Bible Commentaries

Genesis 1:3 — it, not created till the fourth day?" With the various and often unphilosophical answers which have been given to this question I will not meddle, but shall observe that the original word אור signifies not only light but fire, see Isaiah 31:9; Ezekiel 5:2. It is used for the SUN, Job 31:26. And for the electric fluid or LIGHTNING, Job 37:3. And it is worthy of remark that It is used in Isaiah 44:16, for the heat, derived from (אש esh, the fire. He burneth part thereof in the fire (במו אש bemo esh:)

Genesis 14:18 — breaches and dissensions between heaven and earth, reconciling both; and produces glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good will among men. His residence is peace and quietness and assurance for ever, in every believing upright heart.5. He governs as the Prince and Priest of the most high God, ruling in righteousness, mighty to save; and he ever lives to make intercession for, and save to the uttermost all who come unto the Father by him. Hebrews 7:25.

Genesis 22:24 — in the Scriptures in that disagreeable sense in which we commonly understand it. Hagar was properly the concubine or pilegesh of Abraham, and this annuente Deo, and with his wife's consent. Keturah, his second wife, is called a concubine, Genesis 26:15; 1 Chronicles 1:32; and Pilhah and Zilhah were concubines to Jacob, Genesis 35:22. After the patriarchal times many eminent men had concubines, viz., Caleb, 1 Chronicles 2:46; 1 Chronicles 2:48; Manasses, 1 Chronicles 7:14; Gideon, Judges 8:31; Saul,

Genesis 23:1 — CHAPTER XXIII The age and death of Sarah, 1, 2. Abraham mourns for her, and requests a burial-place from the sons of Heth, 24. They freely offer him the choice of all their sepulchres, 5, 6. Abraham refuses to receive any as a free gift, and requests to buy the cave of Machpelah from Ephron, 7-9. Ephron proffers the cave and the field in which it was situated as a free gift unto Abraham, 10, 11. Abraham insists on giving its value in

Genesis 27:28 — profusion, so as to saturate every thing. Travellers in these countries assure us that the dews fall there in an extraordinary abundance.The fatness of the earth — What Homer calls ουθαρ αρουρης, Ilias ix., 141, and Virgil uber glebae, AEneis i., 531, both signifying a soil naturally fertile. Under this, therefore, and the former expressions, Isaac wishes his son all the blessings which a plentiful country can produce; for, as Le Clerc rightly observes, if the dews and seasonable rains of heaven

Genesis 38:1 — CHAPTER XXXVIII Judah marries the daughter of a Canaanite, 1, 2; and begets of her Er, 3, Onan, 4, and Shelah, 5. Er marries Tamar, 6; is slain for his wickedness, 7. Onan, required to raise up seed to his brother, refuses, 8, 9. He also is slain, 10. Judah promises his son Shelah to Tamar, when he should be of age; but performs not his promise, 11. Judah's wife

Luke 18:13 — propitious toward me through sacrifice - or, let an atonement be made for me. I am a sinner, and cannot be saved but in this way. The Greek word ιλασκω, or ιλασκομαι, often signifies to make expiation for sin; and is used by the Septuagint, Psalms 65:4; Psalms 78:38; Psalms 79:9, for כפר kipper, he made an atonement. So ιλασμος a propitiation, is used by the same, for חטאה chataah, a sacrifice for sin, Ezekiel 44:27; and ιλαστηριον, the mercy seat, is, in the above version, the translation of כפרת

Acts 11:30 — Verse Acts 11:30. And sent it to the elders — These probably mean those who first believed on Christ crucified, either of the seventy disciples mentioned Luke, Luke 10:1, or the one hundred and twenty mentioned, Acts 1:15, or the seven deacons, Acts 6:5. Some have divided the primitive disciples into three classes:1. The αυτοπται, those who were eye witnesses.2. The απαρχαι, those who were the first fruits, or converts of the apostles' preaching.3. The διαδοχοι, those

Acts 20:4 — him — Rather, says Bishop Pearce, there followed him as far as to Asia; for they were not in his company till he set sail from Philippi, and came to them at Troas, in Asia, whither they had gone before, and where they tarried for him, Acts 20:5.Into Asia — αχρι της ασιας; These words are wanting in two MSS., Erpen, the AEthiopic, Coptic, and Vulgate. Some think that they embarrass this place; for how these could accompany him into Asia, and go before him, and tarry for him at Troas,

Acts 24:27 — Felix, did not his own conduct render his motives for this lenity very suspicious. "To think no evil, where no evil seems," is the duty of a Christian; but to refuse to see it, where it most evidently appears, is an imposition on the understanding itself.5. Justice, temperance, and a future judgment, the subjects of St. Paul's discourse to Felix and Drusilla, do not concern an iniquitous judge alone; they are subjects which should affect and interest every Christian; subjects which the eye should carefully

Acts 9:2 — rivers, Amara or Abara, which ran through it, and Pharpar, called by the Greeks Chrysorrhoas, the golden stream, which ran on the outside of its walls. It is one of the most ancient cities in the world, for it existed in the time of Abraham, Genesis 14:15; and how long before is not known. The city of Damascus is at present a place of considerable trade, owing to its being the rendezvous for all the pilgrims from the north of Asia, on their road to and from the temple of Mecca. It is surrounded with

1 Corinthians 13:4 — and translates it, is not inconstant. There is a phrase in our own language that expresses what I think to be the meaning of the original, does not set itself forward-does not desire to be noticed or applauded; but wishes that God may be all in all.(5.) Is not puffed up — ου φυσιουται. Is not inflated with a sense of its own importance; for it knows it has nothing but what it has received; and that it deserves nothing that it has got. Every man, whose heart is full of the love of God, is full

Galatians 2:15 — Verse 15. We who are Jews by nature — We who belong to the Jewish nation-who have been born, bred, and educated Jews.And not sinners of the Gentiles — αμαρτωλοι. Not without the knowledge of God, as they have been. αμαρτωλος often signifies a heathen,

Galatians 6:1 — through surprise and the violence of temptation, had fallen into sin; and to bear each other's burdens, 1, 2. To think humbly of themselves, and to conclude concerning their own character rather from the evidence of their works than from any thing else, 3-5. To minister to the support of those who instruct them in righteousness, 6. He warns them against self-deception, because whatever a man soweth that he shall reap, 7, 8. Exhorts them not to be weary in well doing, and to embrace every opportunity to

Hebrews 10:5 — Verse Hebrews 10:5. When he (the Messiah) cometh into the world — Was about to be incarnated, He saith to God the Father, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not-it was never thy will and design that the sacrifices under thy own law should be considered as making

Hebrews 11:1 — CHAPTER XI. A definition of faith, 1, 2. What are its immediate objects, 3. What are its effects, instanced in Abel, 4 In Enoch, 5, 6. In Noah, 7. In Abraham, 8-10. In Sara, 11. In their righteous posterity, 12-16 In Abraham's offering of his son Isaac, 17-19. In Isaac, 20. In Jacob, 21. In Joseph, 22. In Moses, 23-28. In the Israelites in the wilderness, 29. In the fall of Jericho,

Hebrews 5:10 — Verse Hebrews 5:10. Called of God a high priest — προσαγορευθεις. Being constituted, hailed, and acknowledged to be a high priest. In Hesychius we find προσαγορευει, which he translates ασπαζεται. hence we learn that one meaning of this word is to salute; as

1 Peter 1:2 — God's universal offers of grace; his invitations, promises, threatenings, being all general. 3. We are bid to choose life, and reprehended for not doing it. 4. It is inconsistent with a state of probation in those that must be saved, or must be lost.5. It is of fatal consequence; all men being ready, on very slight grounds, to fancy themselves of the elect number.But the doctrine of predestination is entirely changed from what it formerly was: now it implies neither faith, peace, nor purity; it is

Revelation 1:11 — thousand Armenians, five thousand Roman Catholics, one hundred and forty Protestants, eleven thousand Jews, and fifteen thousand Turks. It is a beautiful city, but often ravaged by the plague, and seldom two years together free from earthquakes. In 1758 the city was nearly desolated by the plague; scarcely a sufficient number of the inhabitants survived to gather in the fruits of the earth. In 1688 there was a terrible earthquake here, which overthrew a great number of houses; in one of the shocks,

Revelation 13:13 — observes, "there cannot be a stronger or plainer argument to prove that false doctors or teachers were particularly designed;" for prophet, in the Scripture style, is not unfrequently used for a preacher or expounder of God's word. See 1 Corinthians 14:1-5. It hence follows that the two-horned beast is an empire of false doctors or teachers.In order to establish the Latin Church upon a foundation that can never fail, the false prophet doth great wonders-he attempts the most wonderful and prodigious exploits,