Bible Commentaries

Genesis 32:7 — Verse Genesis 32:7. He divided the people, &c. — His prudence and cunning were now turned into a right channel, for he took the most effectual method to appease his brother, had he been irritated, and save at least a part of his family. This dividing and arranging of his flocks, family, and domestics, has something in it highly characteristic. To such a man as Jacob such expedients would naturally present themselves.

Ezekiel 17:3 — Verse Ezekiel 17:3. A great eagle — Nebuchadnezzar. See Jeremiah 48:40; Jeremiah 49:22; Daniel 7:4. And see here, Ezekiel 17:12, where it is so applied.Great wings — Extensive empire.Long-winged — Rapid in his conquests.Full of feathers — Having multitudes of subjects.Divers colours — People of various nations.Came unto Lebanon — Came against Judea.The highest branch — King Jehoiachin he took captive to Babylon.The cedar — The Jewish state and king.

Ezekiel 48:1 — CHAPTER XLVIII This chapter contains a description of the several portions of the land belonging to each tribe, together with the portion allotted to the sanctuary, city, suburb, and prince, 1-29; as also the measure and gates of the new city, 30-35. NOTES ON CHAP. XLVIIIVerse Ezekiel 48:1. Now these are the names of the tribes. — See the division mentioned Numbers 34:7-12, which casts much light upon this.

Hosea 6:7 — Verse Hosea 6:7. But they like men (כאדם keadam, "like Adam") have transgressed the covenant — They have sinned against light and knowledge as he did. This is sense, the other is scarcely so. There was a striking similarity in the two cases. Adam, in Paradise, transgressed the commandment, and I cast him out: Israel, in possession of the promised land, transgressed my covenant, and I cast them out, and sent them into captivity.

Amos 1:11 — Verse Amos 1:11. For three transgressions of Edom — That the Edomites (notwithstanding what Calmet observes above of the brotherly covenant) were always implacable enemies of the Jews, is well known; but most probably that which the prophet has in view was the part they took in distressing the Jews when Jerusalem was besieged, and finally taken, by the Chaldeans. See Obadiah 1:11-14; Ezekiel 25:12; Ezekiel 35:5; Psalms 137:7.

Jonah 2:7 — Verse Jonah 2:7. When my soul fainted — When I had given up all hope of life.My prayer came in unto thee — Here prayer is personified, and is represented as a messenger going from the distressed, and entering into the temple of God, and standing before him. This is a very fine and delicate image. This clause is one of those which I suppose the prophet to have added when he penned this prayer.

Zechariah 7:5 — Verse Zechariah 7:5. When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth - month] This they did in the remembrance of the burning of the temple, on the tenth day of that month; and on the seventh month, on the third of which month they observed a fast for the murder of Gedaliah, and the dispersion of the remnant of the people which were with him. See Jeremiah 41:1, and 2 Kings 25:25.

Malachi 2:3 — Verse Malachi 2:3. Behold, I will corrupt your seed — So as to render it unfruitful. Newcome translates, - "I will take away from you the shoulder." This was the part that belonged to the priest, Leviticus 7:32; Deuteronomy 18:3.Spread dung upon your faces — Instead of receiving a sacrifice at your hands, I will throw your offerings back into your faces. Here God shows his contempt for them and their offerings.

John 10:7 — Verse John 10:7. I am the door of the sheep. — It is through me only that a man can have a lawful entrance into the ministry; and it is through me alone that mankind can be saved. Instead of, I am the door, the Sahidic version reads, I am the shepherd; but this reading is found in no other version, nor in any MS. It is evidently a mistake of the scribe.

John 14:7 — Verse John 14:7. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father — Because I and the Father are ONE, John 10:30. Or, if ye had properly examined the intention and design of the law, ye would have been convinced that it referred to me; and that all that I have done and instituted was according to the design and intention of the Father, as expressed in that law.

John 7:5 — Verse John 7:5. Neither did his brethren believe in him. — They did not receive him as the promised Messiah; but, having seen so many of his miracles, they could not but consider him as an eminent prophet. They supposed that, if he were the Messiah, he would wish to manifest himself as such to the world; and, because he did not do so, they did not believe that he was the salvation of Israel.

Acts 17:7 — Verse Acts 17:7. These all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar — Persecutors always strive to affect the lives of the objects of their hatred, by accusing them of sedition, or plots against the state.That there is another king, one Jesus. — How malevolent was this saying! The apostles proclaimed Jesus as king-that is true; but never once insinuated that his kingdom was of this world. The reverse they always maintained.

Acts 2:19 — Verse Acts 2:19. I will show wonders — It is likely that both the prophet and the apostle refer to the calamities that fell upon the Jews at the destruction of Jerusalem, and the fearful signs and portents that preceded those calamities. See the notes on Matthew 24:5-7, where these are distinctly related.Blood, fire, and vapour of smoke — Skirmishes and assassinations over the land, and wasting the country with fire and sword.

Acts 23:7 — Verse Acts 23:7. And the multitude was divided — St. Paul, perceiving the assembly to consist of Sadducees and Pharisees, and finding he was not to expect any justice, thought it best thus to divide the council, by introducing a question on which the Pharisees and Sadducees were at issue. He did so; and the Pharisees immediately espoused his side of the question, because in opposition to the Sadducees, whom they abhorred, as irreligious men.

1 Corinthians 7:8 — Verse 1 Corinthians 7:8. The unmarried and widows — It is supposed that the apostle speaks here of men who had been married, in the word αγαμοι, but were now widowers; as he does of women who had been married, in the word χηραι, but were now widows. And when he says ωςκαγω, even as I, he means that he himself was a widower; for several of the ancients rank Paul among the married apostles.

2 Corinthians 7:8 — Verse 2 Corinthians 7:8. I do not repent, though I did repent — Though I had many doubts in my mind concerning the success of my letter; and though I grieved that I was obliged to write with so much severity, the case absolutely requiring it; yet now I am not sorry that I have written that letter, because I find it has completely answered the end for which it was sent.

Colossians 4:7 — Verse 7. All my state shall Tychicus — See the note on Ephesians 6:21. Tychicus well knew the apostle's zeal and perseverance in preaching the Gospel, his sufferings on that account, his success in converting both Jews and Gentiles, and the converts which were made in Caesar's household; he could give these to the Colossians in ample detail, and some of them it would not have been prudent to commit to writing.

2 Timothy 2:7 — Verse 7. Consider what I say — Apply my metaphors and similitudes in a proper manner.And the Lord give thee understanding — But instead of δωη, may he give, ACDEFG, several others, besides versions and fathers, have δωσει he will give. Consider thou properly, and God will give thee a proper understanding of all things that concern thy own peace, and the peace and prosperity of his Church. Think as well as read.

2 Timothy 4:12 — Verse 12. Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. — For this person, see Acts 20:4; Ephesians 6:21; Colossians 4:7. It is rather strange that the apostle should say, I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus, if Timothy was at Ephesus at this time; but it is probable that Tychicus had been sent to Ephesus some time before this, and therefore the apostle might say, though writing now to Ephesus, Tychicus have I sent, &c.

Revelation 7:16 — Verse Revelation 7:16. They shall hunger no more — They shall no longer be deprived of their religious ordinances, and the blessings attendant on them, as they were when in a state of persecution.Neither shall the sun light on them — Their secular rulers, being converted to God, became nursing fathers to the Church.Nor any heat. — Neither persecution nor affliction of any kind. These the Hebrews express by the term heat, scorching, &c.