Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 10:1 — The queen of Sheba visits Solomon, and brings rich presents; and tries him by hard questions, which he readily solves, 1-3. She expresses great surprise at his wisdom, his buildings, his court, c. and praises God for placing him on the Jewish throne, 4-9. She gives him rich presents, 10. What the navy of Hiram brought from Ophir, 11, 12. The queen of Sheba returns, 13. Solomon's annual revenue, 14, 15. He makes two hundred targets and three hundred shields of gold, 16, 17. His magnificent ivory throne,

Psalms 121:1 — ministering priest answers him, "He will not suffer thy foot to be moved." "He that keepeth thee will not slumber," Psalms 121:3.To which the worshipper answers, that he knows that "he who keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep," Psalms 121:4; but he seems to express a doubt whether he shall be an object of the Divine attention.Ver. Psalms 121:5, c. The priest resumes and, to the conclusion of the Psalm, gives him the most positive assurances of God's favour and protection.Verse Psalms 121:1.

Psalms 127:4 — Verse Psalms 127:4. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man — Each child will, in the process of time, be a defence and support to the family, as arrows in the quiver of a skilful and strong archer; the more he has, the more enemies he may slay, and consequently

Psalms 141:2 — Verse Psalms 141:2. As incense — Incense was offered every morning and evening before the Lord, on the golden altar, before the veil of the sanctuary. Exodus 29:39, and Numbers 28:4.As the evening sacrifice. — This was a burnt-offering, accompanied with

Psalms 144:1 — PSALM CXLIV The psalmist praises God for his goodness, 1, 2. Exclamations relative to the vanity of human life, 3, 4. He prays against his enemies, 5-8; and extols God's mercy for the temporal blessings enjoyed by his people, 9-15. NOTES ON PSALM CXLIVThe Hebrew, and all the Versions, attribute this Psalm to David. The Vulgate, Septuagint, AEthiopic, and Arabic,

Psalms 77:1 — PSALM LXXVII The psalmist's ardent prayer to God in the tine of distress, 1-4. The means he used to excite his confidence, 5-12. God's wonderful works in behalf of his people, 13-20. NOTES ON PSALM LXXVIIThe title, "To the chief Musician, (or conqueror,) to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph." On this title we may observe that both

Psalms 98:1 — PSALM XCVIII God is celebrated for his wondrous works, 1, 2; for the exact fulfilment of his gracious promises, 3. The manner in which he is to be praised, 4-6. Inanimate creation called to bear a part in this concert, 7, 8. The justice of his judgments, 9. NOTES ON PSALM XCVIIIIn the Hebrew this is simply termed מזמור mizmor, a Psalm. In the Chaldee, A prophetic Psalm. In the Vulgate, Septuagint, AEthiopic,

Ecclesiastes 5:1 — CHAPTER V The reverence to be observed in attending Divine worship, 1-3. We should be faithfu1 to over engagements, 4-7. The oppression of the innocent, 8. The king dependent on the produce of the soil, 9. Against covetousness, 10, 11. The peace of the honest labourer, 12. The evil effect of riches, 13, 14. Man cannot carry his property to the grave, 15-17. We should

Song of Solomon 2:4 — Verse Song of Solomon 2:4. He brought me to the banqueting house — Literally, the house of wine. The ancients preserved their wine, not in barrels or dark cellars under ground, as we do, but in large pitchers, ranged against the wall in some upper apartment in the house,

Lamentations 4:1 — Edomites also, who had insulted the Jews in their distress, is ironically predicted, 21. See Psalms 137:7, and Obadiah 1:10-12. The chapter closes with a gracious promise of deliverance from the Babylonish captivity, 22. NOTES ON CHAP. IVVerse Lamentations 4:1. How is the gold become dim — The prophet contrasts, in various affecting instances, the wretched circumstances of the Jewish nation, with the flourishing state of their affairs in former times. Here they are compared to gold, זהב zahab, native

Ezekiel 4:2 — Verse Ezekiel 4:2. Battering rams — כרים carim. This is the earliest account we have of this military engine. It was a long beam with a head of brass, like the head and horns of a ram, whence its name. It was hung by chains or ropes, between two beams, or three

Joel 1:4 — Verse 4. That which the palmerworm hath left — Here he begins to open his message, and the words he chooses show that he is going to announce a devastation of the land by locusts, and a famine consequent on their depredations. What the different insects

Matthew 12:43 — Verse 43. When the unclean spirit — If there had been no reality in demoniacal possessions, our Lord would have scarcely appealed to a case of this kind here, to point out the real state of the Jewish people, and the desolation which was coming upon them.

Matthew 18:12 — leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains — So our common translation reads the verse; others, Doth he not leave the ninety and nine UPON THE MOUNTAINS, and go, c. This latter reading appears to me to be the best because, in Luke 15:4, it is said, he leaveth the ninety and nine IN THE DESERT. The allusion, therefore, is to a shepherd feeding his sheep on the mountains, in the desert; not seeking the lost one ON the mountains.Leaving the ninety and nine, and seeking the ONE strayed

Mark 13:36 — frequently off his guard.Our Lord shows us in this parable:1. That himself, ascended to heaven, is the man gone from home.2. That believers collectively are his family.3. That his servants are those who are employed in the work of faith and labour of love.4. That the porter represents the ministers of his Gospel, who should continually watch for the safety and welfare of the whole flock.5. That every one has his own work - that which belongs to himself and to none other, and for the accomplishment of which

Acts 12:2 — never had any successors: God has continued their doctrine, but not their order.By killing with the sword we are to understand beheading. Among the Jews there were four kinds of deaths:1. Stoning;2. burning;3. killing with the sword, or beheading; and,4. strangling.The third was a Roman as well as a Jewish mode of punishment. Killing with the sword was the punishment which, according to the Talmud, was inflicted on those who drew away the people to any strange worship, Sanhedr. fol. iii. James was

Romans 15:4 — Verse Romans 15:4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime — This refers not only to the quotation from the 69th Psalm, but to all the Old Testament scriptures; for it can be to no other scriptures that the apostle alludes. And, from what he says here of them,

Romans 4:19 — that Sarah was 90; and that, added to the utter improbability of her bearing at that age, she had ever been barren before. All these were so many reasons why he should not credit the promise; yet he believed; therefore it might be well said, Romans 4:20, that he staggered not at the promise, though every thing was unnatural and improbable; but he was strong in faith, and, by this almost inimitable confidence, gave glory to God. It was to God's honour that his servant put such unlimited confidence

1 Corinthians 2:4 — Verse 1 Corinthians 2:4. And my speech — ο λογος μου, My doctrine; the matter of my preaching.And my preaching — το κηρυγμα μου, My proclamation, my manner of recommending the grand but simple truths of the Gospel.Was not with enticing words of man's wisdom —

2 Samuel 2:1 — CHAPTER II David, by the direction of God, goes up to Hebron, and is there anointed king over the house of Judah, 1-4. He congratulates the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead on their kindness in rescuing the bodies of Saul and his sons from the Philistines, 5-7. Abner anoints Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, king over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel;