Bible Commentaries

Song of Solomon 4:16 — Verse Song of Solomon 4:16. Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south — It is granted that the south wind in Palestine, in the summer, is extremely hot and troublesome; therefore, another interpretation of this passage has been proposed by Mr. Harmer; who thinks בואי

Song of Solomon 5:1 — CHAPTER V The bridegroom calls on his spouse to admit him, 1-3. She hesitates; but arising finds him gone, seeks him, and is treated unworthily by the city watch, 4-7. Inquires of the daughters of Jerusalem, who question her concerning her beloved, 8, 9. This gives her occasion to enter into a fine description of his person and accomplishments, 10-16. NOTES ON CHAP. VVerse Song of Solomon 5:1. I am come into my

Isaiah 28:4 — Verse Isaiah 28:4. The hasty fruit before the summer - "The early fruit before the summer"] "No sooner doth the boccore, (the early fig,) draw near to perfection in the middle or latter end of June, than the kermez or summer fig begins to be formed, though it rarely

Isaiah 6:5 — the reason why he was struck dumb: because he was a man of polluted lips, and dwelt among a people of polluted lips, and was unworthy, either to join the seraphim in singing praises to God, or to be the messenger of God to his people. Compare Exodus 4:10; Exodus 6:12; Jeremiah 1:6.

Ezekiel 34:29 — Verse Ezekiel 34:29. I will raise up - a plant of renown — מטע לשם matta leshem, "a plantation to the name;" to the name of CHRIST. A Christian Church composed of men who are Christians, who have the spirit of Christ in them, and do not bear his name in vain.

Hosea 4:1 — obstinacy of Israel; and as their priests had a large share in the common guilt, it is declared that they shall be visited with a proportionable share of the common ruin, 6-11. The sins of idolatry and divination are then particularly reproved, 12-14; and Judah admonished to beware of these sins, which would leave her rebellious sister Israel helpless and desolate as a lamb in a desert, 15, 16. In the remaining verses the style is varied, but the subject is the same. Ephraim is given up to idolatry,

Amos 2:1 — CHAPTER II The prophet goes on to declare the judgments of God against Moab, 1-3; against Judah, 4, 5; and then against Israel, the particular object of his mission. He enumerates some of their sins, 6-8, aggravated by God's distinguishing regard to Israel, 9-12; and they are in consequence threatened with dreadful punishments, 13-16. See 2 Kings

Matthew 13:19 — the Gospel of Christ.And understandeth it not — μη συνιεντος, perhaps more properly, regardeth it not, does not lay his heart to it.The wicked one — ο πονηρος, from πονος, labour, toil, he who distresses and torments the soul. Mark, Mark 4:15, calls him οσατανας, the adversary or opposer, because he resists men in all their purposes of amendment, and, to the utmost of his power opposes, in order to frustrate, the influences of Divine grace upon the heart. In the parallel place in Luke,

Matthew 4:22 — Verse Matthew 4:22. Left the ship and their father — By the ship, το πλοιον, we are to understand the mere fishing-boat, used for extending their nets in the water and bringing the hawser or rope of the farther end to shore, by which the net was pulled to land.

John 4:9 — Verse John 4:9. That thou, being a Jew — Probably the inhabitants of Judea distinguished themselves from those of Samaria by some peculiar mode of dress; and by this the Samaritan woman might have known Christ: but it is likely that our Lord spoke the Galilean

Acts 10:37 — Baptist, who was exercising his ministry at that time at Bethany or Bethabara; and there he made certain disciples, viz., Andrew, Bartholomew, Peter, and Philip.3. Thence he went to the marriage at Cana, in Galilee, where he wrought his first miracle.4. And afterwards he went to Capernaum in the same country, by the sea of Galilee, where he wrought many others. This was the manner in which Christ manifested himself; and these are the facts of which Peter presumes they had a perfect knowledge, because

Acts 24:2 — Verse Acts 24:2. Tertullus began to accuse him — There are three parts in this oration of Tertullus:-1. The exordium.2. The proposition.3. The conclusion.The exordium contains the praise of Felix and his administration, merely for the purpose of conciliating

Acts 24:8 — Verse Acts 24:8. Commanding his accusers to come, c.] Here Tertullus closes his opening and statement of the case and now he proceeds to call and examine his witnesses; and they were no doubt examined one by one, though St. Luke sums the whole up in one word -The

1 Corinthians 1:27 — he equals it to the cedar, particularly in the ordinance concerning the lepers, and in the burning of the red heifer. Thus God commanded them in Egypt, Exodus 12:22: And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, c. And concerning Solomon it is said, 1 Kings 4:33: And he discoursed of trees, from the cedar on Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall. Whence we may learn that great and small things are equal in the eyes of the Lord, and that even by small things He can work great miracles."

1 Corinthians 10:7 — and set apart.2. It was slain, and its blood poured out at the altar of the deity.3. The flesh was dressed, and the priests and offerers feasted on it, and thus endeavoured to establish a communion between themselves and the object of their worship.4. After eating, they had idolatrous dances in honour of their god; and,5. as might be expected, impure mixtures, in consequence of those dances. The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play; and it is in reference to this issue of idolatrous

1 Corinthians 12:1 — apostle proceeds to the question of the Corinthians concerning spiritual gifts, 1. He calls to their remembrance their former state, and how they were brought out of it, 2, 3. Shows that there are diversities of gifts which proceed from the Spirit, 4. Diversities of administrations which proceed from the Lord Jesus, 5. And diversities of operations which proceed from God, 6. What these gifts are, and how they are dispensed, 7-11. Christ is the Head, and the Church his members; and this is pointed

1 Corinthians 8:7 — Verse 1 Corinthians 8:7. There is not in every man that knowledge — This is spoken in reference to what is said, 1 Corinthians 8:4: We know that an idol is nothing in the world; for some with a conscience of the idol, viz. that it is something, eat it-the flesh that was offered to the idol, as a thing thus offered, considering the feast as a sacred banquet, by which they have fellowship

2 Corinthians 4:5 — Verse 2 Corinthians 4:5. For we preach not ourselves — We neither proclaim our own wisdom nor power; we have nothing but what we have received; we do not wish to establish our own authority, nor to procure our own emolument.But Christ Jesus the Lord — We proclaim

2 Corinthians 7:3 — corrupted, spoiled, and impoverished by those whom ye have incautiously preferred to the true apostles of Jesus Christ.I have said before, that ye are in our hearts — He has in effect and substance said this, 2 Corinthians 1:6-8 (note); 2 Corinthians 2:4 (note); 2 Corinthians 2:12 (note); 2 Corinthians 3:2 (note); 2 Corinthians 3:13 (note); where see the passages at length, and the notes.To die and live with you.] An expression which points out the strongest affection, as in cases where love blinds

1 Thessalonians 4:1 — their own affairs, to do their own business, and to live honestly, 11, 12. Not to sorrow for the dead, as persons who have no hope of a resurrection; because to Christians the resurrection of Christ is a proof of the resurrection of his followers, 13, 14. Gives a short but awful description of the appearing of Christ to judge the world, 15. NOTES ON CHAP. IV.Verse 1 Thessalonians 4:1. We beseech you, brethren, and exhort — We give you proper instructions in heavenly things, and request you to