Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 19:10 — affecting:-1. They have forsaken thy covenant — They have now cleaved to and worshipped other gods.2. Thrown down thine altars — Endeavoured, as much as they possibly could, to abolish thy worship, and destroy its remembrance from the land.3. And slain thy prophets — That there might be none to reprove their iniquity, or teach the truth; so that the restoration of the true worship might be impossible.4. I only, am left — They have succeeded in destroying all the rest of the

2 Kings 3:26 — Verse 2 Kings 3:26. Seven hundred men — These were no doubt the choice of all his troops, and being afraid of being hemmed up and perhaps taken by his enemies, whom he found on the eve of gaining possession of the city, he made a desperate sortie in order to

2 Kings 6:29 — food for their starved, desperate parents.She hath hid her son. — He was already dead, says Jarchi; and she hid him, that she might eat him alone.This very evil Moses had foretold should come upon them if they forsook God; see Deuteronomy 28:53; Deuteronomy 28:57. The same evil came upon this wretched people when besieged by Nebuchadnezzar; see Ezekiel 5:10. And also when Titus besieged Jerusalem; see Josephus, De Bell. Judaic. lib. vi., cap. 3, and Clarke's notes on "Matthew 24:19".

Ezra 5:1 — CHAPTER V Haggai and Zechariah the prophets encourage Zerubbabel and Jeshua to proceed with the building of the temple, 1, 2. Tatnai, the governor of the provinces on this side the Euphrates, and his companions, inquire by what authority they do this, 3-5. They write to Darius; a copy of the letter, 6-16. They request to know how they are to proceed, 17. NOTES ON CHAP. VVerse Ezra 5:1. Haggai - and Zechariah — These are the same whose writings we have among the twelve minor prophets.The son of

Nehemiah 3:1 — CHAPTER III The names of those who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem; and the part assigned to each person, 1-32. NOTES ON CHAP. IIIVerse Nehemiah 3:1. Eliashib the high priest — It was right that the priests should be first in this holy work; and perhaps the sheep gate which is mentioned here is that by which the offerings or sacrifices were brought into

Job 22:25 — and the great are his high favorites: the poor and the distressed he holds for his enemies."In the above verses there seems to be a reference to the mode of obtaining the precious metals:1. Gold in dust;2. Gold in streams from the hills and mountains;3. Silver in mines; כסף תועפות keseph toaphoth, "silver of giddiness," of mines so deep as to make one giddy by looking into them. See Mr. Good.

Psalms 11:3 — Verse Psalms 11:3. If the foundations be destroyed — If Saul, who is the vicegerent of God, has cast aside his fear, and now regards neither truth nor justice, a righteous man has no security for his life. This is at present thy case; therefore flee! They have

Psalms 112:3 — Verse Psalms 112:3. Wealth and riches shall be in his house — This is often the case: a godly man must save both time and money. Before he was converted he lost much time, and squandered his money. All this he now saves, and therefore wealth and riches must be in

Psalms 114:3 — Verse Psalms 114:3. The sea saw it, and fled — Mr. Addison has properly observed (see Spect. No. 461) that the author of this Psalm designedly works for effect, in pointing out the miraculous driving back the Red Sea and the river Jordan, and the commotion of the

Psalms 122:1 — PSALM CXXII The satisfaction of a gracious soul in the use of God's ordinances, 1, 2. Description of the internal government of Jerusalem, 3-5. Prayers for its peace and prosperity, 6-9. NOTES ON PSALM CXXIIIn the preceding Psalms we find the poor captives crying to God for deliverance; here they are returning thanks that they find they are permitted to return to their own land and to the

Psalms 129:3 — Verse Psalms 129:3. The plowers plowed upon my back — It is possible that this mode of expression may signify that the people, during their captivity, were cruelly used by scourging, c. or it may be a sort of proverbial mode of expression for the most cruel usage.

Psalms 132:3 — Verse Psalms 132:3. Surely I will not come — This must refer to the situation of the temple; or, as we would express it, he would not pass another day till he had found out the ground on which to build the temple, and projected the plan, and devised ways and

Psalms 3:7 — Verse Psalms 3:7. Arise, O Lord — Though he knew that God had undertaken his defence, yet he knew that his continued protection depended on his continual prayer and faith. God never ceases to help as long as we pray. When our hands hang down, and we restrain

Psalms 42:9 — meat — This and the following verse is badly pointed in our Bibles: "Why go I mourning as with a sword in my bones because of the oppression of the enemy? Mine enemies reproach me daily, while they say unto me, Where is thy God?" See on Psalms 42:3. Their reproaches are to my soul as cutting and severe as a sword thrust into my body, and separating between my bones; because these reproaches are intended to fall on thee, my God, as if thou hadst not power to save us from the hands of our oppressors.

Psalms 53:4 — Verse Psalms 53:4. Have the workers of iniquity — For פעלי, poaley, workers seventy-two of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., with several ancient editions, the Chaldee, though not noticed in the Latin translation in the London Polyglot, the Syriac, Vulgate, Septuagint,

Psalms 63:3 — Verse Psalms 63:3. Thy loving-kindness is better than life — This is the language of every regenerate soul. But O how few prefer the approbation of God to the blessings of life, or even to life itself in any circumstances! But the psalmist says, Thy loving-kindness,

Ecclesiastes 3:22 — Verse Ecclesiastes 3:22. A man should rejoice in his own works — Do not turn God's blessings into sin by perverseness and complaining; make the best of life. God will sweeten its bitters to you, if you be faithful. Remember this is the state to prepare for glory;

Song of Solomon 3:6 — Verse Song of Solomon 3:6. Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness — Going to Egypt was called descending or going down, coming from it was termed coming up. The bride, having risen, goes after her spouse to the country, and the clouds of incense arising from her

Jeremiah 14:3 — Verse Jeremiah 14:3. Their nobles have sent their little ones — So general was this calamity, that the servants no longer attended to their lords, but every one was interested alone for himself; and the nobles of the land were obliged to employ their own children

2 Samuel 4:11 — which aggravated the guilt of those wicked men.1. Ish-bosheth was an innocent man, and therefore none could have any ground of quarrel against him.2. He was in his own house, which was his sanctuary, and none but the worst of men would disturb him there.3. He was upon his bed, resting in the heat of the day, and so free from suspicion that he was not even attended by his guards, nor had he his doors secured. To take away the life of such a man, in such circumstances, whom also they professed to hold