Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 16:15-20 — kings of Israel?" This paragraph concludes the record of Zimri's brief reign. The tenderness with which some writers discuss these wicked kings amazes us. Snaith tells us that Zimri "assassinated Elah while he was feasting"!Interpreter's Bible Vol. 3, p. 141. Also, Matheney spoke of extra-Biblical sources which give "a more just estimate of Omri's activities,"The Broadman Bible Commentary, op. cit., p. 206 bemoaning the fact, as he called it, that, "It is a testimony of the religious bias of the

2 Kings 17:1-6 — This king of Egypt cannot be certainly identified. One of the Sargon inscriptions, "Mentions a Piru as king of Egypt in the year 720 B.C., whose general, a certain Sibu, he claims to have defeated on the road to Egypt."The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 3, p. 279. Again, we mention the danger of implicit trust in such ancient inscriptions. "He besieged (Samaria) three years" Samaria was a powerful stronghold, and it is a credit to the builders and defenders of that city that it withstood a siege for

2 Chronicles 15:16-19 — against Chronicles by the radical critics focuses upon two things in this paragraph. (1)    "In 2 Chronicles 15:17 we read that the high places were not taken away, but in 2 Chronicles 15:8 that they were!"The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 3, p. 485. This is typical of the type of unprincipled and dishonest efforts of unbelievers to discredit Chronicles. Note that 2 Chronicles 15:8 does not even mention the high places! Furthermore, the abominations which Asa put away were those "in the

Esther 3:7-11 — excavations at Susa (Shushan) by M. Dieulafoy, who actually recovered one of those quadrangular prisms engraved with the Numbers 1, 2, 5, 6. The word `pur' is derived from the Persian puru, that is, `lot'; and it is now known that `they cast Pur' (Esther 3:7) means that they cast lots."Archeology and the Old Testament, p. 309. This fully explains why almost a year elapsed between Haman's decision to massacre the Jews, which he published at once, and the date set for the execution of his ruthless plan. Significantly,

Esther 8:9-14 — was issued,"Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 455. thus allowing over eight months for the Jews to prepare their defenses. "To destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish" This decree followed very closely the language of the edict of Haman (Esther 3:13) in order to nullify it to the fullest extent possible. "The exact treatment intended for the Jews was to be meted out for their enemies."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 419. "The irrevocability of Haman's decree made it necessary for Mordecai

Job 24:1 — to lay down set laws that it must always be either this way or that way for either class of men. These reasons are: (1) God has given all men the freedom of their will. (2) By reason of the Fall, Satan enjoys many powers as `the god of this world." (3) God has cursed the ground (the earth) for Adam's sake, and from this all kinds of natural disasters fall continually upon mankind. (4) "Time and chance happeneth unto them all (all men)" (Ecclesiastes 9:11). All of these things, to which there must

Psalms 147:1-6 — DIVISION I Briggs' summary: This is a summons to the congregation to praise Yahweh for his goodness and sweetness in rebuilding Jerusalem and restoring her people (Psalms 147:1-3). Though he numbers and names the stars as their sovereign Lord, He interposes on behalf of his afflicted people against their enemies (Psalms 147:4-6).International Critical Commentary, Vol. II, p. 532. "Praise ye Jehovah; For it is good to sing praises

Psalms 41:10-12 — the king! Such seems to be the thoughts of some who bitterly criticize these words. "Kittel, for example, cites this as an example of `hot glorying vengeance' and labels it `carnal passion,' claiming that we can never sanction it."H. C. Leupold, p. 334. It is precisely this attitude on the part of men who should be teaching Christianity that has perverted the common understanding of it to be that nobody, but nobody, should be punished. Our society today is in serious trouble because of this anti-Christian,

Psalms 84:1-4 — head" (Luke 9:58). "Blessed are they that dwell in thy house" This blessing of God's worshippers occurs in all three divisions of the psalm, in the last verse of Division No. 1, in the first verse of Division No. 2, and in the last verse of Division No. 3. The intense longing of the psalmist for his presence in God's temple has been used by some as evidence that the psalmist was at the time of this hymn compelled to be absent from the temple, either by exile, illness, or some other hindrance. We cannot

Proverbs 4:1-9 — to thee." In spite of the fact of these verses being delivered in the form of a father's instructions to a son, "The entire chapter may be read (and should be read) as though God was speaking to all men everywhere."The Teachers' Bible Commentary, p. 360. "Forsake ye not my law" Deane reminds us that, "The word law here, as also in Proverbs 1:8, is from the Hebrew [~Torah]," which is the technical word for the Pentateuch, or the Law of Moses. The marginal alternative reading counsel should be ignored.

Ecclesiastes 12:14 — of these last words of Ecclesiastes, that they foreshadow the resurrection."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 578. "Solomon's conclusion is that true religion is the only way to true happiness."Barnes' Notes on the Old Testament, op. cit., p. 113. Man may chase the rainbows in any direction that he chooses, but apart from the love and service of God, only the rottenness of a grave awaits him. The verdict of God's truth against any other way but the true one is `vanity of vanities.' Why should

Isaiah 17:1-6 — of Hosea. "The cities of Aroer are forsaken" This could be synonymous with "Transjordan," "there being two cities of that name east of the Jordan, one on the north bank of the Arnon overlooking its deep gorge, and (2) the one before `Rabbah' (Joshua 13:25, KJV)."K. A. Kitchen, New Bible Dictionary, p. 85. A third city of the same name was "in the Negeb (Negeb: southland) 12 miles south-east of Beersheba."Ibid., p. 86. Of course, what is meant by a reference like this is that all of the cities and

Isaiah 26:1-6 — Old Testament Commentary, p. 627. The people of this "righteous nation" are not merely Jews, but, "A people made up of all kindreds, nations and tongues, which should henceforth be `the people of God.'"The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 10, p. 414. Isaiah 26:3 has the words "perfect peace"; but the Hebrew from which this is rendered reads: "peace, peace," "Which means positive well-being, not merely lack of strife."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 605. That other city, mentioned here, may not be identified

Isaiah 34:9-15 — shall the dart-snake make her nest, and lay, and hatch, and gather under her shade; yea, there shall the kites be gathered, everyone with her mate." "Streams into pitch… dust into brimstone" "These words, along with the haunted ruins of Isaiah 34:11 ff bring both Sodom and Babylon to mind";The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 609. and they provide part of the evidence here that the final judgment is the theme. However, it is evident that both the earthly judgments against Edom and that of

Jeremiah 1:13-15 — "Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 660. `The inhabitants of the land' is a reference to the population of Palestine. The fulfillment of this prophecy that foreign kings would set up their thrones in the gates of Jerusalem is recorded in Jeremiah 39:1-4. Regarding verse 15, RKH pointed out that it is in no sense compatible with the theory that the passage here applies to a Scythian invasion.Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, footnote on p. 52. There is no evidence whatever that any Scythian king

Joshua 23:4-8 — of this address is composed of "reminiscences from the Pentateuch, especially from the Book of Deuteronomy."Marten H. Woudstra, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, Joshua (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1981). p. 334. The chief burden of Joshua's thoughts is the faithfulness of Israel. During the closing years of Joshua's life, he became increasingly aware, "of Israel's growing complacency and their tendency to compromise with the heathen."John Rea, Wycliffe Bible

Judges 1:16-21 — were the Israelites. "Zephath" Yates has a very interesting discussion of this word. "From the same Hebrew root two words are formed: [~cherem], meaning `devoted' to a pagan god, and [~charam], meaning `destroyed.'Wycliffe Bible Commentary, op. cit., 236. Zephath was [~cherem], that is, `devoted' to a pagan god and therefore offensive to the true God, and God ordered it to be utterly destroyed, which was thoroughly done. "They renamed the place `Hormah', which means `utter destruction.'"Ibid. "Gaza

Judges 8:29-32 — sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezerites." The importance of Joash the father of Gideon is evident in a number of things: (1) "His proprietary rights in the cultic establishment at Ophrah; (2) his definitive word in the altercation; (3) the mention of his sepulchre (the only one mentioned in Judges); and (4) his undoubted wealth."Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Old Testament, Judges, p. 249. All of these things are a testimony of the wealth, power, and prestige of Gideon's family, despite

1 Samuel 15:4-9 — Kenites… `Go down from among the Amalekites'" "The Kenites were of the family and kindred of Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, a people that dwelt in tents, which made it easy for them to remove to other lands."Matthew Henry's Commentary, op. cit., p. 359. Also, a more recent consideration for Israel was in the action of Jael the wife of Heber in her destruction of Sisera. "Famous among the Kenites was Jael, whose husband Heber had migrated to north Palestine (Judges 4:11; Judges 5:24)."Wycliffe Old

2 Samuel 19:11-15 — closely akin to David than was Amasa, but at this point David had not returned completely to normal senses. Willis pointed out that David's reasons for this maneuver were: (1) to provide an inducement to Judah; (2) to punish Joab for killing Absalom; and (3) to punish him for his stern rebuke.John T. Willis, p. 388. We consider these reasons absolutely inadequate as grounds for appointing a known incompetent traitor as his supreme general. Besides that, Judah needed no inducement whatever. "It was not