Bible Commentaries

Genesis 35 overview — and burial of Deborah (Genesis 35:8); (3)    God's appearance again to Jacob, reaffirming the patriarchal promise (Genesis 35:9-15); (4)    the death of Rachel in childbirth at the birth of Benjamin (Genesis 35:16-20); (5)    the incest of Reuben with Bilhah (Genesis 35:22); (6)    a list of the twelve sons of Jacob (Genesis 35:22 b-26); (7)    Jacob's final visit to his father Isaac, Isaac's last days,

Genesis 36:1-8 — (Chicago: Howard-Severance Company, 1915), p. 1202. Note that, as in every other use of this word, it is a reference to what FOLLOWS, not to what PRECEDES. We shall not dwell upon the difference in the names of Esau's wives from the names given in Genesis 26:34, and in Genesis 28:9. It is not certainly known why they do not agree. Many proposed "solutions" have included allegations that: it is due to the Arabian custom of replacing original names with surnames marking some memorable event;C. F. Keil, op.

Exodus 21 overview — lying at the head of his chapter, [~mishpatiym], does not convey the sense of "ordinances, judgments regulations, and the like."Harry M. Orlinsky, Notes on the New Translation of the Torah (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1969), p. 177. "What is seen here is not the laws or rules of action, but the rights by which the national life was formed."C. F. Keil, Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 1, Exodus II (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company,), p. 129. Thus,

1 Kings 17 overview — degradation of outright paganism, Elijah was the man whom God raised up to fight it. Elijah's place in the N.T. reveals his importance. The forerunner of Christ was to come "in the spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1:17). God's two witnesses (Revelation 11:6) who have the power to shut the heavens that it rain not, and the power to turn water into blood, are clearly linked to Moses and Elijah. By his abrupt appearance in the Biblical narrative, "The Jews fancy that he was an angel sent from heaven,"Matthew

Psalms 144 overview — the days of the monarchy. (5)    In Psalms 144:10, the psalmist refers to himself as "David"; and only one of Israel's kings ever bore that name. Furthermore, the name "David" does not mean "some member of the Davidic dynasty." (6)    In Psalms 144:9, the psalmist promised to sing a new song, accompanying himself on a harp with ten strings. What other king in the whole history of Israel was either a singer or a proficient player on the harp? The silence of

Psalms 150 overview — appears in our version. Other versions of the Bible, notably the Syriac and the Arabic have as many as fourteen other psalms which are added to the 150 psalms here.Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (London: T. Mason and G. Lane, 1837), Vol. III, p. 692. Addis noted that, "Each of the five books has a doxology. This is the doxology that closes Book V and the whole Psalter as well."W. E. Addis, p. 396. Miller agreed that, "It could easily serve as a doxology not only to the last section but to the

Leviticus 3:12-17 — very victim, the blood of which had been sprinkled upon the altar, then became the very food that sustained the life of the worshipper. Similarly, the flesh and blood of Him who died for us on Calvary nourishes the spiritual life of the believer (John 6:52-58). Furthermore, the regulations here concerning the fat and the blood were not at all due to the hand of some "legislative reformer,"W. F. Lofthouse, Peake's Commentary on the Bible, Leviticus (London: T. C. and E. C. Jack, Ltd., 1924), p. 198.

Isaiah 13 overview — the most minute particulars. And if so, then Isaiah was commissioned by Jehovah as he claimed to be. And, if this prophecy was inspired by God, by the same train of reasoning it can be proved that the whole Bible is a revelation from heaven.Ibid., p. 263. The truth which confounds the critics here is seen in the fact that Isaiah here looks far beyond the event of Israel's captivity which lay far in the future when Isaiah wrote this to the fall of Babylon to the Medes and the deliverance for God's people

Numbers 3:1-4 — their father." "These are the generations…" (Numbers 3:1). Here again we have the magnificent [~toledowth] encountered ten times in Genesis. "It is used here in a technical sense, referring to what follows (as in Genesis 2:4; Genesis 5:1; Genesis 6:9; Genesis 10:1; Genesis 11:10; Genesis 11:27; Genesis 25:12; Genesis 25:19; Genesis 36:1; and Genesis 37:2). It marks a new departure looking DOWN not UP the course of history."Thomas Whitelaw, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 2, Numbers (Grand Rapids:

Numbers 35:22-28 — death of Jesus Christ by which the captives were to be freed, and the remembrance of transgressions made to cease."F. C. Cook, Barnes' Notes, Numbers (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983. Reprint of the John Murray publication in London, 1879), p. 264. Another thing that resulted from the death of the High Priest was that, "It terminated the right of blood-vengeance as it related to any refugees freed from restraint by the high priest's death."Martin Noth, op. cit., p. 255. One strategy of Bible

Deuteronomy 10:1-5 — of these verses, and from this, declare that "Deuteronomy and Exodus are by `different authors,' Exodus by `P' and Deuteronomy by `JE.'"T. Witton Davies, Peake's Commentary on the Bible, Deuteronomy (London: T. C. and E. C. Jack., Ltd., 1924), p. 236. "The purpose of these first five verses is, "To state in a comprehensive and general way that God had mercifully reaffirmed the covenant with the rebellious vassals, and Moses included the matter of the ark as a familiar and integral element in the

Deuteronomy 11:1-7 — as the one mentioned, that of the death of Dathan and Abiram. So where is any anachronism? Therefore, it is a mistake to read "your children" (Deuteronomy 11:2) as any others than those very small children and infants recently born. In Deuteronomy 11:6 we have another example of how FALSE interpretation is made the basis of a critical claim of divergent sources for Deuteronomy. As is well known, Korah was a prominent figure in the rebellion that included Dothan and Abiram, and the omission of Korah's

Deuteronomy 18:1-5 — him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of Jehovah, him and his sons forever." "All priests were Levites, but only the sons of Aaron were priests."Meredith G. Kline, Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Deuteronomy (Chicago: Moody Press, 1862), p. 180. Despite this simple truth extensively revealed throughout the O.T., "The RSV renders Deuteronomy 18:1, thus: `Priests, that is, all the tribe of Levi,' foisting off on Deuteronomy the false view that all Levites were priests."Ibid. This,

Deuteronomy 2:8-13 — allow Israel to take any possession that God had not given to Israel. Here is another example of what was mentioned above relative to the statement in Deuteronomy 2:5. Moses also enhanced this reference to God as the sovereign of all the earth (Acts 17:26) by throwing in the statement in Deuteronomy 2:10-12. The mighty race of the Rephaim had preceded Moab in that territory, but when they proved themselves no longer worthy of God's blessing, the Moabites were empowered by God to drive them out "as Israel"

Ephesians 4:4-5 — up of Jews, Gentiles, all people and even includes the saved who no longer live on earth. And one Spirit … The reference to the third person of the Godhead seems to anticipate "Lord" (Ephesians 4:5) and "God" (Ephesians 4:6). In any case, the Spirit here is that being called "the Holy Spirit" in the New Testament, who like Christ and like the Father, dwells in Christian hearts. One hope of your calling … This is the hope of eternal life in Christ. There

Ephesians 5:19 — is probably to the custom of Christians "singing by turns a hymn to Christ, as to a god. Pliny's Letter to the Emperor Trajan, 112 A.D. Henry Bettenson, Documents of the Christian Church (New York and London: Oxford University Press, 1947), p. 6. "By turns" is also rendered "antiphonally"; but from 1 Corinthians 14:26, the custom was actually that of singing by turns. Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs … Although these can be differentiated, there is no need to do

Hebrews 12:23 — To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. For some of the implications of "firstborn," see under Hebrews 1:5 and Hebrews 1:6. The general assembly and church of the firstborn is a designation for the whole community of the redeemed in heaven and on earth; and because of the classes of beings, other than people, mentioned here as being citizens of that place, "the general

Revelation 10:5-6 — himself (by the angel), it is inherent that some great truth of universal and everlasting significance is about to be announced; and it is exceedingly important to realize this, because of its bearing on the meaning of the last clause in Revelation 10:6, "that there shall be delay no longer." If there is to be no delay, why then do we seem to get exactly that, a delay? The delay is only apparent. What we have in Revelation 10 does not intervene chronologically between the sixth and seventh

Revelation 22:17 — Note that there are four invitations in this verse, yet there is only one. "It is not as though the Spirit says, Come; and then also the bride says, Come; but the Spirit moves in her, and she is moved by him." R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 670. Come … This is what people have to do if they wish to be saved. This verb implies that unless men shall "come," they shall continue to be lost. This means that God in Christ has already done everything that even God can do to save

Revelation 4:1 — Publishing Company, 1950), p. 143. I saw, and behold a door opened in heaven … As Earle stated it, "He saw the door standing open; he did not see it opened." Ralph Earle, Beacon Bible Commentary, Vol. 10 (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 1967), p. 530. John's use of the same figure for different purposes is apparent in this. The "open door" stands for opportunity, or the sinner's entrance into heaven (Revelation 3:8), the door of the human heart (Revelation 3:20), and the gateway