Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 19:15 — Verse 1 Kings 19:15. To the wilderness of Damascus — He does not desire him to take a road by which he might be likely to meet Jezebel, or any other of his enemies.Anoint Hazael — For what reason the Lord was about to make all these revolutions, we are told

2 Kings 23:9 — Verse 2 Kings 23:9. The priests of the high places came not up — As these priests had offered sacrifices on the high places, though it was to the true God, yet they were not thought proper to be employed immediately about the temple; but as they were acknowledged

2 Chronicles 9:1 — targets and shields of beaten gold, and a magnificent ivory throne, and various utensils of gold, 15-20. His navigation to Tarshish, and the commodities brought thence, 21. His magnificence and political connections, 22-28. The writers of his life, 29. He reigns forty years, and is succeeded by his son Rehoboam, 30, 31. NOTES ON CHAP. IXVerse 2 Chronicles 9:1. The queen of Sheba — See all the particulars of this royal visit distinctly marked and explained in the notes on 1 Kings 10:1-10. The

Ezra 2:69 — Verse Ezra 2:69. Threescore and one thousand drams of gold — דרכמונים darkemonim, drakmons or darics; a Persian coin, always of gold, and worth about 1£. 5s., not less than £76,250 sterling in gold.Five thousand pounds of silver — מנים manim, manehs or

Ezra 6:4 — appear that he furnished the other expenses of the building, for we have already seen that the Jews contributed for the defraying of all others. But it appears that he provided at his own expense the sacrifices and offerings for the temple. See Ezra 6:9.

Esther 9:20 — Verse Esther 9:20. Mordecai wrote these things — It has been supposed that thus far that part of the book of Esther, which was written by Mordecai extends: what follows to the end, was probably added either by Ezra, or the men of the Great Synagogue; though

Job 28:22 — Verse Job 28:22. Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof] אבדון ומות Abaddon vamaveth, the destroyer, and his offspring death. This is the very name that is given to the devil in Greek letters Αβαδδων, Revelation 9:11, and is rendered by the Greek word Απολλυων, Apollyon, a word exactly of the same meaning. No wonder death and the devil are brought in here as saying they had heard the fame of wisdom, seeing Job 28:28 defines it to be the fear of the Lord, and

Psalms 104:9 — Verse Psalms 104:9. Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass — And what is this bound? The flux and reflux of the sea, occasioned by the solar and lunar attraction, the rotation of the earth on its own axis, and the gravitation of the waters to the centre of

Psalms 18:49 — Verse Psalms 18:49. Will I give thanks unto thee - among the heathen — Quoted by St. Paul, Romans 15:9, to prove that the calling of the Gentiles was predicted, and that what then took place was the fulfilment of that prediction.But there is a sense in which it

Psalms 42:9 — Verse Psalms 42:9. I will say unto God my rock — God, my Fortress and Support.Why hast thou forgotten meat — This and the following verse is badly pointed in our Bibles: "Why go I mourning as with a sword in my bones because of the oppression of the enemy?

Psalms 68:11 — good news, or of any joyful event, belonged to the women. It was they who announced it to the people at large; and to this universal custom, which prevails to the present day, the psalmist alludes. See this established in Clarke's note on "Isaiah 40:9".

Psalms 71:9 — Verse Psalms 71:9. Cast me not off in the time of old age — The original might be translated and paraphrased thus: "Thou wilt not cast me off till the time of old age; and according to the failure of my flesh, thou wilt not forsake me." My expectation of rest and

Psalms 89:29 — Verse Psalms 89:29. His seed also will I make to endure for ever — This can apply only to the spiritual David. The posterity of David are long since extinct, or so blended with the remaining Jews as to be utterly indiscernible; but Jesus ever liveth, and his

Numbers 2:1 — CHAPTER II Moses commanded to teach the Israelites how they are to pitch their tents, and erect the ensigns of their fathers' houses, 1, 2. Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, on the EAST, amounting to 186,400 men, 3-9. Reuben, Simeon, and Gad, on the SOUTH, with 151,450 men, 10-16. The Levites to be in the midst of the camp, 17. Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin, on the WEST, with 108,100 men, 18-24. Dan, Asher, and Naphtali, on the NORTH, with 157,600 men, 25-31.

Deuteronomy 1:15 — consulting him by Urim and Thummim;4. The chiefs or princes of the twelve tribes;5. Chilliarchs, or captains over thousands;6. Centurions, or captains over hundreds;7. Tribunes, or captains over fifty men;8. Decurions, or captains over ten men; and,9. Officers, persons who might be employed by the different chiefs in executing particular commands. All these held their authority from God, and yet were subject and accountable to each other. See the notes on Num. ii.

Joshua 18:9 — Verse Joshua 18:9. And described it in a book — This as far as I can recollect, is the first act of surveying on record. These men and their work differed widely from those who had searched the land in the time of Moses; they went only to discover the nature of

Joshua 22:26 — Verse Joshua 22:26. An altar, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice — Because this would have been in flat opposition to the law, Leviticus 17:8-9; Deuteronomy 12:4-6; Deuteronomy 12:10-11; Deuteronomy 12:13-14, which most positively forbade any sacrifice or offering to be made in any other place than that one which the Lord should choose. Therefore the altar built by the Reubenites, &c.,

Joshua 9:14 — Verse Joshua 9:14. The men took of their victuals — This was done in all probability in the way of friendship; for, from time immemorial to the present day, eating together, in the Asiatic countries, is considered a token of unalterable friendship; and those

Judges 9:4 — Verse Judges 9:4. Threescore and ten pieces of silver — Probably shekels; and this was the whole of his exchequer. As he was now usurping the government of God, he begins with a contribution from the idol temple. A work begun under the name and influence of

Ruth 3:1 — privately to her mother-in-law, who augurs favourably of the issue of the plan she had laid, 14-18. NOTES ON CHAP. IIIVerse Ruth 3:1. Shall I not seek rest for thee — That is, Shall I not endeavour to procure thee a proper husband? See Ruth 1:9, and the observations at the end of that chapter.