Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 21:1 — CHAPTER XXI Ahab covets the vineyard of Naboth, and wishes to have it either by purchase or exchange, 1, 2. Naboth refuses to alienate it on any account, because it was his inheritance from his fathers, 3. Ahab becomes disconsolate, takes to his bed, and refuses to eat, 4. Jezebel, finding out the cause, promises to give him the vineyard, 5-7. She writes to the nobles of Jezreel to proclaim a fast, to accuse Naboth of blasphemy, carry him out, and stone

2 Kings 12:4 — for the necessary repairs. The repairs were made from the following sources:1. The things which pious persons had dedicated to the service of God.2. The free-will offerings of strangers who had visited Jerusalem: the money of every one that passeth.3. The half-shekel which the males were obliged to pay from the age of twenty years (Exodus 30:12) for the redemption of their souls, that is their lives, which is here called the money that every man is set at. All these sources had ever been in some

2 Kings 3:1 — CHAPTER IIIThe reign and idolatry of Jehoram, king of Israel, 1-3.Mesha, king of Moab, rebels against Israel, 4, 5.Jehoram, Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom join against theMoabites, and are brought into great distress for want ofwater, 6-10.The three kings go to Elisha to inquire of the Lord; whopromises them water,

2 Kings 5:11 — they are all very emphatic: -1. "I thought, He will surely come OUT to ME. He will never make his servant the medium of communication between ME and himself.2. And stand - present himself before me, and stand as a servant to hear the orders of his God.3. And call on the name of Jehovah HIS God; so that both his God and himself shall appear to do me service and honour.4. And strike his hand over the place; for can it be supposed that any healing virtue can be conveyed without contact? Had he done these

2 Kings 9:1 — CHAPTER IX Elisha sends one of the disciples of the prophets to Ramoth-gilead, to anoint Jehu king of Israel, 1-3. He acts according to his orders, and informs Jehu that he is to cut off the whole house of Ahab, 4-10. Jehu's captains proclaim him king, 11-14. He goes again Jezreel; where he finds Joram and Ahaziah king of Judah, who had come to visit him; he slays

2 Chronicles 17:19 — is the wisdom of kings to encourage religion with all their power and influence; for if the hearts of the subjects be not bound and influenced by true religion, vain is the application of laws, fines, imprisonments, or corporal punishment of any kind.3. A religious nation is ever a great nation; it is loved by its friends, it is dreaded by its enemies.4. It is ever a peaceable and united nation: the blessings of religion, and a wholesome and paternal government, are so fully felt and prized, that

2 Chronicles 24:1 — CHAPTER XXIV Joash begins to reign when seven years old, and reigns well all the days of Jehoiada the priest, 1-3. He purposes to repair the temple of God; and makes a proclamation that the people should bring in the money prescribed by Moses, 4-9. They all contribute liberally; and the different artificers soon perfect the work, 10-13. The rest of the money is

2 Chronicles 3:4 — Verse 2 Chronicles 3:4. The height was a hundred and twenty — Some think this should be twenty only; but if the same building is spoken of as in 1 Kings 6:2, the height was only thirty cubits. Twenty is the reading of the Syriac, the Arabic, and the Septuagint in

2 Chronicles 36:1 — death of his father Josiah, and reigns only three months, 1, 2. He is dethroned by the king of Egypt, and Jehoiakim his brother made king in his stead, who reigns wickedly eleven years, and is dethroned and led captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, 3-8. Jehoiachin is made king in his stead, and reigns wickedly three months and ten days, and is also led captive to Babylon, 9, 10. Zedekiah begins to reign, and reigns wickedly eleven years, 11, 12. He rebels against Nebuchadnezzar, and he and his people

Nehemiah 5:3 — Verse Nehemiah 5:3. Because of the dearth. — About the time of Zerubbabel, God had sent a judicial dearth upon the land, as we learn from Haggai, Haggai 1:9, c., for the people it seems were more intent on building houses for themselves than on rebuilding the house

Job 10:21 — Verse Job 10:21. I shall not return — I shall not return again from the dust to have a dwelling among men.To the land of darkness — Job 3:5. There are here a crowd of obscure and dislocated terms, admirably expressive of the obscurity and uncertainty of the subject. What do we know of the state of separate spirits? What do we know of the spiritual world? How do souls exist separate from

Job 25:1 — CHAPTER XXV Bildad, the Shuhite, in an irregular speech, shows that God's dominion is supreme, his armies innumerable, and his providence extended over all, 1-3; that man cannot be justified before God; that even the heavenly bodies cannot be reputed pure in his sight; much less man, who is naturally weak and sinful, 4-6. NOTES ON CHAP. XXVVerse Job 25:1. Bildad the Shuhite — This is the last attack on

Job 3:10 — Verse Job 3:10. Because it shut not up the doors — Here is the reason why he curses the day and the night in which he was conceived and born; because, had he never been brought into existence, he would never have seen trouble. It seems, however, very harsh

Job 3:14 — Verse Job 3:14. With kings and counsellors of the earth — I believe this translation to be perfectly correct. The counsellors, יעצי yoatsey, I suppose to mean the privy council, or advisers of kings; those without whose advice kings seldom undertake wars,

Job 3:7 — Verse Job 3:7. Lo, let that night be solitary — The word הנה hinneh, behold, or lo, is wanting in one of De Rossi's MSS., nor is it expressed in the Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac, or Arabic.The word גלמוד galmud, which we translate solitary, is properly Arabic.

Job 38:1 — CHAPTER XXXVIII The Lord answers Job out of a whirlwind, and challenges him to answer, 1-3. He convinces him of ignorance and weakness, by an enumeration of some of his mighty works; particularly of the creation of the earth, 4-7. The sea and the deeps, 8-18. The light, 19-21. Snow, hail, thunder, lightning, rain, dew, ice, and hoar-frost,

Psalms 21:3 — Verse Psalms 21:3. Thou preventest him — To prevent, from praevenio, literally signifies to go before. Hence that prayer in the communion service of our public Liturgy, "Prevent us, O Lord, in all our doings, with thy most gracious favour!" That is, "Go before

Psalms 35:1 — PSALM XXXV The psalmist, in great straits, prays for his personal safety, 1-3; and for the confusion of his enemies, 4-8; expresses has confidence in God, 9, 10; mentions his kindness to those who had rewarded him evil for his good, 11-16; appeals to God against them, 17-26; prays for those who befriended him; and praises God

Psalms 47:1 — PSALM XLVII The Gentiles are invited to celebrate the praises of God as the Sovereign of the world, 1, 2. The Jews exalt in his kindness to them, 3, 4. All then join to celebrate his Majesty, as reigning over the heathen, and gathering the dispersed Jews and Gentiles together into one Church, 5-9. NOTES ON PSALM XLVIIThe title, "A Psalm for the sons of Korah," has nothing remarkable in it. The

Psalms 51:7 — dipped in the blood of the bird that had been killed, and then sprinkled over the person who had been infected. But it is worthy of remark that this ceremony was not performed till the plague of the leprosy had been healed in the leper; (Leviticus 14:3;) and the ceremony above mentioned was for the purpose of declaring to the people that the man was healed, that he might be restored to his place in society, having been healed of a disease that the finger of God alone could remove. This David seems