Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 1:43 — Verse 1 Kings 1:43. Jonathan answered — He was properly a messenger about the court; we have met with him and Ahimaaz before, 2 Samuel 15:36. He had now been an observer, if not a spy, on all that was doing, and relates the transactions to Adonijah, in the very

1 Kings 19:1 — CHAPTER XIX Ahab tells Jezebel what Elijah had done; she is enraged, and threatens to take away his life, 1, 2. He leaves Jezreel, and comes to Beer-sheba, and thence to the wilderness, where he is fed and encouraged by an angel, 3-9. His complaint and the vision by which God instructs him, 10-14. He is sent to Damascus, in order to anoint Hazael king over Syria, and Jehu king over Israel, 15-18. He meets with Elisha, who becomes his servant, 19-21. NOTES ON CHAP. XIXVerse 1 Kings

1 Chronicles 29:28 — heart could wish.1. A good old age, having lived as long as living could be desirable, and having in the main enjoyed good health.2. Full of days; having lived till he saw every thing that he lived for either accomplished or in a state of forwardness.3. Full of riches; witness the immense sums left for the temple.4. Full of honorer; having gained more renown than any crowned head ever did, either before his time or since-laurels that are fresh to the present hour.

2 Chronicles 2:1 — CHAPTER II Solomon determines to build a temple, 1. The number of his workmen, 2. Sends to Huram for artificers and materials, 3-10. Huram sends him a favourable answer, and makes an agreement with him concerning the labour to be done, and the wages to be paid to his men, 11-16. The number of strangers in the land, and how employed, 17, 18. NOTES ON CHAP. IIVerse 2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 5:1 — CHAPTER V Solomon having finished the temple, brings in the things which his father had consecrated, 1. He assembles the elders and chiefs of Israel and the Levites, in order to bring up the ark from the city of David, 2, 3. They bring it and its vessels; and having offered innumerable sacrifices, place it in the temple, under the wings of the cherubim, 4-10. The Levites, singers, and trumpeters praise God; and his glory descends and fills the house, so that the priests

Ezra 10:2 — Verse Ezra 10:2. Shechaniah the son of Jehiel — He speaks here in the name of the people, not acknowledging himself culpable, for he is not in the following list. It is in the same form of speech with that in James, James 3:9. With the tongue curse we men. He seems to have been a chief man among the people; and Ezra, at present, stood in need of his influence and support.Yet now there is hope in Israel — מקוה mikveh, expectation, of pardon; for the people were convinced

Ezra 6:1 — CHAPTER VI Darius orders search to be made for the edict of Cyrus, 1. It is found at Achmetha, 2. A transcript of this edict, 3-5. Darius confirms it, 6-12. Tatnai encourages the Jews to proceed; and they finish the temple in the sixth year of Darius, 13-15. They dedicate the temple, 16-18; keep the Passover, 19-21, and the feast of unleavened bread, 22. NOTES ON CHAP. VIVerse

Nehemiah 7:3 — Verse Nehemiah 7:3. Until the sun be hot — The meaning of this is, the gates were not to be opened before sunrise, and always shut at sunset. This is the custom to the present day in many of the cities of the East if a traveller arrives after sunset, he finds the

Job 23:3 — Verse Job 23:3. O that I knew where I might find him! — This and the following verse may be read thus: "Who will give me the knowledge of God, that I may find him out? I would come to his establishment; (the place or way in which he has promised to communicate

Job 25:3 — Verse Job 25:3. Is there any number of his armies? — He has troops innumerable; he can serve himself of all his creatures; every thing may be a means of help or destruction, according to his Divine will. When he purposes to save, none can destroy; and when he

Job 29:3 — Verse Job 29:3. When his candle shined upon my head — Alluding most probably to the custom of illuminating festival or assembly rooms by lamps pendant from the ceiling. These shone literally on the heads of the guests.By his light I walked through darkness —

Deuteronomy 27:3 — Verse Deuteronomy 27:3. All the words of this law — After all that has been said by ingenious critics concerning the law ordered to be written on these stones, some supposing the whole Mosaic law to be intended, others, only the decalogue, I am fully of opinion that

Joshua 2:3 — Verse Joshua 2:3. The king of Jericho sent unto Rahab — This appears to be a proof of the preceding opinion: had she been a prostitute or a person of ill fame he could at once have sent officers to have seized the persons lodged with her as vagabonds; but if she

Joshua 3:8 — Verse Joshua 3:8. Ye shall stand still in Jordan. — The priests proceeded first with the ark, and entered into the bed of the river the course of which was immediately arrested, the waters collecting above the place where the priests stood, while the stream

Judges 3:12 — Verse Judges 3:12. The children of Israel did evil — They forgat the Lord and became idolaters, and God made those very people, whom they had imitated in their idolatrous worship, the means of their chastisement.The Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab —

Judges 3:22 — Verse Judges 3:22. The haft also went in after the blade — As the instrument was very short, and Eglon very corpulent, this might readily take place.And the dirt came out — This is variously understood: either the contents of the bowels issued through

Ruth 2:1 — CHAPTER II Ruth goes to glean in the field of Boaz, 1-3. Boaz finds her, and inquires who she is, 4-7. He speaks kindly to her, gives her permission to follow his reapers, and orders them to use her well, 8-16. She returns in the evening to Naomi, and tells her of her fare; from whom she receives encouragement

1 Samuel 10:3 — Verse 1 Samuel 10:3. Three men going up to God to Bethel — Jacob's altar was probably there still, Genesis 28:19. However this might be, it was still considered, as its name implies, the house of God; and to it they were now going, to offer sacrifice.The three kids

1 Samuel 13:3 — Verse 1 Samuel 13:3. Jonathan smote — He appears to have taken this garrison by surprise, for his men had no arms for a regular battle, or taking the place by storm. This is the first place in which this brave and excellent man appears; a man who bears one of the

1 Samuel 31:3 — Verse 1 Samuel 31:3. He was sore wounded of the archers. — It is likely that Saul's sons were slain by the archers, and that Saul was now mortally wounded by the same. Houbigant translates, The archers rushed upon him, from whom he received a grievous wound. He