Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 6:4 — Verse 1 Kings 6:4. Windows of narrow lights. — The Vulgate says, fenestras obliquas, oblique windows; but what sort of windows could such be?The Hebrew is חלוני שקפים אטמים challoney shekuphim atumim, windows to look through, which shut. Probably latticed windows:

2 Kings 19:1 — CHAPTER XIX Hezekiah is greatly distressed, and sends to Isaiah to pray for 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.

2 Kings 4:6 — Verse 2 Kings 4:6. And the oil stayed. — While there was a vessel to fill, there was oil sufficient; and it only ceased to flow when there was no vessel to receive it. This is a good emblem of the grace of God. While there is an empty, longing heart, there is

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

Nehemiah 4:1 — CHAPTER IV Sanballat and Tobiah 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.

Nehemiah 9:1 — twenty-fourth day of the seventh month, the people hold a solemn fast unto the Lord, 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

Job 16:4 — Verse Job 16:4. I also could speak — It is probably better to render some of these permissives or potential verbs literally in the future tense, as in the Hebrew: I also WILL speak. Mr. Good has adopted this mode.If your soul were in my soul's stead —

Job 26:10 — horizon, the line that terminates light and commences darkness, called here עד תכלית אור עם חשך ad tachlith or im chosech, "until the completion of light with darkness." Or, if we take תכלית tachlith here to be the same with תכלת techeleth, Exodus 25:4, and elsewhere, which we translate blue, it may mean that sombre sky-blue appearance of the horizon at the time of twilight, i.e., between light and darkness; the line where the one is terminating and the other commencing. Or, He so circumscribes the

Job 3:4 — Verse Job 3:4. Let that day be darkness — The meaning is exactly the same with our expression, "Let it be blotted out of the calendar." However distinguished it may have been, as the birthday of a man once celebrated for his possessions, liberality, and piety,

Psalms 125:1 — PSALM CXXV The safety of those who trust in God, 1, 2. God's protecting providence in behalf of his followers, 3. A prayer for the godly, 4. The evil lot of the wicked, 5. NOTES ON PSALM CXXVThis Psalm is without a title: it belongs most probably to the times after the captivity; and has been applied, with apparent propriety, to the opposition which Sanballat the Horonite, Geshem the Arabian,

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

Psalms 27:4 — Verse Psalms 27:4. One thing have I desired — If I am grown too old, and from that circumstance unable to serve my country, I shall then prefer a retirement to the tabernacle, there to serve God the rest of my days. There I shall behold his glory, and there I may

Psalms 87:4 — Verse Psalms 87:4. I will make mention of Rahab — The meaning seems to be, Rahab, i.e., Egypt, Babylon, Tyre, Philistia, and Ethiopia are not so honourable as Jerusalem. To be born in any of them is no privilege when compared with being a native of Jerusalem: their

Proverbs 22:17 — his words, not merely his sentiments, are to be carefully heard.2. He speaks knowledge - gives doctrines true in themselves, and confirmed by observation and experience.3. These are to be heard with humility and deep attention: "Bow down thine ear."4. They must not only be heard, but meditated and pondered: "Apply thine heart to my knowledge."

Proverbs 23:4 — Verse Proverbs 23:4. Labour not to be rich — Let not this be thy object. Labour to provide things honest in the sight of God and all men; and if thou get wealth, do not forget the poor, else God's curse will be a canker even in thy gold.Cease from thine own wisdom.

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

Proverbs 9:16 — Verse Proverbs 9:16. Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither — FOLLY or PLEASURE here personified, uses the very same expressions as employed by Wisdom, Proverbs 9:4. Wisdom says, "Let the simple turn in to me." No, says Folly, "Let the simple turn in to me." If he turn in to Wisdom, his folly shall be taken away and he shall become wise; if he turn in to Folly, his darkness will be thickened, and his folly will

Ecclesiastes 1:16 — my circumstances, I entered into my own heart, and there inquired the cause of my discontent. He found that, though -1. He had gotten wisdom beyond all men;2. Wealth and honours more than any other;3. Practical wisdom more than all his predecessors;4. Had tried pleasure and animal gratification, even to their extremes; yet after all this he had nothing but vexation of spirit.None of these four things, nor the whole of them conjoined, could afford him such a happiness as satisfies the soul. Why was

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

Isaiah 1:4 — Verse Isaiah 1:4. Ah sinful nation - "Degenerate"] Five MSS., one of them ancient, read משחתים moschathim, without the first י yod, in hophal corrupted, not corrupters. See the same word in the same form, and in the same sense, Proverbs 25:26.Are corrupters - "Are estranged"]