Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 5:9 — distance of about twenty-five miles. See 2 Chronicles 2:16. The carriage could not be great, as the timber was all fitted for the building where it was hewn down. The materials had only to be put together when they arrived at Jerusalem. See 1 Kings 6:7.

1 Kings 7:13 — Verse 1 Kings 7:13. Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre. — This was not the Tyrian king, mentioned before, but a very intelligent coppersmith, of Jewish extraction by his mother's side, who was probably married to a Tyrian. In 2 Chronicles 2:14, this woman

2 Kings 20:7 — Verse 2 Kings 20:7. Take a lump of figs - and laid it on the boil — We cannot exactly say in what Hezekiah's malady consisted. שחין shechin signifies any inflammatory tumour, boil, abscess, c. The versions translate it sore, wound, and such like. Some think it was

2 Chronicles 21:1 — commences his reign with the murder of his brethren, and of several of the princes of Israel, 1-5. He walks in the way of Ahab, whose bad daughter, Athaliah, he had married, 6. God remembers his covenant with David, and does not destroy the nation, 7. The Edomites revolt, 8-10. Jehoram restores the high places in the mountains of Judah, and greatly corrupts the morals of the people, 11. A letter comes to him from Elijah, 12-15. The Philistines and Arabians come up against him, pillage his house,

2 Chronicles 27:7 — Verse 2 Chronicles 27:7. The rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways — It was in his days, according to 2 Kings 15:37, that Rezin king of Syria, and Pekah king of Israel, began to cut Judah short. See the notes on 2 Kings 15:36-37.Written in the

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,

2 Chronicles 4:5 — Verse 2 Chronicles 4:5. It - held three thousand baths. — In 1 Kings 7:26, it is said to hold only two thousand baths. As this book was written after the Babylonish captivity, it is very possible that reference is here made to the Babylonish bath which might have been less than the Jewish. We have already seen that the

Nehemiah 12:22 — appearance of the priest, that he forbore all hostilities against Jerusalem, prostrated himself before Jaddua, worshipped the Lord at the temple, and granted many privileges to the Jews. See Josephus, ANT. lib. xi., c. 3, and Prideaux's Connections, lib. 7, p. 695.To the reign of Darius the Persian. — Calmet maintains that this must have been Darius Codomanus, who was defeated by Alexander the Great: but Archbishop Usher understands it of Darius Nothus, in whose reign he thinks Jaddua was born,

Nehemiah 4:1 — mock the Jews, and endeavour to prevent the completing of the wall, 1-3. Nehemiah prays against them, and the people complete one half of the wall, 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

Job 23:7 — Verse Job 23:7. There the righteous might dispute with him — נוכח nochach, might argue or plead. To dispute with God sounds very harsh.So should I be delivered for ever — Mr. Good translates: "And triumphantly should I escape from my condemnation." The

Psalms 52:7 — Verse Psalms 52:7. Made not God his strength — Did not make God his portion.In the abundance of his riches — Literally, in the multiplication of his riches. He had got much, he hoped to get more, and expected that his happiness would multiply as his riches

Numbers 17:1 — Aaron is to be written on the rod of the tribe of Levi, 1-3. The rods are to be laid up before the Lord, who promises that the man's rod whom he shalt choose for priest shall blossom, 4, 5. The rods are produced and laid up before the tabernacle, 6, 7. Aaron's rod alone buds, blossoms, and bears fruit, 8, 9. It is laid up before the testimony as a token of the manner in which God had disposed of the priesthood, 10, 11. The people are greatly terrified, and are apprehensive of being destroyed, 12,

Numbers 30:2 — man vow a vow — A vow is a religious promise made to God. Vows were of several kinds:-1. Of abstinence or humiliation, see ver. Numbers 30:13;2. Of the Nazarite, see Numbers 6:1-21;3. Of giving certain things or sacrifices to the Lord, Leviticus 7:16;4. Of alms given to the poor, see Deuteronomy 23:21.The law in this chapter must have been very useful, as it both prevented and annulled rash vows, and provided a proper sanction for the support and performance of those that were rationally and

Joshua 12:1 — CHAPTER XII A list of the kings on the east of Jordan, which were conquered by MOSES, with their territories, 1-6. A list of those on the west side of Jordan, conquered by JOSHUA, in number thirty-one, 7-24. NOTES ON CHAP. XIIVerse Joshua 12:1. From the river Arnon unto Mount Hermon — Arnon was the boundary of all the southern coast of the land occupied by the Israelites beyond Jordan; and the mountains of Hermon were the boundaries on the north.

Joshua 23:7 — Verse Joshua 23:7. Come not among these nations — Have no civil or social contracts with them, (see Joshua 23:12), as these will infallibly lead to spiritual affinities, in consequence of which ye will make honourable mention of the name of their gods, swear by

Joshua 7:5 — Verse Joshua 7:5. They chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim — They seem to have presumed that the men of Ai would have immediately opened their gates to them, and therefore they marched up with confidence; but the enemy appearing, they were put

Judges 12:1 — threaten his destruction, 1. He vindicates himself, 2, 3; and arms the Gileadites against the men of Ephraim; they fight against them, and kill forty-two thousand Ephraimites at the passages of Jordan, 4-6. Jephthah dies, having judged Israel six years, 7. Ibzan judge seven years, 8. His posterity and death, 9,10. Elon judge ten years, and dies, 11, 12. Abdon judge eight years, 13. His posterity and death, 14, 15. NOTES ON CHAP. XIIVerse Judges 12:1. The men of Ephraim gathered themselves together —

1 Samuel 15:1 — all 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

1 Samuel 7:3 — Verse 1 Samuel 7:3. And Samuel spake — We have heard nothing of this judge since he served in the tabernacle. He was now grown up, and established for a prophet in the land of Israel.If ye do return — From your backsliding and idolatry.With all your hearts

2 Samuel 23:1 — CHAPTER XXIII The last words of David, 1-7. The names and exploits of has thirty-seven worthies, 8-39. NOTES ON CHAP. XXIIIVerse 2 Samuel 23:1. These be the last words of David. — I suppose the last poetical composition is here intended. He might have spoken many words after these in prose,