Bible Commentaries

Genesis 28:18-22 — is of interest that all kinds of traditions about this stone have been alleged. It was supposed to have been taken to Jerusalem, to Spain, to Ireland, and to Scotland, upon which, "The Kings of Scotland sat to be crowned!"Adam Clarke, op. cit., p. 175. It is not at all likely that any truth lies behind the tradition. Dummelow pointed out that, Edward I of England removed it from Scotland to Westminster Abbey, but he observed that the "Stone under the coronation chair in the Abbey is common granite,

Genesis 35:16-20 — should be thankful for the ASV parenthesis, the same is Bethlehem, as it saves us from all kinds of allegations about contradictions and various sources. Bethlehem was the same as Ephrath; and sometimes, the names were even used together, as in Micah 5:2, "But thou, Bethlehem Ephrath." There is no reasonable ground whatever for denying the traditional site of Rachel's grave near Bethlehem. It is significant that the sacred author here used both names interchangeably; and if he did so with regard to

Genesis 46:8 — MerariJUDAHEr, Onan, Shelah, Perez and ZerahISSACHARTola, Puvah, Iob (Job) and ShimronZEBULUNSered, Elon and Jahleel Note also that two sons of Pharez, Hezron and Hamul are given in Genesis 46:12. Therefore, we add Heron, Hamul, and Dinah (Genesis 46:15) for a total of 34 names. From these we subtract Er and Onan (who died in Canaan) for a total of 32 names, but the text says the number of Leah's family totaled 33 names (Genesis 46:15). The total, if Jacob is included, was 33, if Jacob was not included,

Genesis 7:13-16 — Ch. Aalders, op. cit., p. 172. Keil understood the passage to mean that the rain began on the very day that final entry was achieved for all on board.C. F. Keil, Old Testament Commentary, Vol. I (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company), p. 145. Whitelaw also pointed out this is not at all inconsistent with Genesis 7:4-5, which do not require the understanding that the total entry into the ark was achieved a full week ahead of the Deluge, but that seven days prior to the onset of it, "Noah

Exodus 12:15-20 — entered into the land of Canaan, but no such fact negates the truth that these instructions came along with and accompanied that very first Passover. In a very similar way, Jesus Christ gave very specific teaching regarding the Lord's Supper in John 6:56 ff, at a time long before it was possible for his disciples to do what he commanded there. The instructions here were, in time, faithfully carried out, but in the context of that first Passover, they would indeed eat the unleavened bread, but the holy

Exodus 19:21-25 — Certainly not the Levitical order, for they had not come into existence at this time. Furthermore, if this marvelous passage had been "an editorial creation,"B. Davie Napier, The Layman's Bible Commentary (Richmond, Va.: John Knox Press, 1963), p. 65. fabricated by 9th century B.C. priests, we could rest assured that "the priests" would have had a lot more to do with this than what is indicated here! Well, who were they? The priests mentioned here were, "either the first-born or heads of families."F.

Exodus 32:30-35 — book which God had "written" (Exodus 32:32), as revealed by the apostle Paul, who called it "the book of life" (Philippians 4:3). For extended comment on the "Book of Life." see my comments on Hebrews 12:23, and also go to my comments on Revelation 3:5. Thus, what Moses actually requested here was not, merely that he might suffer physical death for Israel, but that he might be removed even from the book of life upon their behalf. It was exactly this same sentiment that resided in the bosom of the

Leviticus 16:29-34 — this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make atonement for the children of Israel because of all their sins once in the year. And he did as Jehovah commanded Moses." "Afflict your souls" "This means observe a fast, as indicated by Psalms 35:13 and Isaiah 58:3; Isaiah 58:5. This was the only fast enjoined in the Mosaic law.J. R. Dummelow, op. cit., p. 95. The Jews understood the command to "afflict your souls" as a command to abstain from "food, drink, bathing, perfuming, sandals, and intercourse."Harry

Leviticus 17:10-13 — O.T., but under the N.T. as well, that lay back of the prohibition. It should be remembered that this prohibition PRECEDED the Law of Moses (Genesis 9:4-6), and also that it was not relaxed even under the liberty and freedom of the New Covenant (Acts 15:20). The fact that a great many Christian people are not aware of this, coupled with the light esteem that some have for Divine regulations, makes it appropriate to explore the reasons back of this remarkable commandment a little more fully. ON EATING

Leviticus 25:8-12 — correspond with the 49th year, but the text makes it certain that there were in fact two sabbath years together. "The Jubilee occurred every fiftieth year, and not as some suppose, in the forty-ninth."William Wilson, op. cit., p. 234. See Leviticus 25:21, where God's instructions mentioned particularly the "three years" increase promised on the year before the two adjacent sabbath years. "The loud trumpet… on the day of atonement" (Leviticus 25:9). The word for "Jubilee" testifies to the antiquity

Jeremiah 11 overview — surprised that, "So much discussion has gone on among expositors as to `which' covenant is meant in Jeremiah 11:1-3, the one made with the nation at Sinai, or the one promulgated by Josiah."Charles Lee Feinberg in Ezekiel (Chicago: Moody Press), p. 452. There is no doubt whatever that the Sinaitic covenant, all of it, as set forth in the Pentateuch, is the covenant in view here. THE SINAITIC COVENANT IN VIEW HERE We are fully aware that the radical critics have exhausted themselves in efforts to

Jeremiah 2 overview — THE APOSTASY OF ISRAEL "In this chapter, `Israel' refers to the whole nation, but in Jeremiah 3 the reference is to the Northern Israel."Henry H. Halley's Bible Handbook (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House), p. 285. Keil's summary of the chapter notes these divisions: Israel had indeed loved God at first during the days of their delivery from Egypt (Jeremiah 2:1-3); but Israel had fallen away from the love of God and had taken up the worship of idols (Jeremiah

Jeremiah 38 overview — second was within the court of the guard and belonged to Malchijah the king's son. (4)    Jeremiah's enemies in the first imprisonment acted without the king's permission; but, in the second, they forced the king to grant permission. (5)    The purposes of the imprisonments were not the same. In the first, they merely wanted to silence Jeremiah; but in the second they intended to destroy his life. (6)    The duration of the imprisonments were

Numbers 21:10-20 — could also be a metaphorical reference to their lending the full authority of their office to the effort. "This song" (Numbers 21:17). "This song was sung for centuries in the Temple in Jerusalem on every Third Sabbath."W. Gunther Plaut, op. cit., p. 205. "Pisgah" (Numbers 21:20). The mention of this place appears somewhat ominous, as it was from its summit that Moses received his only glimpse of the Holy Land. "It is located in the Abarim mountains, opposite Jericho, east of the northern tip of the

Numbers 5:11-15 — very significant fact, and it was probably for the purpose of rescuing his people from any reliance upon the prevalent style of "ordeals" that the benign and harmless procedures of this chapter were given. "A tenth of an ephah of barley meal" (Numbers 5:15). Such meal-offerings were normally offered with oil and frankincense, but these were especially commanded to be omitted here. Why? "The usual meal-offering was an occasion of joyful thanksgiving, but this was a different situation."Elmer Smick,

Deuteronomy 12:1-7 — of such places for worship by most of the heathen nations was due to the widespread belief that men were closer to Deity in such places."C. F. Keil, Commentary on the Old Testament, Deuteronomy (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company), p. 352. Also, the awe inspired by deep shade, as well as the privacy such places afforded, were probably other factors entering in to such choices. "Ye shall not do so unto Jehovah your God… (Deuteronomy 12:4). Keil says this means, "Ye shall not build

Joshua 1:12-18 — Numbers 32.) "Ye shall pass over before your brethren armed" (Joshua 1:14). The word "armed" seems to be a little misleading here. "The idea is probably, `in battle array.'"Joseph R. Sizoo, The Interpreter's Bible, Joshua (New York Abingdon Press, 1956), p. 557. The word is translated from a word that suggests, "divided into five parts."Hugh J. Blair, op. cit., p. 236. The reference seems to be from the various guards that were deployed in ancient armies on the march: (1) vanguard; (2) rearguard

Judges 2:1-5 — and wept. And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto Jehovah." "The angel of Jehovah" "This is the expression used in the O.T. to denote God Himself in His manifestation to men."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 259 "The phrase is used about sixty times in the O.T. to designate the Angel of God's Presence, and in all cases where a message is delivered (as here), He does it as if God Himself were speaking."Albert Barnes, Notes on Bible Books, Judges, p. 418. Here,

2 Peter 1:5-7 — [@epichorigeo], Eldon R. Fuhrman, op. cit., p. 323. and "used in classical Greek to describe the munificence of rich citizens who would finance a theatrical performance or fit out a warship for the state they loved." David H. Wheaton, op. cit., p. 1252. It had a special reference to the abundant supplies provided for a chorus, a term which is derived from this word, as is also choreographer. From this, it is suggested that Peter's list here is a chorus of Christian graces, the manner of his linking

1 John 1:4 — time, that they are in any sense to be equated completely with the ultimate "eternal life." The very term earnest forbids this. Not all the joys of eternal life are ours now; nor can it be thought, even of those fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22 f) which we already possess, that they have the same fullness, quality, and intensity of the eternal life to come. Thus, in Roberts' statement about having eternal life qualitatively, it would be wrong to understand it as totally so. It is more accurate