Bible Commentaries

Proverbs 23:20 — with them. And3. To public entertainments, where there were generally riot and debauch. The reasons, says Calmet, which induced the wise man to give these directions were,1. The useless expense.2. The loss of time.3. The danger from bad company. And4. The danger of contracting irregular habits, and of being induced to lead a voluptuous and effeminate life.

Proverbs 27:4 — Verse Proverbs 27:4. Who is able to stand before envy? — The rabbins have a curious story on this subject, and it has been formed by the moderns into a fable. There were two persons, one covetous and the other envious, to whom a certain person promised to grant whatever

Isaiah 52:11 — out, as a reproach of the heathen upon the Jews when they were driven from Jerusalem into captivity: - "Depart; ye are polluted, depart; depart ye, forbear to touch. Yea, they are fled, they are removed: they shall dwell here no more." Lamentations 4:15. Of the metrical distribution of these lines, see the Prelim. Dissert., p. lviii. note.

Jeremiah 15:4 — Verse Jeremiah 15:4. I will cause them to be removed into an kingdoms of the earth — This seems to have respect to the succeeding state of the Jews in their different generations; and never was there a prophecy more literally fulfilled; and it is still a standing

Jeremiah 19:1 — shows his enemies that the word of the Lord should stand, that Jerusalem should be taken and sacked, and they all carried into captivity.Ancients of the priests — The chiefs of the twenty-four classes which David had established. See 1 Chronicles 24:4.

Ezekiel 2:4 — Verse Ezekiel 2:4. Thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord — Let them know that what thou hast to declare is the message of the LORD, that they may receive it with reverence.Every preacher of God's word should take heed that it is God's message he delivers

Ezekiel 4:3 — Verse Ezekiel 4:3. Take thou unto thee an iron pan — מחבת machabath, a flat plate or slice, as the margin properly renders it: such as are used in some countries to bake bread on, called a griddle or girdle, being suspended above the fire, and kept in a proper

Daniel 4:32 — Verse Daniel 4:32. They shall make thee, c. — Thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen. The madness that fell upon him induced him to forsake society, and to run to the woods and deserts, where he lived like a wild beast, his hairs growing long and thick, so

Amos 4:3 — Verse Amos 4:3. And ye shall go out at the breaches — Probably the metaphor is here kept up. They shall be caught by the hooks, or by the nets; and though they may make breaches in the latter by their flouncing when caught, they shall be taken out at these

Jonah 4:10 — Verse Jonah 4:10. Which came up in a night — St. Jerome, speaking of this plant, the kikayon, assigns to it an extraordinary rapidity of growth. It delights in a sandy soil, and in a few days what was a plant grows into a large shrub. But he does not appear

Zephaniah 2:1 — The prophet, having declared the judgments which were ready to fall on his people, earnestly exhorts them to repentance, that these judgments may be averted, 1-3. He then foretells the fate of other neighbouring and hostile nations: the Philistines, 4-7; Moabites and Ammonites, 8-11; Ethiopians, 12; and Assyrians, 13. In the close of the chapter we have a prophecy against Nineveh. These predictions were accomplished chiefly by the conquests of Nebuchadnezzar. NOTES ON CHAP. IIVerse Zephaniah 2:1.

Zechariah 3:5 — mitre upon his head — To signify that he had renewed to him the office of the high priesthood, which had been defiled and profaned before. The mitre was the bonnet which the high priest put on his head when he entered into the sanctuary, Exodus 28:4, c.Clothed him with garments — Referring to the vestments of the high priest. The true high priest, who is over the house of God, will establish his office among them, when they shall acknowledge him as their Messiah, and seek redemption in the

Zechariah 3:8 — forth my servant The BRANCH." Abp. Newcome thinks this means Zerubbabel, so called because he was the grandson of Jehoiakim, or Jeconiah, king of Judah, Matthew 1:12, and heir to the throne of Judah. The Chaldee has, "My servant the Messiah." Isaiah 4:2. I think the word cannot apply to Zerubbabel, except as a type of Christ; in that sense it may be understood of him. See Zechariah 6:11-12.

Zechariah 8:19 — commemorate the taking of Jerusalem; 2 Kings 25:3; Jeremiah 39:2; Jeremiah 52:6-7.The fast of the fifth — In memory of the ruin of the temple, 2 Kings 25:8; Jeremiah 52:12-13.The fast of the seventh — For the murder of Gedaliah, Jeremiah 41:1-17.The fast of the tenth — In commemoration of the siege of Jerusalem, which began on the tenth day of the tenth month; 2 Kings 25:1; Jeremiah 52:4; Ezekiel 24:1-2; and see on Zechariah 7:3; Zechariah 7:5.Cheerful feasts — Ye shall find

Matthew 13:2 — vessel or boat. Mr. Wakefield supposes (which is very likely) that a particular vessel is uniformly specified, which seems to have been kept on the lake for the use of Christ and his apostles: it probably belonged to some of the fishermen, (see Matthew 4:22), who, he thinks, occasionally, at least, followed their former occupation. See John 21:3.The thought of pious Quesnel on this verse should not be neglected. We see here a representation of the Church, which consists of the people united to their

Matthew 19:4 — Verse Matthew 19:4. He which made them at the beginning — When Adam and Eve were the first of human kind.Made them male and female — Merely through the design of matrimonial union, that the earth might be thus peopled. To answer a case of conscience, a man

Matthew 25:2 — defined, μη ὁρᾶ το δεον, he who sees not what is proper or necessary. These did not see that it was necessary to have oil in their vessels, (the salvation of God in their souls,) as well as a burning lamp of religious profession, Matthew 25:3; Matthew 25:4.

Matthew 26:4 — Verse Matthew 26:4. And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty — The providence of God frustrated their artful machinations; and that event which they wished to conduct with the greatest privacy and silence was transacted with all possible celebrity, amidst

Matthew 4:20 — Verse Matthew 4:20. They straightway left their nets — A change, as far as it respected secular things, every way to their disadvantage. The proud and the profane may exult and say, "Such preachers as these cannot be much injured by their sacrifices of secular

Mark 4:11 — Verse Mark 4:11. Unto you it is given to know — γνωναι, to know, is omitted by ABKL, ten others, the Coptic, and one of the Itala. The omission of this word makes a material alteration in the sense; for without it the passage may be read thus: - To you the