Bible Commentaries

Job 38:41 — Verse Job 38:41. Who provideth for the raven — This bird is chosen, perhaps, for his voracious appetite, and general hunger for prey, beyond most other fowls. He makes a continual cry, and the cry is that of hunger. He dares not frequent the habitations of

Psalms 18:10 — effecting many of those great events which take place in the administration of his providence; and particularly such as manifest his immediate interposition in the extraordinary judgments which he inflicts for the punishment of sinful nations. See Psalms 103:20; Psalms 104:4. The cherub is particularly mentioned as an emblem of the Divine presence, and especially as employed in supporting and conveying the chariot of the Almighty, when he is represented as riding in his majesty through the firmament of

Proverbs 3:8 — Verse Proverbs 3:8. It shall be health to thy navel — We need not puzzle ourselves to find out what we may suppose to be a more delicate meaning for the original word שר shor than navel; for I am satisfied a more proper cannot be found. It is well known that it

Proverbs 30:4 — Verse Proverbs 30:4. Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? — Calmet paraphrases this passage thus: "Who hath descended, c. In order to show the truth of what he was about to say, he observes: I have not the science of the saints for how could I have

Isaiah 49:2 — the Scholiast says, τροπικος ὁ λογος· βελη δε τους λογους εορηκε, δια το οξυ και καιριον των εγκωμιων. "He calls his verses shafts, by a metaphor, signifying the acuteness and the apposite application of his panegyric."This person, who is (Isaiah 49:3) called Israel, cannot in any sense be Isaiah. That name, in its original design and full import, can only belong to him who contended powerfully with God in behalf of mankind, and prevailed, Genesis 32:28. After all that Vitringa, Bp. Lowth, and others

Isaiah 52:15 — "יזה yazzeh, frequent in the law, means only to sprinkle: but the water sprinkled is the accusative case; the thing on which has על al or אל el. θαυμασονταιο, makes the best apodosis. ינהג yenahag would do. ינהרו yinharu is used Isaiah 2:2; Jeremiah 31:12; Jeremiah 51:14, but is unlike. 'Kings shall shut,' c., is good, but seems to want a first part." - SECKER. Munster translates it, faciet loqui, (de se) and in his note thus explains it: יזה yazzeh proprie significat spargere et stillas disseminare;

Jeremiah 48:1 — the long siege of Tyre in the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. The whole of this chapter is poetry of the first order. The distress of the cities of Moab, with which it opens, is finely described. The cries of one ruined city resound to those of another, 1-3. The doleful helpless cry of the children is heard, 4; the highways, on either hand, resound with the voice of 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

Jeremiah 52:28 — Verse Jeremiah 52:28-30. On these verses Dr. Blayney has some sensible remarks; I will extract the substance. These verses are not inserted in 2 Kings xxv. Are we to conclude from these verses that the whole number of the Jews which Nebuchadnezzar, in all his expeditions,

Daniel 7:4 — unnatural things, split eagles, two-headed swans, c., c., &c.The beast like a lion is the kingdom of the Babylonians and the king of Babylon is compared to a lion, Jeremiah 4:7; Isaiah 5:29; and is said to fly as an eagle, Jeremiah 48:40; Ezekiel 17:3; Ezekiel 17:7. The lion is considered the king of the beasts, and the eagle the king of the birds; and therefore the kingdom of Babylon, which was signified by the golden head of the great image, was the first and noblest of all the kingdoms; and was

Matthew 1:8 — not the immediate son of Joram: there were three kings between them, Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah, which swell the fourteen generations to seventeen: but it is observed that omissions of this kind are not uncommon in the Jewish genealogies. In Ezra 7:3, Azariah is called the son of Meraioth, although it is evident, from 1 Chronicles 6:7-9, that there were six descendants between them. This circumstance the evangelist was probably aware of but did not see it proper to attempt to correct what he found

Luke 16:31 — Verse Luke 16:31. If they hear not Moses, c.] This answer of Abraham contains two remarkable propositions.1. That the sacred writings contain such proofs of a Divine origin, that though all the dead were to arise, to convince an unbeliever of the truths therein declared,

Luke 24:50 — κειμενον, απεχει σταδια πεντε; which, being situated on the front of the city, is distant five furlongs. These things are all true:1. That the mount of Olives lay but five furlongs distant from Jerusalem.2. That the town of Bethany was fifteen furlongs.3. That the disciples were brought by Christ as far as Bethany.4. That, when they returned from the mount of Olives, they travelled more than five furlongs. And,5. Returning from Bethany, they travelled but a Sabbath day's journey.All which may be easily

Luke 8:2 — be legitimately drawn. She is here represented as one who had been possessed with seven demons; and as one among other women who had been healed by Christ of evil (or wicked) spirits and infirmities. As well might Joanna and Susanna, mentioned Luke 8:3, come in for a share of the censure as this Mary Magdalene; for they seem to have been dispossessed likewise by Jesus, according to St. Luke's account of them. They had all had infirmities, of what sort it is not said, and those infirmities were occasioned

John 10:1 — sheep, 11-18. The Jews are again divided, and some revile and some vindicate our Lord, 19-21. His discourse with the Jews at the temple, on the feast of dedication, 22-29. Having asserted that he was one with the Father, the Jews attempt to stone him, 30, 31. He vindicates his conduct, and appeals to his works, 32-38. They strive to apprehend him; he escapes, and retires beyond Jordan, 39, 40. Many resort to and believe on him there, 41, 42. NOTES ON CHAP. X.Verse John 10:1. Verily, verily, c.] From

Acts 10:48 — made. Why then should we lose time in deploring wretchedness, for the removal of which God has made the necessary preparations? Mourning over our miseries will never supply the lack of faith in Christ, and very seldom tends even to humble the heart.3. As the eye of God is ever upon us, he knows our trials as well as our wants; and here, also, he makes the necessary provision for our support. We may be called to suffer, but his grace will be sufficient for us; and, as our troubles increase, so shall

Acts 13:1 — CHAPTER XIII. Of the prophets and teachers in the Church of Antioch, 1. By command of the Holy Spirit the Church appoints Saul and Barnabas to a particular work, 2, 3. They depart, and travel to Seleucia, Cyprus, and Salamis, preaching in the Jewish synagogues, 4, 5. At Paphos they meet with Bar-Jesus or Elymas, a Jewish sorcerer, who endeavoured to prevent the deputy of the island from receiving the Christian faith,

Acts 19:35 — Verse 35. When the town - clerk — ογραμματευς, Literally, the scribe. The Syriac has [Syriac] reisha damedinato, the chief or prince of the city. The later Syriac has, the scribe of the city. Some think that the word recorder would do better here than

Acts 27:44 — lives to a plank and to a pilot; and yet it is often with great difficulty that they can trust themselves to the providence of God, whose knowledge, power, and goodness, are infinite; and the visible effects of which they have so many times experienced.3. What assurance soever we may have of the will of God, yet we must not forget human means. The life of all the persons in this ship was given to St. Paul; yet he does not, on that account, expect a visible miracle, but depends upon the blessing which

Acts 3:21 — Verse Acts 3:21. Whom the heaven must receive — He has already appeared upon earth, and accomplished the end of his appearing; he has ascended unto heaven, to administer the concerns of his kingdom, and there he shall continue till he comes again to judge

2 Corinthians 3:6 — Verse 2 Corinthians 3:6. Who hath made us able ministers — This is a more formal answer to the question, Who is sufficient for these things? προς ταυτα τις ἱκανος; 2 Corinthians 2:16. God, says the apostle, has made us able ministers; ἱκανωσεν ἡμας διακονους, he