Bible Commentaries

Ecclesiastes 10:4 — Verse Ecclesiastes 10:4. If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee — If the king get incensed against thee.Leave not thy place — Humble thyself before him, that is thy place and duty; for yielding to him, and not standing stoutly in thy defence, pacifieth

Song of Solomon 2:8 — then returns to her narration, Song of Solomon 3:1. The bridegroom did not come according to her wishes. Night came on she did not find him in her bed; she went out to seek him; found him, and brought him to her mother's pavilion, Song of Solomon 3:4; and then, as before, conjures the virgins not to disturb his repose, Song of Solomon 3:5.

Isaiah 10:27 — the marginal conjectures of Archbishop Secker, who appears, like all others, to have been at a loss for a probable interpretation of the text as it now stands. "o. leg. שכם shakam; forte legend. מבני שמן mibbeney shamen, vide cap. Isaiah 5:1.Zechariah 4:14: Et possunt intelligi Judaei uncti Dei, Psalms 105:15, vel Assyrii, משמנים mishmannim, hic Isaiah 10:16, ut dicat propheta depulsum iri jugum ab his impositum: sed hoc durius. Vel potest legi מפני שמי mippeney shami."

Isaiah 21:14 — Verse Isaiah 21:14. The land of Tema - "The southern country"] Θαιμαν, Sept.; Austri, Vulg. They read תימן teiman, which seems to be right; for probably the inhabitants of Tema might be involved in the same calamity with their brethren and neighbours of Kedar, and not

Isaiah 35:8 — Kennicott's adds בו bo, in it, which seems necessary to the sense, and so the Vulgate, per eam, "by it." One of De Rossi's has שם sham, there.But it shall be for those - "But he himself shall be with them, walking in the way."] That is, God; see Isaiah 35:4. "Who shall dwell among them, and set them an example that they should follow his steps." Our old English Version translated the place to this purpose, our last translators were misled by the authority of the Jews, who have absurdly made a division

Isaiah 46:1 — burden of their votaries, that they themselves are borne by beasts of burden into captivity, 1, 2. This beautifully contrasted with the tender care of God, in bearing his people from first to last in his arms, and delivering them from their distress, 3, 4. The prophet, then, with his usual force and elegance, goes on to show the folly of idolatry, and the utter inability of idols, 5-7. From which he passes with great ease to the contemplation of the attributes and perfections of the true God, 8-10. Particularly

Isaiah 59:17 — tilbosheth, is an interpolation.1. It is in no one ancient version.2. It is redundant in the sense, as it is before expressed in בגדי bigdey.3. It makes the hemistich just so much longer than it ought to be, if it is compared with the others adjoining.4. It makes a form of construction in this clause less elegant than that in the others.5. It might probably be in some margin a various reading for בגדי bigdey, and thence taken into the text.This is more probable, as its form is such as it would be if

Jeremiah 30:9 — exception to this. They have been no nation since; they are no nation now; and it is only in the latter days that they can expect to be a nation, and that must be a Christian nation.Christ is promised under the name of his progenitor, David, Isaiah 55:3-4; Ezekiel 34:23-24; Ezekiel 37:24-25; Hosea 3:5.

Jeremiah 34:18 — Verse Jeremiah 34:18. When they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof — This was the ancient and most solemn way of making a covenant.1. A calf as sacrifice was offered to God to secure his approbation and support.2. The victim was then exactly

Jeremiah 44:19 — Verse Jeremiah 44:19. And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven — The MOON seems to have been called מלכת melecheth, as the SUN was called מלך molech. The Hindoos pour out water to the sun thrice a day; and to the moon whenever they worship her.The idolatrous

Jeremiah 45:1 — Baruch's fear with respect to this latter circumstance, the prophet assures him that though the total destruction of Judea was determined because of the great wickedness of the inhabitants, yet his life should be preserved amidst the general desolation, 4, 5. NOTES ON CHAP. XLVVerse Jeremiah 45:1. The word that Jeremiah - spake unto Baruch — This is another instance of shameless transposition. This discourse was delivered in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, several years before Jerusalem was taken

Daniel 4:17 — Verse 17. This matter is by the decree of the watchers — See on Daniel 4:13.The Most High ruleth — He never leaves the government of the world to man, to second causes, or to fortuitous occurrences. What are thus called are his agents; they are no moving causes.And setteth up - the basest of men. — "Tyrants

Joel 1:6 — destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. Others say that they mean four powers which have been enemies of the Jews:1. The palmerworm, the Assyrians and Chaldeans.2. The locust, the Persians and Medes.3. The cankerworm, the Greeks, and particularly Antiochus Epiphanes.4. The caterpillar, the Romans.Others make them four kings; Tiglath-pileser, Shalmaneser, Sennacherib, and Nebuchadnezzar. But of such similitudes there is no end; and the best of them is arbitrary and precarious.

Amos 4:2 — Verse Amos 4:2. He will take you away with hooks — Two modes of fishing are here alluded to:1. Angling with rod, line, and baited hook.2. That with the gaff, eel-spear, harpoon, or such like; the first used in catching small fish, by which the common people

Amos 6:4 — Verse Amos 6:4. That lie upon beds of ivory — The word הוי hoi, wo, is understood at the beginning of each of the first, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth verses. The beds mentioned here may be either sofas to recline on at table, or beds to sleep on; and these

Habakkuk 2:4 — Verse 4. Behold, his soul which is lifted up — Hee that presumes on his safety without any special warrant from God, is a proud man; and whatever he may profess, or think of himself, his mind is not upright in him. But he that is just by faith shall live

Zechariah 10:1 — 1-3. The rest of the chapter (like the preceding) promises to the Jews a restoration to their own land under rulers and governors, victory over their enemies, and much increase and prosperity; and this in a manner so miraculous, that it is described, 4-12, by allusions to the deliverance from Egypt. NOTES ON CHAP. XVerse Zechariah 10:1. Ask ye of the Lord rain — Rain in the due seasons -1. To impregnate the seed when sown; and2. To fill the ear near the time of harvest-was so essential to the

Malachi 2:6 — me;" he was my sincere worshipper.2. "He was afraid;" he acted as in the presence of a just and holy God, and acted conscientiously in all that he did.3. "My law of truth was ever in his mouth; " by this he directed his own conduct and that of others.4. "No iniquity; " nothing contrary to justice and equity ever proceeded "from his lips."5. "He walked with me in peace;" he lived in such a way as to keep up union with me.6. "He did turn many away from iniquity;" by his upright administration, faithful

Matthew 5:4 — Verse Matthew 5:4. Blessed are they that mourn — That is, those who, feeling their spiritual poverty, mourn after God, lamenting the iniquity that separated them from the fountain of blessedness. Every one flies from sorrow, and seeks after joy, and yet true joy

Matthew 8:17 — Verse Matthew 8:17. Himself took our infirmities — The quotation is taken from Isaiah 53:4, where the verb nasa signifies to bear sin, so as to make atonement for it. And the rabbins understand this place to speak of the sufferings of the Messiah for the sins of Israel; and say that all the diseases, all the griefs, and all the punishments