Bible Commentaries

Genesis 4:20 — Verse Genesis 4:20. Jabal - was the father — The inventor or teacher, for so the word is understood, 1 Samuel 10:12. He was the first who invented tent-making, and the breeding and managing of cattle; or he was, in these respects, the most eminent in that time. Though Abel was a shepherd, it is not likely he was such on an extensive scale.

Leviticus 23:2 — Verse Leviticus 23:2. These are my feasts. — The original word מועד moad is properly applied to any solemn anniversary, by which great and important ecclesiastical, political, or providential facts were recorded; Genesis 1:14. Anniversaries of this kind were observed in all nations; and some of them, in consequence of scrupulously regular observation, became chronological epochs of the greatest importance in history: the Olympiads, for example.

Numbers 22:1 — Verse Numbers 22:1. And pitched in the plains of Moab — They had taken no part of the country that at present appertained to the Moabites; they had taken only that part which had formerly belonged to this people, but had been taken from them by Sihon, king of the Amorites.On this side Jordan — On the east side. By Jericho, that is, over against it.

Zephaniah 1:10 — Verse Zephaniah 1:10. A cry from the fish-gate — This gate, which is mentioned Nehemiah 3:3, was opposite to Joppa; and perhaps the way in which the news came of the irruption of the Chaldean army, the great crashing from the hills.The second — Or second city, may here mean a part of Jerusalem, mentioned 2 Kings 22:14; 2 Chronicles 34:22.

Zechariah 1:18 — Verse 18. And behold four horns. — Denoting four powers by which the Jews had been oppressed; the Assyrians, Persians, Chaldeans, and Egyptians. Or these enemies may be termed four, in reference to the four cardinal points of the heavens, whence they came: -1. NORTH. The Assyrians and Babylonians.2. EAST. The Moabites and Ammonites.3. SOUTH. The Egyptians.4. WEST. The Philistines. See Martin.

Zechariah 1:5 — Verse Zechariah 1:5. Your fathers, where are they? — Israel has been destroyed and ruined in the bloody wars with the Assyrians; and Judah, in those with the Chaldeans.The prophets, do they live for ever? — They also, who spoke unto your fathers, are dead; but their predictions remain; and the events, which have taken place according to those predictions, prove that God sent them.

Zechariah 12:1 — Verse Zechariah 12:1. The burden of the word of the Lord — This is a new prophecy. It is directed both to Israel and Judah, though Israel alone is mentioned in this verse.Which stretcheth forth the heavens — See on Isaiah 42:5.Formeth the spirit of man within him. — Then it is not the same substance with his body. It is a SPIRIT within HIM.

Deuteronomy 19:9 — Verse Deuteronomy 19:9. Shalt thou add three cities more — This was afterwards found necessary, and accordingly six cities were appointed, three on either side Jordan. See Joshua 21:1-3, c. In imitation of these cities of refuge the heathens had their asyla, and the Catholics their privileged altars. Exodus 21:13; Exodus 21:13 "Exodus 21:14"; and "Numbers 35:11", &c.

Mark 15:8 — Verse Mark 15:8. The multitude crying aloud — αναβοησας. The word itself strongly marks the vociferations, or, to come nearer the original word, the bellowing of the multitude. It signifies, properly, a loud and long cry, such as Christ emitted on the cross. See the whole history of these proceedings against our Lord treated at large, on Matthew 27:0. Matthew 27:1-26, &c.

Joshua 17:11 — Verse Joshua 17:11. Beth-shean — Called afterwards Scythopolis; the city of the Scythians or Cuthites, those who were sent into the different Samaritan cities by the kings of Assyria.Dor — On the Mediterranean Sea, about eight miles from Caesarea, on the road to Tyre.En-dor — The well or fountain of Dor, the place where Saul went to consult the witch; 1 Samuel 28:7, &c.

Joshua 18:25 — Verse Joshua 18:25. Gibeon — See before, Joshua 10:1-14. This place is famous for the confederacy of the five kings against Israel, and their miraculous defeat. Ramah, a place about six or eight miles north of Jerusalem. Beeroth, i.e., wells; one of the four cities which belonged to the Gibeonites, who made peace with the Israelites by stratagem. See Joshua 9:3-15.

Joshua 3:4 — Verse Joshua 3:4. About two thousand cubits — This distance they were to keep,1. For the greater respect, because the presence of the ark was the symbol and pledge of the Divine presence.2. That the ark, which was to be their pilot over these waters, might be the more conspicuous which it could not have been had the people crowded upon it.

Judges 15:1 — Verse Judges 15:1. Visited his wife with a kid — On her betraying him, he had, no doubt, left her in great disgust. After some time his affection appears to have returned; and, taking a kid, or perhaps a fawn, as a present, he goes to make reconciliation, and finds her given to his brideman; probably, the person to whom she betrayed his riddle.

1 Samuel 10:7 — Verse 1 Samuel 10:7. Thou do as occasion serve thee — After God has shown thee all these signs that thou art under his especial guidance, fear not to undertake any thing that belongs to thy office, for God is with thee.What a number of circumstances thus precisely foretold! Does not this prove that Samuel was under the continual inspiration of the Almighty?

1 Samuel 12:22 — Verse 1 Samuel 12:22. The Lord will not forsake his people — He will not as yet cast you off, though you have deserved it. His purpose in preserving them in their land and religion was not yet accomplished. It was not however for their sake that he would not cast them off, but for his own great name's sake. He drew his reasons from himself.

1 Samuel 14:47 — Verse 1 Samuel 14:47. So Saul took the kingdom — The Targum appears to give the meaning of this expression: "Saul prospered in his government over Israel." And the proofs of his prosperity are immediately subjoined.Fought against all his enemies — Of the wars which are mentioned here we have no particulars; they must have endured a long time, and have been, at least in general, successful.

1 Samuel 18:21 — Verse 1 Samuel 18:21. That she may be a snare to him — Saul had already determined the condition on which he would give his daughter to David; viz., that he should slay one hundred Philistines: this he supposed he would undertake for the love of Michal, and that he must necessarily perish in the attempt; and thus Michal would become a snare to him.

1 Samuel 2:19 — Verse 1 Samuel 2:19. Made him a little coat — מעיל קטן meil katon, a little cloak, or surtout, an upper garment: probably intended to keep him from the cold, and to save his other clothes from being abused in his meaner services. It is probable that she furnished him with a new one each year, when she came up to one of the annual sacrifices.

1 Samuel 21:10 — Verse 1 Samuel 21:10. Went to Achish the king of Gath. — This was the worst place to which he could have gone: it was the very city of Goliath, whom he had slain, and whose sword he now wore; and he soon found, from the conversation of the servants of Achish, that his life was in the most imminent danger in this place.

1 Samuel 4:9 — Verse 1 Samuel 4:9. Be strong, c. — This was the address to the whole army, and very forcible it was. "If ye do not fight, and acquit yourselves like men, ye will be servants to the Hebrews, as they have been to you and you may expect that they will avenge themselves of you for all the cruelty you have exercised towards them."