Bible Commentaries

Genesis 11:31 — Verse Genesis 11:31. They went forth - front Ur of the Chaldees — Chaldea is sometimes understood as comprising the whole of Babylonia; at other times, that province towards Arabia Deserta, called in Scripture The land of the Chaldeans. The capital of this place

Genesis 2:9 — provided he continued in obedience to his Maker. And probably the use of this tree was intended as the means of preserving the body of man in a state of continual vital energy, and an antidote against death. This seems strongly indicated from Genesis 3:22.And the tree of knowledge of good and evil.] Considering this also in a merely literal point of view, it may mean any tree or plant which possessed the property of increasing the knowledge of what was in nature, as the esculent vegetables had of

Genesis 36:24 — Verse Genesis 36:24. This was that Anah that found the mules in the wilderness — The words את הימם eth kaiyemim, here translated mules, has given rise to a great variety of conjectures and discordant opinions. St. Jerome, who renders it aquas calidas, warm springs,

Psalms 144:15 — 144:12-15.I. The prophet gives thanks, and praises God.1. "Blessed be the Lord:" c. Who has taught me in a general way the art of war, in a particular way the use of the sling giving me skill, c.2. "He is my strength," &c. The strength I have is from him.3. "My goodness," &c. Benignity or mercy.4. "My fortress," &c. To him I fly as to a stronghold.5. "And my Deliverer." Therefore will I trust in him.From the consideration of so many benefits, the psalmist exclaims, "Lord what is man," &c.To

Psalms 23:6 — Verse Psalms 23:6. Goodness and mercy shall follow me — As I pass on through the vale of life, thy goodness and mercy shall follow my every step; as I proceed, so shall they. There seems to be an allusion here to the waters of the rock smitten by the rod of Moses,

Leviticus 14:53 — Verse Leviticus 14:53. He shall let go the living bird — This might as well be called the scape-bird; as the goat, in Leviticus 16:5-10, is called the scape-goat. The rites are similar in both cases, and probably had nearly the same meaning.We have already taken occasion

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

Matthew 1:16 — among the Jews, were anointed in order to the legitimate exercise of their respective offices. Hence the word Χριστος Christ, or משיח Mashiach, became a name of dignity, and often signified the same as king. See Isaiah 45:1; Psalms 105:15; Leviticus 4:3; Leviticus 6:20; 1 Samuel 2:10. The words משיח Mashiach and מלך melec, Χριστος and 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

Matthew 23:35 — Verse Matthew 23:35. Upon the earth — επι της γης, upon this land, meaning probably the land of Judea; for thus the word is often to be understood. The national punishment of all the innocent blood which had been shed in the land, shall speedily come upon you,

Romans 2:21 — supposition; notorious instances might be produced of the forementioned crimes, whereby the Jews of the present age have brought a reproach upon religion among the Gentiles; as well as those Jews of former times, of whom the Prophet Ezekiel speaks, Ezekiel 36:23: And I will sanctify my great name, which was PROFANED among the HEATHEN, which ye have PROFANED in the midst of them."That the Jewish priesthood was exceedingly corrupt in the time of the apostle, and that they were so long before, is fully evident

Romans 6:1 — any more than the law did; and those who commit sin are the slaves of sin, 15-19. The degrading and afflictive service of sin, and its wages eternal death; the blessed effects of the grace of God in the heart, of which eternal life is the fruit, 20-23. NOTES ON CHAP. VI.The apostle, having proved that salvation, both to Jew and Gentile, must come through the Messiah, and be received by faith only, proceeds in this chapter to show the obligations under which both were laid to live a holy life, and

Romans 7:22 — use among the purest Greek ethic writers, to signify the soul or rational part of man, in opposition to the body of flesh. See the quotations in Wetstein from Plato and Plotinus. The Jews have the same form of expression; so in Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 10, 3, it is said: The flesh is the inward garment of the man; but the SPIRIT is the INWARD man, the garment of which is the body; and St. Paul uses the phrase in precisely the same sense in 2 Corinthians 4:16, and Ephesians 3:16. If it be said that it is

Romans 7:9 — and I died; i.e. it got strength to draw me to sin, and to condemn me to death. Sin is, in Scripture, represented as an enemy that seeks our ruin and destruction; and takes all occasions to effect it. It is here said to war against the mind, Romans 7:23; elsewhere, to war against the soul, 1 Peter 2:11; to surround and beset us, Hebrews 12:1; to bring us into bondage and subjection, and get the dominion over us, Romans 6:12; to entice us, and so to work our death, James 1:14-16; and to do all that

2 Corinthians 10:18 — These were qualifications to which the false apostle at Corinth could not pretend. He had language and eloquence, and show and parade; but he had neither the gifts of an apostle nor an apostle's success.1. DR. WHITBY observes that the apostle, in the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th verses, 2 Corinthians 10:13-16 endeavours to advance himself above the false apostles in the three following particulars:-(1.) That whereas they could show no commission to preach to the Corinthians, no measure by which God had

2 Corinthians 6:2 — sets his argument before us in a stronger light. Let us review the whole:1. God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, 2 Corinthians 5:18.2. He appointed the apostles to proclaim to mankind the doctrine of reconciliation, 2 Corinthians 5:19.3. The apostles, in consequence, proclaim this doctrine; and show that Christ was a sacrifice for sin, and that through him we may be perfectly saved, 2 Corinthians 5:20; 2 Corinthians 5:21.4. They show also that all this was agreeable to the declaration

Joshua 11:1 — CHAPTER XI The Kings of Hazor, Madon, Shimron, and 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

2 Thessalonians 1:1 — era of the world, 5544. -Year of the Julian period, 4762. -Year of the world, according to Archbishop Usher, 4056. -Year of the world, according to Eusebius, in his Chronicon, 4280. -Year of the minor Jewish era of the world, or that in common use, 3812. -Year of the Greater Rabbinical era of the world, 4411. -Year from the Flood, according to Archbishop Usher, and the English Bible, 2400. -Year of the Cali yuga, or Indian era of the Deluge, 3154. -Year of the era of Iphitus, or since the first

Hebrews 3:6 — Verse Hebrews 3:6. But Christ as a Son over his own house — Moses was faithful as a servant IN the house; Jesus was faithful, as the first-born Son, OVER the house of which he is the Heir and Governor. Here, then, is the conclusion of the argument in reference

1 John 5:16 — punishment of death. This opinion, which has been advanced by Rosenmuller, intimates that men should feel for each other's distresses, and use their influence in behalf of the wretched, nor ever abandon the unfortunate but where the case is utterly hopeless.3. The sin unto death means a case of transgression, particularly of grievous backsliding from the life and power of godliness, which God determines to punish with temporal death, while at the same time he extends mercy to the penitent soul. The disobedient

Revelation 12:1 — CHAPTER XII. The woman clothed with the sun, and in travail, 1, 2. The great red dragon waiting to devour the child as soon as born, 3, 4. The woman is delivered of a son, who is caught up unto God; and she flees to the wilderness, 5, 6. The war in heaven between Michael and the dragon, 7, 8. The dragon and his angels are overcome and cast down to the earth; whereupon the whole heavenly