Bible Commentaries

Proverbs 11:9 — Verse Proverbs 11:9. A hypocrite with his mouth — חנף chaneph might be better translated infidel than hypocrite. The latter is one that pretends to religion; that uses it for secular purposes. The former is one who disbelieves Divine revelation, and accordingly is

Proverbs 12:9 — Verse Proverbs 12:9. He that is despised, and hath a servant — I believe the Vulgate gives the true sense of this verse: Melior est pauper, et sufficiens sibi; quam gloriosus, et indigens pane."Better is the poor man who provides for himself, than the proud who is

Ecclesiastes 5:9 — Verse Ecclesiastes 5:9. The profit of the earth is for all — The earth, if properly cultivated, is capable of producing food for every living creature; and without cultivation none has a right to expect bread.The king himself is served by the field. — Without

Jeremiah 46:9 — Verse Jeremiah 46:9. The Ethiopians — Heb. Cush, Phut, and the Ludim. This army was composed of many nations. Cush, which we translate Ethiopians, almost invariably means the Arabians; and here, those Arabs that bordered on Egypt near the Red Sea. Phut probably means

Jeremiah 9:26 — Verse Jeremiah 9:26. All that are in the utmost corners — כל קצוצי פאה col ketsutsey pheah. These words have been variously understood. The Vulgate translates: Omnes qui attonsi sunt in comam; "All who have their hair cut short." The Targum, Septuagint, Syriac,

Ezekiel 13:1 — CHAPTER XIII This chapter denounces heavy judgments against the lying prophets who flattered the people, in the midst of their sin and danger, with false hopes of peace and security, 1-9. The work of these deceivers is beautifully compared to a frail and insolent piece of building, which can never stand against the battering elements of heaven, (the Chaldean forces,) which God will commission against it, 10-16. In the remaining part

Daniel 11:20 — shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes — Seleucus Philopater succeeded his father Antiochus. He sent his treasurer Heliodorus to seize the money deposited in the temple of Jerusalem, which is here called the glory of the kingdom, see 2Macc 9:23. He was so cramped to pay the annual tax to the Romans, that he was obliged to burden his subjects with continual taxes.He shall be destroyed, neither in anger - fighting against an enemy, nor in battle - at the head of his troops; but basely and

Daniel 9:3 — Verse Daniel 9:3. I set my face - to seek by prayer — He found that the time of the promised deliverance could not be at any great distance; and as he saw nothing that indicated a speedy termination of their oppressive captivity, he was very much afflicted,

Hosea 11:9 — Verse Hosea 11:9. I will not execute — Here is the issue of this conflict in the Divine mind. Mercy triumphs over Judgment; Ephraim shall be spared. He is God, and not man. He cannot be affected by human caprices. They are now penitent, and implore mercy; he will

Hosea 12:14 — Verse Hosea 12:14. Therefore shall he leave his blood upon him — He will not remove his guilt. These are similar to our Lord's words, John 3:36; John 9:41: "He that believeth not on the Son of God, shall not see life, for the wrath of God ABIDETH ON HIM" - shall not be removed by any remission, as he rejects the only way in which he can be saved. Because ye say, We see; therefore, YOUR SIN REMAINETH,

Amos 1:9 — Verse Amos 1:9. Tyrus — See an ample description of this place, and of its desolation and final ruin, in the notes on Ezekiel 26:1-19.The brotherly covenant — This possibly refers to the very friendly league made between Solomon and Hiram, king of Tyre,

Habakkuk 1:9 — Verse 9. Their faces shall sup up as the east wind — This may be an allusion to those electrical winds which prevail in that country. Mr. Jackson, in his overland journey from India, mentions his having bathed in the Tigris. On his coming out of the river

Zechariah 13:9 — Verse Zechariah 13:9. I will bring the third part through the fire — The Christian Church shall endure a great fight of afflictions, by which they shall be refined-not consumed.They shall call on my name — In this way shall they offer all their prayers and supplications

Matthew 11:9 — Verse Matthew 11:9. A prophet? yea - and more than a prophet — That is, one more excellent (περισσοτερον) than a prophet; one greatly beyond all who had come before him, being the immediate forerunner of Christ, (see below,) and who was especially commissioned to

Matthew 2:20 — brothers, he is probably alluded to here, as doubtless he entered into his father's designs. THEY are dead-Antipater was put to death by his father's command, five days before this execrable tyrant went to his own place. See Josephus, Antiq. xvi. 11; xvii. 9.

Matthew 9:11 — Verse Matthew 9:11. When the Pharisees saw it — He who, like a Pharisee, never felt himself indebted to infinite mercy for his own salvation, is rarely solicitous about the salvation of others. The grace of Christ alone inspires the soul with true benevolence.

Mark 5:9 — Verse Mark 5:9. Legion: for we are many. — Could a disease have spoken so? "No, there was no devil in the case; the man spoke according to the prejudice of his countrymen." And do you think that the Spirit of God could employ himself in retailing such ridiculous

Mark 7:9 — Verse Mark 7:9. Full well — καλωσ , -a strong irony. How noble is your conduct! From conscientious attachment to your own traditions ye have annihilated the commandments of God!That ye may keep — But στησητε, that ye may establish, is the reading of D,

Luke 11:9 — Verse Luke 11:9. And (or, therefore) I say unto you, Ask — Be importunate with God, not so much to prevail on him to save you, as to get yourselves brought into a proper disposition to receive that mercy which he is ever disposed to give. He who is not importunate

Luke 2:9 — Verse Luke 2:9. The angel of the Lord came upon them — Or, stood over them, επεστη. It is likely that the angel appeared in the air at some little distance above them, and that from him the rays of the glory of the Lord shone round about them, as the rays of