Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 10:5 — queen of Sheba is a natural and not an uncommon effect which will be produced in a delicate sensible mind at the sight of rare and extraordinary productions of art.Of the profusion of Solomon's sacrifices we have already had proof, 1 Kings 8:63; 1 Kings 9:25.

1 Kings 20:1 — besiege Samaria, 1. He sends an insulting message to Ahab; and insists on pillaging the whole city, 2-7. The elders of Israel counsel the king not to submit to such shameful conditions, 8. He sends a refusal to Ben-hadad; who, being enraged, vows revenge, 9-12. A prophet comes to Ahab, and promises him victory, and gives him directions how he should order the battle, 13-19. The Syrians are discomfited, and Ben-hadad scarcely escapes, 20, 21. The prophet warns Ahab to be on his guard, for the Syrians would

1 Kings 8:37 — land; the latter, to the young locusts bred in the land.7. An enemy, having attacked their defenced cities, the keys and barriers of the land.8. Any other kind of plague; that which affects the surface of the body; blotch, blain, leprosy, ophthalmia, c.9. Sickness whatever impaired the strength, or affected the intestines, disturbing or destroying their natural functions.All such cases were to be brought before the Lord, the persons having a deep sense of the wickedness which induced God thus to afflict,

Nehemiah 13:1 — priest having not only joined opinion with Sanballat, but being also allied to Tobiah the Ammonite, and having given him some of the chambers in the court of the house of God, 4, 5; Nehemiah casts out the goods of Tobiah, and purifies the chambers, 6-9. He rectifies several evils; and the people bring the tithes of all things to the treasuries, 10-12. He appoints treasurers, 13, 14; finds that the Sabbaths had been greatly profaned by buying and selling, and rectifies this abuse, 15-22; finds Jews

Job 8:9 — Verse Job 8:9. For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing — It is evident that Bildad refers to those times in which human life was protracted to a much longer date than that in which Job lived; when men, from the long period of eight or nine hundred years,

Psalms 116:1 — PSALM CXVI The psalmist praises God for his deliverance from thraldom, which he compares to death and the grave, 1-9. The exercises through which he had passed, 10, 11. His gratitude for these mercies, and resolution to live to God's glory, 12-19. NOTES ON PSALM CXVIThis Psalm is also without a title, and its author is unknown. It appears to have been written after

Psalms 58:1 — PSALM LVIII David reproves wicked counsellors and judges, who pervert justice, and stir up the strong against the weak and innocent, 1-5. He foretells their destruction, and describes the nature of it, 6-9. The righteous, seeing this, will magnify God's justice and providence, 10, 11. NOTES ON PSALM LVIIIThe title seems to have no reference to the subject of the Psalm. See the introduction to the preceding. Psalms 57:1 Saul having attempted the life

Isaiah 27:1 — protection of his favourite vineyard, in the form of a dialogue, Isaiah 27:2.3. The moderation and lenity with which the severity of his judgments have been tempered, Isaiah 27:7.4. The end and design of them, to recover them from idolatry, Isaiah 27:9. And,5. The recalling of them, on their repentance, from their several dispersions, Isaiah 27:12.The first verse seems connected with the two last verses of the preceding chapter. - L.NOTES ON CHAP. XXVIIVerse Isaiah 27:1. Leviathan — The animals

Isaiah 45:8 — Truth shall spring from the earth, And righteousness shall look down from heaven. Even JEHOVAH: will give that which is good, And our land shall yield her produce. Righteousness shall go before him, And shall direct his footsteps in the way." Psalms 85:9-13. See the notes on these verses.These images of the dew and the rain descending from heaven and making the earth fruitful, employed by the prophet, and some of those nearly of the same kind which are used by the psalmist, may perhaps be primarily

Isaiah 58:13 — speaking vain words."] It is necessary to add some epithet to make out the sense; the Septuagint say, angry words; the Chaldee, words of violence. If any such epithet is lost here, the safest way is to supply it by the prophet's own expression, Isaiah 58:9, ודבר און vedabar aven, vain words; that is, profane, impious, injurious, c."The additional epithet seems unnecessary the Vulgate and Syriac have it not; and the sense is good without it; two ways, first by taking ודבר vedabar for a noun, and דבר dabur

Jeremiah 30:1 — of the prophetical writings, being put for the antitype. The prophecy opens by an easy transition from the temporal deliverance spoken of before, and describes the mighty revolutions that shall precede the restoration of the descendants of Israel, 1-9, who are encouraged to trust in the promises of God, 10, 11. They are, however, to expect corrections; which shall have a happy issue in future period, 12-17. The great blessings of Messiah's reign are enumerated, 18-22; and the wicked and impenitent

Jeremiah 5:1 — the higher order, from whose knowledge and opportunities better things might have been expected, 5. God therefore threatens them with the most cruel enemies, 6; and appeals to themselves if they should be permitted to practise such sins unpunished, 7-9. He then commands their enemies to raze the walls of Jerusalem, 10; that devoted city whose inhabitants added to all their other sins the highest contempt of God's word and prophets, 11-13. Wherefore his word, in the mouth of his prophet, shall be as

Jeremiah 52:1 — which gave rise to them. Zedekiah's evil reign and rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar, 1-3. Jerusalem is taken by the Chaldeans after a siege of eighteen months, 4-7. Zedekiah pursued and taken in the plains of Jericho, and his whole army dispersed, 8, 9. The king's sons and all the princes of Judah slain in Riblah, 10. Zedekiah has his eyes put out by order of the Chaldean monarch; and is afterward bound in chains, carried to Babylon, and imprisoned for life, 11. Nebuzar-adan, the captain of the guard,

Jeremiah 8:4 — upon her by her own infidelities, Jeremiah 8:18-20. The prophet once more resumes his discourse; he regrets that no remedy can be found to close up the wounds of his country, and pathetically weeps over the number of her slain, Jeremiah 8:21; Jeremiah 9:1."Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return? — That is, It is as possible for sinners to return from their sin to God, for his grace is ever at hand to assist, as it is for God, who is pouring out his judgments, to return

Judges 9:7 — Verse Judges 9:7. Stood in the top of Mount Gerizim — Gerizim and Ebal were mounts very near to each other; the former lying to the north, the latter to the south, and at the foot of them Shechem. But see some remarks on the extent of the human voice in some

1 Samuel 11:1 — the threat that all who did not come to his standard should have his cattle served in like manner; in consequence of which he is soon at the head of an army of three hundred and thirty thousand men, 5-8. He sends to Jabesh-gilead, and promises help, 9, 10. Saul attacks the Ammonites next morning, and gives them a total overthrow, 11. The people are greatly encouraged, and propose to put to death those who are opposed to Saul's government: but this he prevents, 12, 13. Samuel leads the people to Gilgal:

1 Samuel 17:12 — Verse 1 Samuel 17:12. The 1 Samuel 17:12-31, are wanting in the Septuagint; as also the 1 Samuel 17:41 verse; and from the 1 Samuel 17:54-58; with the first five verses of 1 Samuel 18:1-5, and the 1 Samuel 18:9, 1 Samuel 18:10, 1 Samuel 18:11, 1 Samuel 18:17, 1 Samuel 18:18, and 1 Samuel 18:19 of the same.All these parts are found in the Codex Alexandrinus; but it appears that the MS. from which the Codex Alexandrinus was copied, had them not. See observations

1 Samuel 30:1 — in the Lord, 6. David inquires of the Lord, and is directed to pursue the Amalekites, with the promise that he shall recover all, 7, 8. He and his men begin the pursuit, but two hundred, through fatigue are obliged to stay behind at the brook Besor, 9, 10. They find a sick Egyptian, who directs them in their pursuit, 11-15. David finds the Amalekites secure, feasting on the spoils they had taken; he attacks and destroys the whole host, except four hundred, who escape on camels, 16, 17. The Israelites

1 Samuel 4:1 — thousand men, 1, 2. They resolve to give the Philistines battle once more, and bring the ark of the Lord, with Hophni and Phinehas the priests, into the camp, 3, 4. They do so, and become vainly confident, 5. At this the Philistines are dismayed, 6-9. The battle commences; the Israelites are again defeated, with the loss of thirty thousand men; Hophni and Phinehas are among the slain; and the ark of the Lord is taken, 10, 11. A Benjamite runs with the news to Eli; who, hearing of the capture of

2 Samuel 24:1 — 1. Joab remonstrates against it, but the king determines that it shall be done; and Joab and the captains accomplish the work, and bring the sum total to the king: viz.: eight hundred thousand warriors in Israel, and five hundred thousand in Judah, 2-9. David is convinced that he has done wrong; and the prophet Gad is sent to him, to give him his choice of three judgments, one of which God is determined to inflict upon the nation, 10-13. David humbles himself before God; and a pestilence is sent,