Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 14:15-16 — themselves the task of getting rid of all predictive prophecy in the Bible, reject this prophecy out of hand. How? They declare that the words of this prophecy are not from God at all, but from a "Deuteronomist editor,"Arthur S. Peake's Commentary, p. 301. or that they are merely, "A statement of the philosophy of the final editors of Kings."The Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 52. This writer is unwilling to allow any human being, regardless of his alleged scholarship, to take a passage from the Holy

1 Kings 15:16-22 — king of Syria" We are amused that Matheney comments on this thus: "This genealogy of the royal house of Damascus has been confirmed by the discovery of an Aramaic inscribed monument of this Benhadad to the god Melqart."Broadman Bible Commentary, Vol. 3, p. 203. It is this writer's view that the inscription on that monument is confirmed by this record in the Bible. The false notion that monuments are always correct is ridiculous. If one doubts it, let him read the inscription on the grave of Robert

2 Kings 15:1-7 — 28 years as sole ruler."Ibid. See our introduction for an explanation of the chronological difficulties and discrepancies here. For those who wish to date the reign of Uzziah, LaSor gave it as circa 790-740 B.C.The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 359. "Jehovah smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death" The reason for this divine judgment against Uzziah is given in 2 Chronicles 26:16-21. It was due to his presumption in usurping religious functions that belonged to the priesthood

2 Kings 23:15-20 — celebration. "What monument is that which I see?… It is the sepulchre of the man of God… who proclaimed these things that thou hast done to the altar of Bethel" Josiah was totally unaware of the fulfillment of the prophecy in 1 Kings 13:3 which his defilement of the altar of Bethel had accomplished, but the citizens of the place, who remembered it well, told him about it. "Josiah did not act as he did to fulfill the prophecy, but in thus acting he unconsciously fulfilled it."The Pulpit

2 Kings 24:10-17 — capital. "In the eighth year of his reign" "The eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign was 597 B.C. The siege extended from December (Chislev) 598 B.C. to March (Adar) of 597 B.C., according to Babylonian records."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 367. "And Jehoiakin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon" Evidently, Jehoiakin believed that by such submission to Nebuchadnezzar he might retain his throne as a vassal of Babylon. Of course, that is what took place earlier at the first conquest

2 Kings 8:10-13 — the question of Benhadad very disgusting. Snaith declared that, "The purpose of the oracle (the prophecy) was to lure Benhadad into false confidence," and that, "Elisha at once took steps to insure the death of Benhadad."The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 3, p. 227. "Some even attribute Hazael's foul crime to Elisha's instigation."International Critical Commentary, op. cit., p. 393. Such opinions are wrong and sinful. Harold Stigers gives us the proper understanding of what is written here. "Thou mayest

Nehemiah 1:5-11 — who delight to fear thy name; and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man." "If ye trespass, I will scatter you abroad among the peoples" Here Nehemiah was remembering the words of Moses in Deuteronomy 30:1-8. This is a fervent beautiful prayer, and there's not a word in it that suggests any other person than Nehemiah as the author of it. Yet the critics who profess to know everything, and who are unable to find any dependable record whatever in the

Psalms 78:40-55 — wonders performed during their deliverance from Egypt; nevertheless, Israel stubbornly ignored God and provoked him by their constant rebellions. Kidner pointed out that two of the principal manuscripts mention the murrain of cattle (as in Exodus 9:3); and if this should be followed, there are seven of the ten plagues mentioned here, only lice, boils, and darkness being left unmentioned.Derek Kidner, op. cit., p. 284. A large portion of our Commentary on Exodus is devoted to the discussion of practically

Psalms 88:1-9 — me; Thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth. Mine eye wasteth away by reason of affliction." We have never read a passage describing the approach of death any more impressive than this one. "Sheol" (Psalms 88:3); "the pit" (Psalms 88:4); "among the dead" (Psalms 88:5); "the grave" (Psalms 88:5); "the lowest pit" (Psalms 88:6); "dark places" (Psalms 88:7); and "the deeps" (Psalms 88:7) are seven synonyms for the realm of the dead, or Hades; and the mind of

Song of Solomon 1:2-4 — thee." "Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth" "The scene here is in the women's chamber of the royal house. The young bride sings of her love for Solomon. In passionate romantic terms, she praises the man she loves. The `oils' (Song of Solomon 1:3) are those with which the king anoints himself. His name is as refreshing and soothing as oil."Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon by James Waddey (Abilene, Texas: Quality Publications, 1985), p. 101. That is one way of viewing the passage. Balchin

Isaiah 14:28-32 — prophet Isaiah, was threefold: (1) There are worse things to come from Assyria. "The basilisk and the flying serpent (Isaiah 14:29) are symbols of worse and worse oppressors."Peake's Commentary Series, p. 447. (2) Philistia is a doomed people (Isaiah 14:30-31). (3) True help and support can come only from the Lord, spoken of here as the founder of Zion and the true refuge of God's people. Kidner noted that reliance upon the power of God instead of alliances with other nations should have been the right

Isaiah 2:12-22 — figurative language in this place; and this is probably correct. Certainly, there will be literal destruction of practically everything on "that day," as indicated in Zephaniah, who stated that even the fishes in the sea shall be destroyed (Isaiah 1:3). That the destruction to come upon the earth in the final judgment will have cosmic dimensions is everywhere apparent in God's Word. Revelation speaks of every island and every mountain being moved out of its place (Rev. 12:6:12-17). The author of

Isaiah 22:15-19 — distant future. Regarding the date of this oracle against Shebna, Payne placed it a year or two prior to 701 B.C.David F. Payne, The New Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 706. This is reasonable, because in 701 B.C. Shebna had already been demoted (Isaiah 36:3), although even then he still held an important office. (See also 2 Kings 18:18.) Archer believed that Shebna and Eliakim, who succeeded him, were singled out here as symbolical representatives of the two general classes in Jerusalem: "(1) Eliakim,

Isaiah 24:23 — be punished were either in the pit (dead) or "in prison" (the chains of darkness) and the time of the final judgment. We agree with Hailey that these "many days" are the same as, "the symbolic thousand years of Revelation 20:1-6)."Homer Hailey, p 203. Amazingly, a number of the time designations in Revelation all have the same meaning, that being, "all of the time between the first advent and the second advent of Christ," namely, the whole current dispensation of the grace of God. Note the following

Isaiah 58:13-14 — in Jehovah; and I will make thee to ride upon the high places of the earth; and I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father, for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it." Again, notice that all-important IF standing at the head of Isaiah 58:13. The multiple requirement is (1) that Israel must stop doing "their own thing" on the sabbath day; (2) they must stop teaching and parroting the words of men (their own words) and begin honoring God's Word; (3) they are commanded to call the sabbath

Jeremiah 26:1-7 — two things of singular importance in this passage: "(1) The kind of repentance which God demands is always an individual matter; and (2) promises of divine judgment are always conditional."Charles Lee Feinberg in Ezekiel (Chicago: Moody Press), p. 538. "Walk in my law… hearken to the words of my servants the prophets" God's condemnation did not result from their refusal to hearken to Jeremiah, merely; but it was the consequence of their rejection of all of God's prophets, reaching all the

Jeremiah 27:19-22 — remaining treasures of the temple, the king's house, and the city of Jerusalem shall also be carried away to Babylon; (2)    the vessels shall not be destroyed there, but shall be preserved to that day when God will visit them; and (3)    He will indeed visit them and restore them to Jerusalem at the time when his Divine Will may desire to do so! Did it happen? Certainly! Was this prophecy written after the event? Ridiculous! The man who stated this was wearing

Jeremiah 32:6-15 — the text. Despite the fact of the question's being of little importance, it should be noted that: (1) the field could have been small; (2) the year of Jubilee might have been near at hand, which, of course, would have drastically reduced the value; (3) its already being in possession of the Babylonians would have reduced the price; and (4) although the amount (17 shekels of silver) was calculated by Jamieson as about two pounds sterling (about $10.00)Ibid. at the time of his estimate, that sum might

2 Samuel 10:1-5 — Nahash, during David's long flight from Saul, had treated David kindly as a means of opposing Saul. "The warfare that resulted from this episode is one of the few conquests of David concerning which we know the cause."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 306. "David's servants came into the land of the Ammonites" "The place to which they went is undoubtedly Rabbah, the capital of the Ammonites; which is the modern Amman on the north bank of the Jabbok River about twenty-three miles due east of Jericho."John

2 Samuel 19:41-43 — in that situation which is reminiscent of the quarrels initiated by the tribe of Joseph, first against Gideon, and later against Jephthah, the latter erupting in a bitter civil war that destroyed forty-two thousand of the tribe of Joseph (Judges 8:1-3; Judges 12:1-6). This tribal jealousy and bitterness marred what otherwise would have been a happy ending to the rebellion. "A great catastrophe like Absalom's rebellion could not end without leaving profound effects."The New Layman's Bible Commentary,