Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 8:4 — Verse 1 Kings 8:4. They brought up - the tabernacle — It is generally agreed that there were now two tabernacles at Gibeon, and the other in the city of David, which one David had constructed as a temporary residence for the ark, in the event of a temple being

2 Kings 3:4 — Verse 2 Kings 3:4. Was a sheepmaster — The original is נקד naked, of which the Septuagint could make nothing, and therefore retained the Hebrew word νωκηδ: but the Chaldee has מרי גיתי marey githey, "a sheepmaster;" Aquila has ποιμνιοτροφος; and Symmachus, τρεφων

2 Kings 4:10 — Verse 2 Kings 4:10. Let us make a little chamber — Judges 1:3:20. As the woman was convinced that Elisha was a prophet, she knew that he must have need of more privacy than the general state of her house could afford; and therefore she proposes what she knew

1 Chronicles 11:1 — CHAPTER XI David is anointed king in Hebron, 1-3. He wars against the Jebusites, and takes their city, 4-9. An account of David's three mightiest heroes; and particularly of their hazardous exploit in bringing water from the well of Beth-lehem, 10-19. A list of the rest, and an account of their acts, 20-47. NOTES ON CHAP. XIVerse 1 Chronicles 11:1. Then

1 Chronicles 4:27 — Verse 1 Chronicles 4:27. Neither did all their family multiply — In Numbers 1:23 the number of all the families of Simeon was fifty-nine thousand three hundred; and that of Judah was, Numbers 1:27, not less than seventy-four thousand six hundred. When the next census

2 Chronicles 10:1 — CHAPTER X The people apply to Rehoboam to ease them of their burdens, 1-4. Rejecting the advice of the aged counsellors, and following that of the young men, he gives them an ungracious answer, 5-14. The people are discouraged, and ten tribes revolt, 15-17. They stone Hadoram, who went to collect the tribute; and Rehoboam

2 Chronicles 12:1 — CHAPTER XII Rehoboam and his subjects, forsaking the Lord, are delivered into the hands of Shishak, king of Egypt, 1-4. Shemaiah the prophet remonstrates with them, and they humble themselves, and Jerusalem is not destroyed; but Shishak takes away all the treasures, and the golden shields, instead of which Rehoboam makes shields of brass, 5-12. He reigns badly seventeen

2 Chronicles 19:1 — prophet Jehu, and reproved, 1-3. He makes a farther reformation in the land, establishing courts of justice, and giving solemn and pertinent directions to the judges, Levites, &c., to do judgement and justice among the people, in the fear of God, 4-11. NOTES ON CHAP. XIXVerse 2 Chronicles 19:1. Returned to his house in peace — That is, in safety, notwithstanding he had been exposed to a danger so imminent, from which only the especial mercy of God could have saved him.

2 Chronicles 21:4 — Verse 2 Chronicles 21:4. Slew all his brethren — What a truly diabolic thing is the lust of power! it destroys all the charities of life, and renders those who are under its influence the truest resemblants of the arch fiend. That he might sit the more secure upon his

2 Chronicles 29:1 — CHAPTER XXIX Hezekiah's good reign, 1, 2. He opens and repairs the doors of the temple, 3. He assembles and exhorts the priests and Levites, and proposes to renew the covenant with the Lord, 4-11. They all sanctify themselves and cleanse the temple, 12-17. They inform the king of their progress, 18, 19. He collects the rulers of the people: and they offer abundance of sin-offerings, and burnt-offerings, and worship the Lord, 20-30. Every

Numbers 12:2 — Verse Numbers 12:2. Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? — It is certain that both Aaron and Miriam had received a portion of the prophetic spirit, (see Exodus 4:15, and Exodus 15:20), and therefore they thought they might have a share in the government; for though there was no kind of gain attached to this government, and no honour but such as came from God, yet the love of power is natural to the human mind;

Deuteronomy 3:4 — Verse Deuteronomy 3:4. All the region of Argob — כל חבל ארגב col chebel Argob, all the cable or cord of Argob; this expression, which is used in various other parts of Scripture, (see, in the original, Amos 7:17; Micah 2:5; Deuteronomy 32:9; Psalms 16:6), shows that

Deuteronomy 4:15 — Verse Deuteronomy 4:15. Ye saw no manner of similitude — Howsoever God chose to appear or manifest himself, he took care never to assume any describable form. He would have no image worship, because he is a SPIRIT, and they who worship him must worship him in Spirit

Deuteronomy 4:28 — Verse Deuteronomy 4:28. There ye shall serve gods - wood and stone — This was also true of the Israelites, not only in their captivities, but also in their own land. And it may now be literally the case with the ten tribes who were carried away captive by the Assyrians,

Judges 10:6 — of the surrounding nations. Baalim and Ashtaroth may signify gods and goddesses in general. These are enumerated:1. The gods of Syria; Bel and Saturn, or Jupiter and Astarte.2. Gods of Zidon; Ashtaroth, Astarte or Venus.3. The gods of Moab; Chemosh.4. Gods of the children of Ammon; Milcom.5. Gods of the Philistines; Dagon.See 1 Kings 11:33, and 1 Samuel 5:2. These are called gods because their images and places of worship were multiplied throughout the land.

Judges 6:4 — Verse Judges 6:4. Encamped against them — Wandering hordes of Midianites, Amalekites, and Ishmaelites came, in the times of harvest and autumn, and carried away their crops, their fruit, and their cattle. And they appear to have come early, encamped in the plains,

Ruth 4:6 — Verse Ruth 4:6. I cannot redeem it for myself — The Targum gives the proper sense of this passage: "And the kinsman said, On this ground I cannot redeem it, because I have a wife already; and I have no desire to take another, lest there should be contention

1 Samuel 1:7 — Verse 1 Samuel 1:7. And as he did so year by year — As the whole family went up to Shiloh to the annual festivals, Peninnah had both sons and daughters to accompany her, 1 Samuel 1:4, but Hannah had none; and Peninnah took this opportunity particularly to twit Hannah with her barrenness, by making an ostentatious exhibition of her children.Therefore she wept — She was greatly distressed, because it was a great reproach to

1 Samuel 12:17 — promised land, this harvest commenced about the end of June or beginning of July, in which he says he never saw rain in Judea: Nunquam enim in fine mensis Junii, sive in mense Julio, in his provinciis, maximeque in Judea, pluvias vidimus. - HIER. in Amos 4:7; where he refers to this very history. What occurred now hardly ever occurs there but in the winter months.

2 Samuel 9:1 — CHAPTER IX David inquires after the family of Jonathan, and is informed of Mephibosheth his son, 1-4. He sends for him and gives him all the land of Saul, 5-8; and appoints Ziba the servant of Saul, and his family, to till the ground for Mephibosheth, 9-13. NOTES ON CHAP. IXVerse 2 Samuel 9:1. Is there yet any that is left — David recollecting