Bible Commentaries

Exodus 15:2 — between יה Jah and the verb היה to subsist, exist, be, is intimated to us the first time יה Jah is used in Scripture, (Exodus 15:2:) 'My strength and my song is יה JAH, and he is become ( vajehi) to me salvation.'" See Psalms 68:5; Psalms 89:6; Psalms 94:7; Psalms 115:17-18; Psalms 118:17.JAH יה is several times joined with the name Jehovah יהוה so that we may be sure that it is not, as some have supposed, a mere abbreviation of that word. See Isaiah 12:2; Isaiah 26:4. Our blessed Lord solemnly claims

Exodus 19:1 — having departed from Rephidim, come to the wilderness of Sinai in the third month, 1, 2. Moses goes up into the mount to God, and receives a message which he is to deliver to the people, 3-6. He returns and delivers it to the people before the elders, 7. The people promise obedience, 8. The Lord proposes to meet Moses in the cloud, 9. He commands him to sanctify the people, and promises to come down visibly on Mount Sinai on the third day, 10, 11. He commands him also to set bounds, to prevent the

Exodus 30:34 — it as gotten in India. What is called here pure frankincense is no doubt the same with the mascula thura of Virgil, and signifies what is first obtained from the tree - that which is strongest and most free from all adventitious mixtures. Exodus 30:7.THE Israelites were most strictly prohibited, on the most awful penalties, from making any anointing oil or perfume similar to those described in this chapter. He that should compound such, or apply any of this to any common purpose, even to smell to,

Exodus 34:6 — gracious One; he whose nature is goodness itself; the loving God.5. ארך אפים ERECH APPAYIM, long-suffering; the Being who, because of his goodness and tenderness, is not easily irritated, but suffers long and is kind.6. רב RAB, the great or mighty One.7. חסד CHESED, the bountiful Being; he who is exuberant in his beneficence.8. אמת EMETH, the truth or true One; he alone who can neither deceive nor be deceived, who is the fountain of truth, and from whom all wisdom and knowledge must be derived.9. נצר

2 Kings 5:1 — leprosy, 5, 6. On receiving the letter, the king of Israel is greatly distressed, supposing that the Syrian king designed to seek a quarrel with him; in desiring him to cleanse a leper, when it was well known that none could cure that disorder but God, 7. Elisha, hearing this, orders Naaman to be sent to him, 8. He comes to Elisha's house in great state, 9. And the prophet sends a messenger to him, ordering him to wash in Jordan seven times, and he should be made clean, 10. Naaman is displeased that

2 Kings 7:17 — Verse 2 Kings 7:17. And the people trode upon him — This officer being appointed by the king to have the command of the gate, the people rushing out to get spoil, and in to carry it to their houses, he was borne down by the multitude and trodden to death. This

Psalms 130:8 — purification.I. Acknowledging his miserable condition, he prays to be heard, Psalms 130:1-2.II. He desires remission of sin, Psalms 130:3-4.III. He expresses his hope and confidence, Psalms 130:5-6.IV. He exhorts God's people to trust in him, Psalms 130:7-8.I. The psalmist likens himself to a man in the bottom of a pit: - 1. "Out of the depths have I cried," c. A true penitent cries out of the depth of his misery, and from the depth of a heart sensible of it.2. "Lord, hear my voice." Although I be so

Psalms 144:15 — well as useful.3. "That our garners may be full," &c. That we may have abundance.4. "That our sheep," &c. Our flocks' increase.5. "That our oxen," &c. May be healthy and strong.6. "That there be no breaking," &c. No plundering among us.7. "That there be no complaining," &c. No want of bread, or any cause of tumult. David prays that, during his reign, the people may be happy, and enjoy the fruits of peace.Then he concludes the Psalm with this acclamation: - 1. "Happy is that people,"

Psalms 23:6 — turbulent and violent.5. He will take care to preserve me in health; if sick, he will restore me.6. He goes before and leads me, that I may not mistake my way: "He leads me in paths of righteousness," which is his love; for it is "for his name's sake."7. He restores. If I err and go astray, and walk through the valley of the shadow of death, (for a sheep is a straggling creature,) I will fear no evil: for his rod and staff comfort me; his law and his Gospel both contribute to my correction and support.Thus,

Psalms 71:24 — Verse Psalms 71:24. Talk of thy righteousness — The righteousness of God is frequently used in this Psalm, and in other places, to signify his justice, judgments, faithfulness, truth, mercy, c. There are few words of more general import in the Bible.They are

Isaiah 45:7 — Verse Isaiah 45:7. I form the light, and create darkness — It was the great principle of the Magian religion, which prevailed in Persia in the time of Cyrus, and in which probably he was educated, that there are two supreme, co-eternal, and independent causes always

Isaiah 52:15 — seem to give the best sense of any to this place."I find in my papers the same conjecture which Dr. Durell made from θαυμασονται in the Septuagint. And it may be added that חזה chazah is used to express 'looking on any thing with admiration,' Psalms 11:7; Psalms 17:15; Psalms 27:4; Psalms 63:2; Song of Solomon 6:13. It is particularly applied to 'looking on God,' Exodus 24:11, and Job 19:26. Gisbert Cuper, in Observ. lib. ii. 1, though treating on another subject, has some observations which show how

Jeremiah 48:1 — weeping, 5; and the few that remain resemble a blasted tree in the wide howling waste, 6. Chemosh, the chief god of the Moabites, and the capital figure in the triumph, is represented as carried off in chains, with all his trumpery of priests and officers, 7. The desolation of the country shall be so general and sudden that, by a strong figure, it is intimated that there shall be no possibility of escape, except it be in the speediest flight, 8, 9. And some idea may be formed of the dreadful wickedness

Daniel 7:25 — Verse Daniel 7:25. He shall speak great words against the Most High — Sermones quasi Deus loquetur; "He shall speak as if he were God." So St. Jerome quotes from Symmachus. To none can this apply so well or so fully as to the popes of Rome. They have assumed

Amos 1:1 — THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET AMOS Chronological Notes relative to this Book -Year from the Creation, according to Archbishop Usher, 3217. -Year of the Julian Period, 3927. -Year since the Flood, 1561. -Year from the foundation of Solomon's temple, 225. -Year since the division of Solomon's monarchy into the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, 188. -Year since the first Olympic games were celebrated

Numbers 19:2 — See Spencer.3. The heifer was to be without spot - having no mixture of any other colour. Plutarch remarks, De Iside et de Osiride, that if there was a single hair in the animal either white or black, it marred the sacrifice. See Calmet, and Numbers 8:7.4. Without blemish - having no kind of imperfection in her body; the other, probably, applying to the hair or colour.5. On which never came yoke, because any animal which had been used for any common purpose was deemed improper to be offered in sacrifice

Numbers 27:7 — Verse Numbers 27:7. Thou shalt surely give them-an inheritance among their father's brethren — There is a curious anomaly here in the Hebrew text which cannot be seen in our translation. In Hebrew they, them, and their, you, ye, and your, are both of the masculine

Matthew 1:16 — βασιλευς, Christ and king, are frequently interchanged. 1 Samuel 2:10; Psalms 2:2; Psalms 2:6; Luke 23:2; and see the Scholia of Rosenmuller on this place. The reason of this may be seen in the following note, which I extract from the comment on Exodus 29:7."It appears from Isaiah 61:1, that anointing with oil, in consecrating a person to any important office, whether civil or religious, was considered as an emblem of the communication of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit. This ceremony was used

Luke 8:2 — women mentioned in the Sacred Writings appear as women of ill fame; therefore Rahab must be a harlot; and Mary Magdalene, a prostitute: and yet nothing of the kind can be proved either in the former or in the latter case; nor in that mentioned Luke 7:36, c., where see the notes. Poor Mary Magdalene is made the patroness of penitent prostitutes, both by Papists and Protestants and to the scandal of her name, and the reproach of the Gospel, houses fitted up for the reception of such are termed Magdalene

Joshua 11:1 — Achshaph, with those of the mountains, plains, c., and various chiefs of the Canaanites and Amorites, confederate against Israel, 1-3. They pitch their tents at the waters of Merom, 4, 5. The Lord encourages Joshua, 6. He attacks and discomfits them, 7, 8. Houghs all their horses, and burns all their chariots, 9. Takes and burns several of their cities, 10-13. The Israelites take the spoils, 14, 15. An account of the country taken by Joshua, 16-18. The Gibeonites only make peace with Israel, 19. All