Bible Commentaries

2 Chronicles 4:17 — Verse 2 Chronicles 4:17. In the clay ground — See on 1 Kings 7:46. Some suppose that he did not actually cast those instruments at those places, but that he brought the clay from that quarter, as being the most proper for making moulds to cast in.

Nehemiah 2:20 — Verse Nehemiah 2:20. Ye have no portion, nor right — To be a citizen of Jerusalem was a high honour; and they would not permit those who did not belong to the tribes of Israel to dwell there. Zerubbabel gave the same answer to the Samaritans, Ezra 4:3.

Psalms 125:4 — Verse Psalms 125:4. Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good — Let the upright ever find thee his sure defence! Increase the goodness which thou hast already bestowed upon them; and let all who are upright in heart find thee to be their stay and their support!

Psalms 24:4 — Verse Psalms 24:4. He that hath clean hands — He whose conscience is irreproachable; whose heart is without deceit and uninfluenced by unholy passions.Who hath not lifted up his soul — Who has no idolatrous inclination; whose faith is pure, and who conscientiously fulfils his promises and engagements.

Psalms 40:4 — Verse Psalms 40:4. Blessed is that man — The man must be blessed and happy who casts his soul, with all its burden of sin and wretchedness, at the footstool of God's mercy; for he will save all who come to him through the Son of his love.

Psalms 5:4 — Verse Psalms 5:4. Neither shall evil dwell with thee. — As thou art holy, so thou hast pleasure only in holiness; and as to evil men, they shall never enter into thy glory; לא יגרך רע lo yegurecha ra, "the evil man shall not even sojourn with thee."

Psalms 66:4 — Verse Psalms 66:4. All the earth — The whole land shall worship thee. There shall no more an idol be found among the tribes of Israel. This was literally true. After the Babylonish captivity the Israelites never relapsed into idolatry.Selah. — Remark it: this is a well attested truth.

Psalms 71:4 — Verse Psalms 71:4. Out of the hand of the wicked — Probably his unnatural son Absalom, called here רשע rasha, the WICKED, because he had violated all laws, human and Divine.The unrighteous and cruel man. — Probably Ahithophel who was the iniquitous counsellor of a wicked and rebellious son.

Ecclesiastes 2:4 — Verse Ecclesiastes 2:4. I builded me houses — Palace after palace; the house of the forest of Lebanon, 1 Kings 7:1, c. a house for the queen; the temple, c., 2 Chronicles 8:1, c. 1 Kings 9:10, &c., besides many other buildings of various kinds.

Jeremiah 31:4 — Verse Jeremiah 31:4. O virgin of Israel — Israelites in general; now called virgin, because restored to their ancient purity.With thy tabrets — Women in general played on these; they were used in times of rejoicing, and accompanied with dancing. To these customs, still preserved, the prophet alludes.

Jeremiah 44:5 — Verse Jeremiah 44:5. But they hearkened not —1. They disregarded the authority of their God.2. They were not moved by the entreaties of their most affectionate Father.3. In abominations they delighted. And,4. They loved that which God hated; and, apparently, because he hated it.

Jeremiah 5:6 — Verse Jeremiah 5:6. Wherefore a lion — Nebuchadnezzar, according to the general opinion; who is called here a lion for his courage and violence, a bear for his rapaciousness, and a leopard for his activity. Dahler supposes the Scythians to be intended, both here and in Jeremiah 4:7.

Ezekiel 36:4 — Verse Ezekiel 36:4. Therefore - thus saith the Lord God to the mountains, c.] They shall neither possess mountain nor valley, hill nor dale, fountain nor river for though in my justice I made you desolate, yet they shall not profit by your disasters. See Ezekiel 36:5-7.

Zechariah 12:4 — Verse Zechariah 12:4. I will smite every horse — Some apply this to the wars of the Maccabees with the Syrians; but it is more likely to be a prophecy not yet accomplished. The terms are too strong for such petty and evanescent victories as those of the Maccabees.

Matthew 11:2 — Verse Matthew 11:2. John had heard in the prison — John was cast into prison by order of Herod Antipas, Matthew 14:3, c., (where see the notes,) a little after our Lord began his public ministry, Matthew 4:12 and after the first passover, John 3:24.

Luke 14:4 — Verse Luke 14:4. They held their peace. — They could not answer the question but in the affirmative; and as they were determined to accuse him if he did heal the man, they could not give an answer but such as would condemn themselves, and therefore they were silent.

John 18:4 — Verse John 18:4. Jesus knowing all things, c.] He had gone through all his preaching, working of miracles, and passion, and had nothing to do now but to offer up himself on the cross he therefore went forth to meet them, to deliver himself up to death.

2 Corinthians 8:4 — Verse 2 Corinthians 8:4. Praying us with much entreaty — We had not to solicit them to this great act of kindness; they even entreated us to accept their bounty, and to take on ourselves the administration or application of it to the wants of the poor in Judea.

1 Samuel 4:13 — Verse 1 Samuel 4:13. His heart trembled for the ark of God — He was a most mild and affectionate father, and yet the safety of the ark lay nearer to his heart than the safety of his two sons. Who can help feeling for this aged, venerable man?

2 Samuel 4:10 — Verse 2 Samuel 4:10. A reward for his tidings — Ὡ εδει με δουναι ευαγγελια, Septuagint. Here is a proof that ευαγγελιον, evangelium or gospel, signifies the reward which the bringer of good tidings is entitled to receive. See my preface to St. Matthew's Gospel. Matthew 1:1.