Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 1:1 — THE FIRST BOOK OF THE KINGS -Year from the Creation, according to the English Bible, 2989. -Year before the Incarnation, 1015. -Year from the destruction of Troy, according to Dionysius of Halicarnassus, 170. -Year before the first Olympiad, 239. -Year before the building of Rome, 262. -Year of the Julian Period, 3699. -Year of the Dionysian Period, 507. -Cycle of the Sun, 3. -Cycle of the Moon, 13. -Year of Acastus, the second perpetual archon of the Athenians, 31. -Pyritiades was king over

1 Kings 11:3 — Verse 1 Kings 11:3. He had seven hundred wives, princesses — How he could get so many of the blood royal from the different surrounding nations, is astonishing; but probably the daughters of noblemen, generals, c., may be included.And three hundred concubines —

2 Kings 3:27 — Verse 2 Kings 3:27. Took his eldest son — The rabbins account for this horrible sacrifice in the following way:-When the king of Moab found himself so harassed, and the royal city on the point of being taken, he called a council of his servants, and asked them

2 Chronicles 20:1 — CHAPTER XX The Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites, invade Judah, 1, 2. Jehoshaphat proclaims a fast, and gathers the people together to seek the Lord, 3, 4. His prayer to God, 5-12. Great and small, male and female, seek the Lord, 13. Jahaziel predicts the downfall of their enemies, 14-17. The king, the Levites, and the people take courage; praise and magnify God; and go forth to meet their enemies,

Job 1:1 — five hundred and twenty years before the commencement of the Christian era, is inserted in the margin, not because it is the most probable, but because it is the most generally received. CHAPTER I Character of Job, 1. His family, 2. His substance, 3. Care of has family, 4, 5. Satan accuses him to God as a selfish person, who served God only for the hope of secular rewards, 6-11. Satan is permitted to strip him of all his children and property, 12-19. Job's remarkable resignation and patience, 20-22.

Job 3:19 — Verse Job 3:19. The small and great are there. — All sorts and conditions of men are equally blended in the grave, and ultimately reduced to one common dust; and between the bond and free there is no difference. The grave is "The appointed place of rendezvous,

Job 3:5 — Verse Job 3:5. Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it — יגאלהו yigaluhu, "pollute or avenge it," from גאל gaal, to vindicate, avenge, c. hence גאל goel, the nearest of kin, whose right it was to redeem an inheritance, and avenge the death of his relative

Psalms 104:1 — PSALM CIV The majesty and power of God manifested in the creation of the heavens and the atmosphere, 1-3; of the earth and sea, 4-9; of the springs, fountains, and rivers, 10-13; of vegetables and trees, 14-18; of the sun and moon, 19; of day and night, and their uses, 20-23; of the riches of the earth, 24; of the sea, its inhabitants, and its uses, 25,

Psalms 121:8 — very ancient use in the eastern countries. The sense of the passage is, Neither the day of prosperity nor the night of adversity shall hurt thee; nor the heat of persecution, nor the coldness of friends or relatives: all these shall work for thy good.3. "He shall preserve thee from all evil;" - and,4. Especially from every thing that might hurt thy soul: "He shall preserve thy soul."The psalmist concludes with this encouraging assurance.1. "The Lord shall preserve thy going out." We are always beginning

Psalms 2:1 — PSALM II This Psalm treats of the opposition raised, both by Jew and Gentile, against the kingdom of Christ, 1-3. Christ's victory, and the confusion of his enemies, 4-6. The promulgation of the Gospel after his resurrection, 7-9. A call to all the potentates and judges of the earth to accept it, because of the destruction that shall fall on those who reject it,

Psalms 4:1 — PSALM IV David prays to be heard, 1; expostulates with the ungodly, 2; exhorts them to turn to God, and make their peace with him, 3-5; shows the vain pursuits of men in search of happiness, which he asserts exists only in the approbation of God, 6, 7; commends himself to the Lord, and then quietly takes his repose, 8. NOTES ON PSALM IVThis Psalm seems to have been composed on the

Psalms 5:1 — PSALM V David continues instant in prayer, 1, 2; makes early application to God, 3; and shows the hatred which God bears to the workers of iniquity, 4-6. His determination to worship God, and to implore direction and support, 7, 8. He points out the wickedness of his enemies, 9, and the destruction they may expect, 10; and then shows

Psalms 5:2 — David's mind was now passing:1. We have seen from the preceding Psalm that he lay down in a very happy frame of mind, and that he had enjoyed profound repose.2. As soon as he awakes in the morning, his heart, having a right direction, resumes its work.3. He meditates on God's goodness; and on his own happy state, though pursued by enemies, and only safe as long as God preserved him by an almighty hand and especial providence.4. This shows him the need he has of the continual protection of the Most

Psalms 6:1 — PSALM VI This Psalm contains a deprecation of eternal vengeance, 1; a petition to God for mercy, 2. This is enforced from a consideration of the psalmist's sufferings, 3; from that of the Divine mercy, 4; from that of the praise and glory which God would fail to receive if man were destroyed, 5; from that of his humiliation and contrition, 6, 7. Being successful in his supplication, he exults in God, 8, 9; and predicts

Psalms 7:1 — PSALM VII The psalmist prays against the malice of his enemies, 1, 2; protests his own innocence, 3-5; prays to God that he would vindicate him, for the edification of his people, 6-8; prays against the wickedness of his enemies, 9; expresses strong confidence in God, 10; threatens transgressors with God's judgments, 11-13; shows the conduct and end

Psalms 72:1 — PSALM LXXII David prays to God for Solomon, 1; prescribes Solomon's work, 2; the effects of his administration, 3-7; the extent of his dominion, 8-11; his mercy and kindness to the poor, and the perpetuity of his praise, 12-17. God is blessed for his power and goodness; and the psalmist prays that the whole earth may be filled with his glory, 18-20. NOTES ON PSALM

Psalms 78:57 — backward." It was a good bow, one on which he could depend. Hosea, Hosea 7:16, compares the unfaithful Israelites to a deceitful bow; one that, when bent, would suddenly start aside and recover its former position. We may find the same passage in Jeremiah 9:3. And this is precisely the kind of bow mentioned by Homer, Odyss. xxi., which none of Penelope's suitors could bend, called καμπυλα τοξα and αγκυλα τοξα, the crooked bow in the state of rest; but τοξον παλιντονον, the recurred bow when prepared for

Psalms 90:1 — PSALM XC The eternity of God, 1, 2; the frailty of the state of man, 3-9; the general limits of human life, 10; the danger of displeasing God, 11; the necessity of considering the shortness of life, and of regaining the favour of the Almighty, 12; earnest prayer for the restoration of Israel, 13-17. NOTES ON PSALM XCThe

1 Samuel 14:1 — CHAPTER XIV Jonathan and his armour-bearer purpose to attack a garrison of the Philistines, 1. Saul and his army, with Ahiah the priest, tarry in Gibeah, 2, 3. Jonathan plans his attack of the Philistine garrison, 4-10. He and his armour-bearer climb over a rock: attack and rout the garrison, 11-15. Saul and has company, seeing confusion on the Philistine host, come out against them; as did the men who had

1 Samuel 17:1 — CHAPTER XVII The Philistines gather together against Israel at Ephes-dammim, and Saul and his men pitch their camp near the valley of Elah, 1-3. Goliath of Gath, a gigantic man, whose height was six cubits and a span, defies the armies of Israel, and proposes to end all contests by single combat; his armour is described, 4-11. Saul and his host are greatly dismayed, 12. David, having been sent