Bible Commentaries

Isaiah 27:1 — CHAPTER XXVII Destruction of the enemies of the Church, 1. God's care of his vineyard, 2-11. Prosperity of the descendants of Abraham in the latter days, 12, 13. The subject of this chapter seems to be the nature, the measure, and the design of God's dealings with his people.1. His judgments inflicted on their great and powerful enemies, Isaiah 27:1.2. His constant care and protection of his favourite vineyard,

Isaiah 27:2 — in the mode which is now termed recitativo. I have seen it often practiced on funeral occasions among the descendants of the aboriginal Irish. The poems of Ossian are of this kind.The learned Bishop distinguishes the parts of this dialogue thus: - 3. JEHOVAH. It is I, JEHOVAH, that preserve her; I will water her every moment: I will take care of her by night; And by day I will keep guard over her. 4. VINEYARD. I have no wall for my defence: O that I had a fence of the thorn and brier! JEHOVAH.

Isaiah 41:1 — is, their strength of mind, their powers of reason; that they may overcome those prejudices by which they have been so long held enslaved to idolatry. A MS. has הר har, upon a rasure. The same mistake seems to have been made in this word, Zephaniah 3:17. For יחריש באהבתו yacharish beahabatho, silebit in directione sua, as the Vulgate renders it; which seems not consistent with what immediately follows, exultabit super te in laude; the Septuagint and Syriac read יחדיש באהבתו yachadish beahabatho,

Isaiah 45:3 — Verse Isaiah 45:3. I will gave thee the treasures of darkness — Sardes and Babylon, when taken by Cyrus, were the wealthiest cities in the world. Croesus, celebrated beyond all the kings of that age for his riches, gave up his treasures to Cyrus, with an exact

Isaiah 5:24 — Attollitque globos flammarum, et sidera lambit. AEn. iii. 574. "By turns a pitchy cloud she rolls on high, By turns hot embers from her entrails fly, And flakes of mountain flames, that lick the sky." The disparted tongues, as it were of fire, Acts 2:3, which appeared at the descent of the Holy Spirit, on the apostles, give the same idea; that is, of flames shooting diversely into pyramidal forms, or points, like tongues. It may be farther observed that the prophet in this place has given the metaphor

Jeremiah 5:1 — described the judgments impending over his countrymen, enlarges on the corruptions which prevailed among them. Their profession of religion was all false and hypocritical, 1, 2. Though corrected, they were not amended, but persisted in their guilt, 3. This was not the case with the low and ignorant only, 4; but more egregiously so with those of the higher order, from whose knowledge and opportunities better things might have been expected, 5. God therefore threatens them with the most cruel enemies,

Jeremiah 52:1 — CHAPTER LII This chapter was added after Jeremiah's time probably by Ezra, after the return from the captivity, of which it gives a short account, nearly the same as in Jeremiah 52:2; Jeremiah 24:18-20; Jeremiah 25:1-30. It is very properly subjoined to the preceding prophecies, in order to show how exactly they were fulfilled. It likewise forms a proper introduction to the following Lamentations, as it gives an account of the mournful events which gave rise to them.

Ezekiel 10:1 — be withdrawn from it, 1-22. It may not be improper to remark, that whatever is particularly intended by the cherubim, wheels, firmament, throne, c., described in this and the first chapter, the prophet several times informs us (Ezekiel 1:28; Ezekiel 3:25; Ezekiel 8:4; Ezekiel 10:4; Ezekiel 10:18,) that his vision was a manifestation or similitude of the GLORY of Jehovah; or, in other words, consisted of a set of hieroglyphics by which this glory was in some measure represented. It is also worthy

Daniel 7:6 — constituted the Macedonian empire. It may refer to the character of Alexander himself, sometimes mild, at others cruel; sober and drunken; continent and lecherous; having a great power of self-government, and at other times being a slave to his passions.3. The leopard, though small, is not afraid to attack the lion.Four wings of a fowl — The Babylonian empire was represented with two wings; and they sufficiently marked the rapidity of Nebuchadnezzar's conquests; but the Macedonian has here four

Hosea 14:7 — things of iniquity, and repentance is deepened into contrition, the broken and the contrite heart groans, and thinks that all is lost; deep distress takes place, and discouragement succeeds discouragement. This answers to the corn in its second state.3. By and by the pardon comes, and God's love is shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost; every hope is revived and realized, the full corn in the ear becomes manifest; and this answers to the corn in its third state. "They shall revive as the corn."

Amos 1:3 — Verse Amos 1:3. For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four — These expressions of three and four, so often repeated in this chapter, mean repetition, abundance, and any thing that goes towards excess. Very, very exceedingly; and so it was used among

Amos 2:6 — the poor; or, to put it on the head of the poor; or, they bruise the head of the poor against the dust of the earth. Howsoever the clause is understood, it shows them to have been general oppressors of the poor, showing them neither justice nor mercy.3. They turn aside the way of the meek. They are peculiarly oppressive to the weak and afflicted.4. They were licentious to the uttermost abomination; for in their idol feasts, where young women prostituted themselves publicly in honour of Astarte, the

Jonah 1:1 — THE PROPHET JONAH Chronological Notes relative to this Book, upon the supposition that the repentance of the Ninevites happened in the twenty-third year of the reign of Jehu, king of Israel. -Year from the Creation, according to Archbishop Usher, 3142. -Year of the Julian Period, 3852. -Year since the Flood, 1486. -Year from the foundation of Solomon's temple, 150. -Year since the division of Solomon's monarchy into the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, 114. -Year before the first Olympiad, 86. -Year

Matthew 11:5 — emblematic of that work of salvation which he effects in the souls of men.1. Sinners are blind; their understanding is so darkened by sin that they see not the way of truth and salvation.2. They are lame - not able to walk in the path of righteousness.3. They are leprous, their souls are defiled with sin, the most loathsome and inveterate disease; deepening in themselves, and infecting others.4. They are deaf to the voice of God, his word, and their own conscience.5. They are dead in trespasses and

Matthew 23:8 — Verse Matthew 23:8. But be not ye called Rabbi — As our Lord probably spoke in Hebrew, the latter word rabbi, in this verse, must have been in the plural; but as the contracted form of the plural sounds almost exactly like the singular, the Greek writer would

Matthew 27:53 — Verse 53. And came out of the graves after his resurrection — Not BEFORE, as some have thought, for Christ was himself the FIRST FRUITS of them who slept, 1 Corinthians 15:20. The graves were opened at his death, by the earthquake, and the bodies came

Luke 17:20 — Sodom and Gomorrah." Our Lord states that this kingdom of heaven was within them, i.e. that they themselves should be the scene of these desolations, as, through their disobedience and rebellion, they possessed the seeds of these judgments. Matthew 3:2.

Luke 23:1 — CHAPTER XXIII. Christ is led to Pilate, and accused by the Jews, 1, 2. Pilate examines, and pronounces him innocent, 3, 4. The Jews virulently accuse him, 5. Pilate, understanding that he was of Galilee, sends him to Herod, by whom he is examined, 6-9. The chief priests and scribes vehemently accuse him, and Herod and his soldiers mock him, 10, 11. Pilate and Herod

John 5:3 — Verse John 5:3. Blind, halt, withered — To these the Codex Bezae, three copies of the Itala, and both the Persic, add παραλυτικων, paralytic; but they are probably included among the withered.Waiting for the moving of the water. — This clause, with the

John 6:15 — execution. It was not till a considerable time afterwards that even the disciples fully understood that his kingdom was not of this world.Into a mountain — That on which he was with his disciples previously to his working this miracle: see John 6:3.St. Matthew, Matthew 14:22-23, and Mark, Mark 6:45-46, say that, before this, Jesus constrained his disciples to embark in the vessel, and go along the sea coast towards Capernaum, or Bethsaida-see here John 6:17, and the note on Mark 6:45; and that,