Psalms 8:8. The fowl of the air — All these were given to man in the beginning; and he has still a general dominion over them; for thus saith the Lord: "The fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be upon every BEAST of the EARTH, and upon every FOWL of the AIR, and upon all that MOVETH upon the EARTH, and upon all the FISHES of the SEA; into your hand are they delivered;" Genesis 9:2. To this passage the psalmist most obviously refers.

Psalms 9:17 — Verse Psalms 9:17. The wicked shall be turned into hell — לשאולה lisholah, headlong into hell, down into hell. The original is very emphatic.All the nations that forget God. — They will not live in his fear. There are both nations and individuals who, though they know God, forget him, that is, are unmindful of him, do not acknowledge him in their designs, ways, and works. These are all to be thrust down into hell. Reader, art thou forgetful of thy Maker, and of HIM who died for thee?