Bible Commentaries

Esther 8:1-2 — placed him in absolute control over it, thus providing him with a residence and dignity that were appropriate to his new office as Prime Minister. Summarizing the consequences in evidence here: (1) Haman's vast properties were conferred upon Esther; (2) Mordecai was given the management and control of them; (3) Ahasuerus bestowed the office of Prime Minister upon Mordecai when he gave him the ring that had been worn by Haman. (4) The ring gave Mordecai the power to seal documents and to convey with

Job 1:2-5 — some other assignment of the days. "Job… offered burnt offerings" The revelation of this verse is extensive. (1) It places the scene in the patriarchal age before the giving of the Law, during which the patriarch was the priest for his family. (2) Job recognized that the seat of human sin is in the heart, as Jesus said (Matthew 15:19). (3) It shows that Job recognized that, "Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins" (Hebrews 9:22), and (4) that, "Job was mindful of God upon

Job 32:1-5 — the mouth of these three men, his wrath was kindled." "Elihu the son of Barachel, the Buzite" "This name Elihu (or Eliab) was fairly common in the times of David, four persons of that name being mentioned, including a brother of David (1 Chronicles 27:8)."The Anchor Bible (Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, 1982), Job, p. 212, "The name means, `He is my God'; and Barachel means, `Bless, O God,' or `God will bless.' Both names imply that Elihu came of a family of monotheists."The Pulpit

Psalms 127:1 — of the following verse, there is a triple affirmation of "vanity" in this psalms upon all the affairs of men unless they receive the blessing of God. Three areas of human endeavour are reviewed here: (1) building one's house (family, estate, etc.); (2) keeping the security of a city (or nation); and (3) the begetting of children.The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 532. "Labor" is a reference to the most diligent and persistent toil. The simple point is, that no matter how hard a man may work, if

Psalms 142:6-7 — The righteous shall compass me about; And thou wilt deal bountifully with me." "Attend unto my cry" Again emphasizing the loud nature of this prayer, Briggs rendered this clause, "Attend unto my yell."International Critical Commentary, op. cit., p. 523. "They are stronger than I" "In the cave of Adullam, David had only 400 outlaws to defend him against the tens of thousands of the armies of Saul, the king of Israel (1 Samuel 22:2)."The Pulpit Commentary, op. cit., p. 343. "Bring my soul out of prison"

Psalms 18:48-50 — lovingkindness to his anointed, To David and to his seed forevermore." "Will I give thanks… among the nations." The apostle Paul did not hesitate to take this statement as a prophecy "Of the calling of the Gentiles in Christ Jesus" (Romans 15:8-12). "Nations" in the Old Testament invariably means "Gentiles." "To his anointed." "These words at their full value portray the Lord's Anointed, ultimately the Messiah."Derek Kidner, op. cit., p. 96. "This psalm is Messianic in that it reflects God's

Psalms 2:2-3 — references here to his reigning to the uttermost parts of the earth could have any application whatever to the Jewish King David. The New Testament makes it clear enough who is spoken of in this chapter. It is none other than the Christ. See Acts 4:25-28; Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:5; Hebrews 5:5; Matthew 3:17; Romans 1:4; Revelation 2:26-27; and Revelation 19:15. Sclater, mentioned above, tried to make something out of the fact that Jesus Christ himself did not quote this Psalm; nevertheless, Almighty

Psalms 52:8-9 — from vandalism and would have received the very best of care. As a consequence of God's wonderful blessing, in spite of Doeg's shameful deeds, David makes three pledges to God in these final two verses. "I trust in the lovingkindness of God" (Psalms 52:8). "I will give thee thanks forever" (Psalms 52:9). "I will hope… in the presence of thy saints" (Psalms 52:9). We have often observed that the word "lovingkindness" is almost a Davidic signature in the psalms attributed to him. As McCaw wrote,

Psalms 59:6-9 — too that the final line here in Psalms 59:7 is blasphemous, indicating that they did not believe in God at all. Throughout the psalm thus far, David pleads for God's deliverance on the following grounds: (1) the wickedness of his enemies (Psalms 59:2); the danger of eminent death to himself (Psalms 59:3); (3) his own innocence (Psalms 59:3-4); and (4) the profane atheism of his enemies (Psalms 59:7).Adapted from MH, Vol. III, p. 456. "Because of his strength" Rawlinson pointed out that there is

Psalms 6:6-7 — any shortage of actual repentance. As Spurgeon once said, quoting a writer named Watson, "It is not so much the weeping eye that God respects as the broken heart."W. L. Watkinson, Homiletic Commentary, Psalms (New York: Funk and Wagnalls Company), p. 22. Nevertheless, genuine sorrow for sin is a vital part of repentance. "Godly sorrow worketh repentance" (2 Corinthians 7:10); and one who has never shed a tear because of his sins might indeed wonder if he ever truly repented. In respect to the Penitential

Psalms 87:4-6 — oldest nations of the world. These nations, of course, were among the bitterest enemies of Israel and of Israel's God; and "The thought is that, Those who were once strangers and foreigners shall become fellow-citizens with the saints of God (Ephesians 2:19)."Matthew Henry's Commentary, Vol. III, p. 568. "This one was born there" This is not a reference to merely one, for it becomes, "This one and that one" in Psalms 87:5; and in Psalms 87:6, it is revealed that when God "writes up the peoples of the

Psalms 99:4-5 — the proper understanding of "where" God should be worshipped ever since the First Advent. Under the old dispensation, Jerusalem alone was the place to worship God. Since it is "the peoples," inclusive of the Gentiles, who are to worship God (Psalms 99:2), we should have expected this release from the "Jerusalem only" restriction in the Old Testament. "Holy is he" This, as in Psalms 99:3, marks the end of this paragraph.

Proverbs 20:30 — "Stripes that wound cleanse away evil; And strokes reach the innermost parts." "Sharp blows purify the wicked; and stripes the innermost being."The Bible, An American Translation (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1923. The unmerciful use of corporal punishment in ancient times is emphasized by the terrible beatings and scourgings suffered by the apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 11:23-26). Such public scourgings were inflicted upon criminals during colonial times in America;

Isaiah 3:13-15 — generation: "Micah describes how easy it is for a false prophet to lead the people astray. "If a man walking in a spirit of falsehood do lie, saying I will prophecy unto thee of wine and strong drink, he shall even be the prophet of this people" (Micah 2:11). The same principle can be observed today. Our country is on the verge of political and economic ruin because of unsound leadership. Also, the church has experienced apostasy and spiritual chaos because of the leadership of elders, preachers, and

Isaiah 38:7-8 — will do this thing that he hath spoken: behold, I will cause the shadow on the steps, which is gone down on the dial of Ahaz with the sun, to return backward ten steps. So the sun returned ten steps on the dial whereon it was gone down." The account in 2 Kings mentions that it was by the specific request of Hezekiah that this sign was given in preference to a sign in which the shadow on the dial would have advanced ten steps. We receive this as an astounding miracle, wrought by the power of God himself,

Isaiah 60:15-18 — comforting to the captives in Babylon; because they emphasize a number of great principles. (1) God is not unmindful of the welfare of his people, and all of their humiliation and suffering shall be made up to them (if they are faithful) a thousand-fold. (2) Nothing can thwart the eternal purpose of God. Satan indeed may win victories over any given generation, but God is forever winning the Great War against evil. (3) The walls that have been destroyed will be rebuilt. (4) Those who have hated God's people

Isaiah 63:17-19 — worse than this has befallen us. Thou hast long since utterly cast us off; and dost not consider us as thy peculiar people.'Robert Lowth's Commentary, p. 393. This, of course, is a true appraisal of the situation that began to be discussed in Isaiah 1:2; Isaiah 6:9-10, etc.

Jeremiah 23:28-32 — Word of God.' "What is the wheat to the straw" This compares the words of the false prophets to the straw or the chaff, and the Word of God to the wheat. "Is not my word like a fire" This beautiful metaphor of the Word of God reminds us of Hebrews 4:12, "The Word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart." Henderson identified three classes

Jeremiah 29:5-7 — peace." What a marvelous anticipation of New Testament teaching is in this paragraph. The wholehearted cooperation with the governmental powers under which one may chance to live is spoken as a cardinal principle of the gospel of Christ in Romans 13:1-12. Praying for civil authorities is specifically commanded in 1 Timothy 2:1-3. If the Jewish nation had properly received and obeyed this commandment, the Roman destruction of 70 A.D. would have been averted. Of course, instructions such as these infuriated

Jeremiah 40:10-12 — were confronted with the necessity of survival largely upon dried fruits and vegetables; and there was also the prospect of an olive harvest. "In your cities which ye have taken" This means: (1) in the cities which you have adopted as residences, or (2) in the cities you have taken over following the end of the war. "Out of all the places whither they were driven" Many of the Jews during the siege of Jerusalem had fled to surrounding places of refuge; but now they returned from throughout the whole