Bible Commentaries

Job 26:9-14 — garnished; His hand hath pierced the swift serpent. Lo, these are but the outskirts of his ways: And how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?" "By his Spirit" Corresponding with the great truth in Genesis 1:2, it is God's Spirit that performs all the wonders of Creation. The general thought of this paragraph, according to Heavenor, is that, "Earth and sea alike bear witness to the mighty power of God; how mighty must be the God of an ordered universe"!The

Job 31:24-30 — kissed my hand" The thing referred to here is that of throwing kisses to idols, or other objects of worship. "Although not alluded to again in the Old Testament, the habit is abundantly attested elsewhere."International Critical Commentary, op. cit., p. 269. The actual kissing of idols is mentioned in 1 Kings 19:18 and in Hosea 13:2. "What Job denies here is any participation in the pagan worship of the heavenly bodies."Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 482. The appeal of the heavenly host to Job

Job 34:21-30 — to ensnare the people." Elihu here continues his cruel, unjust and relentless attack upon Job. Job had longed for an `umpire' who might plead his case before God; but Elihu declares that God needs no such assistance, because he is omniscient (Job 34:22-23). "He breaketh in pieces mighty men" No one could avoid knowing whom Elihu was speaking of. "In the open sight of others" Just look how public Job's disasters were! And why did God do all this to Job? (1) He would not regard any of God's ways (Job

Psalms 115:9-13 — who are those addressed as `Ye that fear Jehovah.'"? Three different groups have been supposed to be indicated. "The identification of this third group is uncertain. It may be composed (1) of Gentile converts to Judaism (often called God-fearers), (2) an inner circle of the truly devout (the true seed of Abraham as distinguished from the rest of Israel), or (3) both the laity and priests already mentioned separately."The Layman's Bible Commentary, Vol. 9, p. 159. (Parenthetical statements here by

Psalms 18:1-3 — strength. H.    Loving God assures victory. I.    He first loved us. J.    In Him is Life eternal.W. L. Watkinson, The Psalms, Vol. 1 (New York: Funk and Wagnalls), p. 70. "Horn of my salvation" (Psalms 18:2). This is an ancient expression referring to strength, power, and ability. It may probably be derived from the utility of a bull's horn.

Psalms 22:22-24 — he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Neither hath he hid his face from him; But when he cried unto him, he heard." "My brethren… the assembly… praise of God... seed of Jacob… seed of Israel." (Psalms 22:22-23). The words of these two verses speak of the Church which Jesus Christ would establish after his resurrection. Seed of Jacob speaks of the old Israel, and Seed of Israel gives a hint of the New Israel of God, which is the Church. "For" (Psalms

Psalms 40:1-3 — occasion was the defeat of King Saul upon Mount Gilboa and the consequent elevation of David to the throne of Israel. "The circumstances that occasioned these words are those related at the end of 1 Samuel."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 476. (2)    The words may with equal reason be applied to Messiah, in which case, they would refer to the repeated efforts of Satan to maneuver the death of Christ, in his infancy, in his home town, and repeatedly by the Sanhedrin. "Without

Psalms 42:6-8 — All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Yet Jehovah will command his lovingkindness in the daytime; And in the night his song shall be with me Even a prayer unto the God of my life." (See the chapter introduction for a discussion of Psalms 42:6.) "All thy waves and thy billows have gone over me" The psalmist here remembers the experience of Jonah, making the same determination that God will yet bless him, just as he blessed Jonah. The passage recalled here is: "All thy waves and thy billows

Psalms 55:9-11 — counsel); and this prayer was fully and effectively answered. Hushai and Ahithophel gave opposite counsel to Absalom; and Absalom followed the advice of Hushai. Ahithophel, knowing that such advice would destroy Absalom, went out and hanged himself (2 Samuel 15-17)."George DeHoff's Commentary, Vol. III, p. 151. Both King David of Israel and the Son of David, the Christ, were betrayed by a close friend, who as a consequence of his deeds went out and hanged himself. It is difficult not to see a type

Psalms 74:14-15 — terminology here was also used in some of the ancient myths referred to; but as Kidner expressed it, "What Baal had done in the realm of myth, God had actually done in the realm of history, and had done it for his people, 'working salvation' (Psalms 74:12). What these verses survey is the Exodus and the crossing of the Jordan."Derek Kidner, Vol. 2, p. 268. Rhodes reminds us that, "The Babylonians and Canaanites believed their myths to be true, but our psalmist did not. He used some of their language

Psalms 77:4-9 — be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies?" "Thou holdest mine eyes watching" The Anchor Bible translates this: "Mine eyes are accustomed to vigils; I pace the floor and do not recline."Mitchell Dahood in The Anchor Bible, Vol. II, p. 223. "I call to remembrance my song in the night" "Many have been the songs that he either composed or sang; and he had once derived much spiritual comfort from them; but they gave him no help now, and aroused no feelings of confident faith."H. C. Leupold,

Psalms 86:1-5 — thee." An unusual feature of this psalm is that, "Each petition is accompanied by a reason why the petition should be granted."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 504. Note the reasons given in Psalms 86:1, "I am poor and needy"; and in Psalms 86:2, "for I am godly." etc. "I am poor and needy" "These words do not necessarily reveal the financial circumstances of the psalmist; they indicate the need of help from God, in this case help because of the arrogant and violent men of (Psalms 86:14-17)."C.

Ecclesiastes 9:16-18 — Ecclesiastes 9:18.'"The Bible Speaks Today, p. 85. "But one sinner destroyeth much good" Achan, one sinner alone, caused the tremendous defeat of all God's people at Ai (Joshua 7); and Doeg, one sinner alone, caused the murder of the priests at Nob (1 Samuel 22). Bathsheba, one sinner alone, by her nude behavior, caused the fall of David and the ultimate ruin of all Israel through her son Solomon and his son Rehoboam. It was to David's magnificent forgiveness, that we must attribute the fact that he never

Isaiah 19:24-25 — day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth; for that Jehovah of hosts hath blessed them, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance." Isaiah 19:25 has been called, "The most universal word in the prophecy. Sublimely it is said that Egypt and Assyria will take their place alongside Israel as the peoples of God."Footnote is not available This passage cannot mean that Israel will be superior to

Isaiah 20:1 — last and greatest of the Assyrian dynasties; he was the successor to Shalmaneser and the father of Sennacherib."Ibid. In the Bible, Shalmaneser is apparently the conqueror; but it seems that the final phase of the conquest was completed by Sargon in 722 B.C., a fact confirmed in 2 Kings 18:10 in the statement, not that "He took it," but that "They took it." Sargon succeeded Shalmaneser just before the siege of Samaria was completed in 722 B.C., and reigned till 705 B.C., when he was succeeded by Sennacherib."J.

Isaiah 26:21 — murders, such an event being clearly scheduled for the last day. Rawlinson said that this refers to, "The many murders men have committed on earth." In the same place, he also wrote that: "Isaiah denounced murder in his very first chapter (Isaiah 1:27). Manasseh's murders were the main cause of the first destruction of Jerusalem (2 Kings 24:4). The second destruction was equally a judgment for the innocent blood that had been shed upon the earth "from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of

Isaiah 33:13-16 — destroy them! "Ye that are afar off" "This indicates that the destruction of the Assyrians would be such a signal event that it would be known to distant nations."Ibid. Isaiah 33:15 reveals six elements of righteousness, namely, (1) righteous conduct; (2) upright and honorable speech; (3) hatred of oppression; (4) refusal to take bribes; (5) rejection of all thoughts of murder; and (6) refusal to look upon shameful and evil things. Isaiah 33:16 records God's love for the righteous and his provision

Isaiah 47:5-7 — excessive with a result that the erstwhile executor of God's punishment becomes itself the object of punishment by still another! The revelation should not be overlooked here that God controls and directs all history, according to his will. See Daniel 4:25. "The sorrows of Babylon are her proper fate; there can be no mercy, for she has shown none (James 2:13)."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 615. Yet the terrible description here arouses an emotion of pity on our part. Yes, it is the triumph of

Jeremiah 34:12-16 — Leviticus, stressing the existence of all the other books of the Pentateuch in addition to Deuteronomy. It would be impossible to overestimate the extent of Judah's crime in the event here recorded: (1) It was a violation of God's specific commandment. (2) They had mocked God Himself by that hypocritical "covenant" they cut in the very house that was called by God's name. (3) They profaned the name of God by invoking his holy name upon an action which they had no intention of honoring. (4) It was an

Jeremiah 42:1-3 — do." This passage confirms the presence of the prophet as being a part of the company rescued by Johanan from Ishmael. It was not necessary to "go to him," for he was already among them. hence the words, "all the people… came near" (Jeremiah 42:1). "Pray for us" The prophet had previously been forbidden to pray for the rebellious people (Jeremiah 7:17; Jeremiah 11:14, and Jeremiah 14:11); "But he was now free to do so."The New Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 842. Jeremiah at once agreed to do