Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 5:9 — Verse 1 Kings 5:9. Shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea — As the river Adonis was in the vicinity of the forest of Lebanon, and emptied itself into the Mediterranean sea, near Biblos, Hiram could transport the timber all squared, and not only cut to

2 Kings 19:1 — him, 1-4. Isaiah returns a comfortable answer, and predicts the destruction of the king of Assyria and his army, 5-8. Sennacherib, hearing that his kingdom was invaded by the Ethiopians, sends a terrible letter to Hezekiah, to induce him to surrender, 9-13. Hezekiah goes to the temple, spreads the letter before the Lord, and makes a most affecting prayer, 14-19. Isaiah is sent to him to assure him that his prayer is heard; that Jerusalem shall be delivered; and that the Assyrians shall be destroyed,

2 Kings 24:8 — Verse 2 Kings 24:8. Jehoiachin was eighteen years old — He is called Jeconiah, 1 Chronicles 3:16, and Coniah, Jeremiah 22:24. In 2 Chronicles 36:9, be is said to be only eight years of age, but this must be a mistake; for we find that, having reigned only three months, he was carried captive to Babylon, and there he had wives; and it is very improbable that a child between eight and nine years

2 Kings 9:11 — Verse 2 Kings 9:11. Wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? — Was it because he was a holy man of God that he was reputed by a club of irreligious officers to be a madman? In vain do such pretend that they fight for religion, and are the guardians of the public

2 Chronicles 32:1 — CHAPTER XXXII Sennacherib invades Judea, 1. Hezekiah takes proper measures for the defence of his kingdom, 2-6. His exhortation, 7, 8. Sennacherib sends a blasphemous message to Hezekiah, and to the people, 9-15. His servants rail against God; and he and they blaspheme most grievously, 16-19. Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah cry to God; he answers, and the Assyrians are destroyed, and Sennacherib is slain by his own sons, 20, 21. The Lord is magnified, 22,

Ezra 2:63 — Verse 63. The Tirshatha — This is generally supposed to be Nehemiah, or the person who was the commandant; see Nehemiah 8:9; Nehemiah 10:1, for the word appears to be the name of an office. The Vulgate and Septuagint write it Atershatha, the Syriac and Arabic render it the princes of Judah. Some suppose the word to be Persian, but nothing like it of the same import occurs

Nehemiah 4:1 — 4-6. The Arabians, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, conspire together, and come to fight against the Jews, 7, 8. The Jews commend themselves to God, and determine to fight for their lives and liberties; on hearing of which their enemies are disheartened, 9-16. The Jews divide themselves into two bands; one half working, and the other standing ready armed to meet their enemies. Even the workmen are obliged to arm themselves, while employed in building, for fear of their enemies, 17, 18. Nehemiah uses all

Nehemiah 9:1 — and confess their sins, 1-3. The Levites give a general account of God's kindness and forbearance to them and to their fathers; and acknowledge God's mercies and judgments, 4-37. They make a covenant with the Lord, 38. NOTES ON CHAP. IXVerse Nehemiah 9:1. Now in the twenty and fourth day — The feast of trumpets was on the first day of this month; on the fourteenth began the feast of tabernacles, which, lasting seven days, finished on the twenty-second; on the twenty-third they separated themselves

Psalms 143:1 — PSALM CXLIII The psalmist prays for mercy, and deprecates judgment, 1, 2. His persecutions, 3. His earnest prayer for deliverance, 4-9. Prays for God's quickening Spirit, 10, 11. And for the total discomfiture of his adversaries, 12. NOTES ON PSALM CXLIIIThe Hebrew and all the Versions attribute this Psalm to David; and the Vulgate, Septuagint, AEthiopic and Arabic state that it was

Psalms 64:1 — PSALM LXIV The psalmist prays for preservation from the wicked, 1, 2; whom he describes, 3-6; shows their punishment, 7, 8; and the effect that this should have on the godly, 9, 10. NOTES ON PSALM LXIVThe title, To the chief Musician, or conqueror, A Psalm of David. The Syriac says, "composed by David when warned by Gad the prophet, who said, Stay not in Masrob, because Saul seeks thy life." Some think it was composed by

Psalms 8:6 — Jesus Christ, who, being in the form of God, and equal with God, for a time emptied himself, and made himself of no reputation; was afterwards highly exalted, and had a name above every name. See the notes referred to above, and those on Philippians 2:6-9.Thou hast put all things under his feet — Though the whole of the brute creation was made subject to Adam in his state of innocence; yet it could never be literally said of him, that God had put all things under his feet, or that he had dominion

Psalms 85:9 — Verse Psalms 85:9. Surely his salvation is nigh — To him who fears God, and trembles at his word, his salvation is nigh at hand.That glory may dwell in our land. — That thy worship may be restored, the temple rebuilt, and the Divine shechinah, or symbol of

Psalms 94:9 — Verse Psalms 94:9. He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? — This is allowed to be an unanswerable mode of argumentation. Whatever is found of excellence in the creature, must be derived from the Creator, and exist in him in the plenitude of infinite excellence.

Proverbs 24:9 — Verse Proverbs 24:9. The thought of foolishness is sin — זמת אולת חטאת zimmath ivveleth chattath. "The device of folly is transgression;" or, "an evil purpose is sinful;" or, perhaps more literally, "the device of the foolish is sin." It has been variously understood

Proverbs 3:1 — CHAPTER III An exhortation to obedience, 1-4; trust in God's providence, 5, 6; to humility, 7, 8; to charity, 9, 10; to submission to God's chastening, 11, 12. The profitableness of wisdom in all the concerns of life, 13-26. No act of duty should be deferred beyond the time in which it should be done, 27, 28. Brotherly love and forbearance should he exercised,

Proverbs 5:9 — Verse Proverbs 5:9. Lest thou give thine honour — The character of a debauchee is universally detested: by this, even those of noble blood lose their honour and respect.Thy years unto the cruel — Though all the blandishments of love dwell on the tongue, and

Ecclesiastes 10:1 — CHAPTER X Observations on wisdom and folly, 1-3. Concerning right conduct towards rulers, 4. Merit depressed, and worthlessness exalted, 5-7. Of him who digs a pit and removes a landmark, 8, 9. The use of wisdom and experience, 10. Of the babbler and the fool, 11-15. The infant king, 16. The well-regulated court, 17. Of slothfulness, 18. Of feasting, 19. Speak not evil of the king, 20. NOTES ON CHAP. XVerse Ecclesiastes 10:1. Dead flies —

Ruth 3:9 — Verse Ruth 3:9. Spread therefore thy skirt over thine hand maid — Hebrew, Spread thy wing. The wing is the emblem of protection, and is a metaphor taken from the young of fowls, which run under the wings of their mothers, that they may be saved from birds of

1 Samuel 15:1 — their substance, 1-3. Saul collects an immense army and comes against their city, 4, 5. He desires the Kenites to remove from among the Amalekites, 6. He smites the Amalekites, and takes their king, Agag, prisoner, and saves the best of the spoil, 7-9. The Lord is displeased, and sends Samuel to reprove him, 10, 11. The conversation between Samuel and Saul, in which the latter endeavours to justify his conduct, 12-23. He is convinced that he has done wrong, and asks pardon, 24-31. Samuel causes Agag

1 Samuel 22:1 — suspecting his servants of infidelity, upbraids them, 6-8. Doeg informs him of David's coming to Nob; of his being entertained by Ahimelech; on which Saul slays Ahimelech and all the priests, to the number of eighty-five, and destroys the city of Nob, 9-19. Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, only escapes; he joins with David, by whom he is assured of protection, 20-23. NOTES ON CHAP. XXIIVerse 1 Samuel 22:1. The cave Adullam — This was in the tribe of Judah, and, according to Eusebius and Jerome,