Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 17:2-7 — before Jordan" In the O.T. this expression always means "east of." "I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there" A statement such as this runs some writers wild. Impossible! "Saga… legend… myth"!The Broadman Bible Commentary, Vol. 3, p. 208. However, as Snaith wisely said: "More than human ingenuity is required in order to excise all the miraculous elements from these wonders."The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 3, p. 146. The best explanation that rationalists have come up with is that the

1 Kings 20:1-6 — degree of appreciation! "Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives, and thy children" Jamieson thought that, "Ahab agreed to submit, probably thinking that it meant no more than the payment of tribute."Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary, p. 227. We doubt the validity of that interpretation, but, even if it is correct, Benhadad's amended terms of surrender left no doubt of what he demanded. Ahab's pitiful extremity here is instructive. "If God is not allowed to rule over us, then our enemies

2 Kings 8:25-29 — Ahab in the person of his grandson Ahaziah in the very same place. None of God's prophecies ever failed! Regarding that war in which the two kings had jointly opposed Hazael at Ramoth-Gilead, "It was apparently successful. It was recovered by Israel (2 Kings 9:14) and remained thenceforth in the hands of Israel."Albert Barnes, op. cit., p. 250. Josephus gives us a little more complete information on what took place in that battle. "Joram was struck by an arrow in the course of the siege, but remained

1 Chronicles 10:1-14 — accounts may both be absolutely accurate. No one has the right to deny what is here stated as a fact. We shall not make line by line comments on this chapter, for we have already discussed it in the closing chapter of 1 Samuel and the opening chapter of 2 Samuel. As Curtis (and Madsen) noted: "This account of the death of Saul is taken from 1 Samuel 31:1-13 with a few slight variations."Ibid.

Ezra 10:1-4 — with thee: be of good courage, and do it." Two things in this paragraph are disputed: (1)    Shechaniah is identified by HamrickBroadman Bible Commentary, Vol. 3, p. 467. as the son of the violator (Jehiel) mentioned in Ezra 10:26, but Williamson denied the certainty of that identification, writing that, "Jehiel is a common enough name to preclude certainty of identity, even with a single extended family."Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Vol. 16, p. 150. Keil wrote that, "This Shechaniah

Nehemiah 8:9-12 — joy. "Send portions unto him for whom nothing is prepared" Cook pointed out that this custom of sending portions on festive occasions grew out of the words in Deuteronomy 16:11; Deuteronomy 16:14.F. C. Cook, Barnes' Commentary Series, op. cit., p. 472. The poor, the sojourner, the servant, the neglected, and the dispossessed are not to be forgotten by God-fearing people. "And all the people went their way… to make great mirth" The reason for this great joy is stated in the words, "Because

Esther 2:1-4 — Vashti's successor. Evil beast that he was, Xerxes liked the idea, "and the king did so"! "And the king did so" This means that they searched throughout the vast domain of the Persian empire, and brought "all the fair young virgins to Shushan" (Esther 2:3). "What unspeakable horror this must have caused among all the beautiful young women of Persia! They were forcibly taken from their homes, turned over to a eunuch in the house of the women, and secluded for life among the wretched company of the king's

Job 14:7-12 — form. Job was not ignorant of the resurrection hope, but a firm believer in it."Blair, p. 114. A failure to understand this results in such a comment as this, "There is hope of a tree… but for man there is none till the heavens pass away (Job 14:12), which is never, as far as Job knows."The New Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 570. Kelly put it this way: "Job insists, against all suppositions to the contrary, that death is the end, that Sheol, rather than life, is man's final destiny."Layman's Bible

Job 27:1-7 — JOB'S FINAL STATEMENT (Job 27-31): JOB AGAIN SPEAKS OF HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS "And Job again took up his parable, and said, As God liveth who hath taken away my right, And the Almighty who hath vexed my soul (For my life is yet whole in me, And the Spirit of God is in my nostrils);

Job 34:1-9 — cit., p. 134. there being no reference whatever to it in the text. However, the idea that the wise men here are a different group from the three friends is supported by the fact that, "The tone of reproof Elihu used in addressing the three friends (Job 32:7 ff) is no longer present in this chapter."International Critical Commentary, Job, p. 295. "Notwithstanding my right, I am accounted a liar" We protest the evil rendition of Job 34:6 by Pope in the Anchor Bible. He rendered it, "Concerning my case,

Job 6:1-7 — touch them; They are as loathsome food to me." These words of Job are, "Strong and coherent, contrasted with those of Eliphaz, which are incoherent and without the backbone of any clear conviction, turning hither and thither."The Expositor's Bible, Vol. 2, p. 720. These words of Job were spoken out of deep disappointment and pain in what Eliphaz had said. Eliphaz had applied such words as fool, godless man, confounded and impatient to Job,"The Teachers' Bible Commentary, p. 273. bringing him no comfort

Job 9:25-35 — may view this cry for a daysman (umpire), for God with his majesty laid aside, as an instinctive prophecy of the Incarnation, although Job had no such thing in his mind."Arthur S. Peake, A Commentary on the Bible (London: T. C. and E. C. Jack, Ltd., 1924), p. 354. "This passage is strongly looking forward to Bethlehem. There was really no answer to Job's problem short of the Incarnation. In this cry for an umpire between God and man, we see a prophetic reaching out for that One Mediator between God

Psalms 35:1-10 — generation of vipers." We find no commandment in God's Word that requires us to pray for the benefit of the `rattlesnakes' that threaten our lives. The circumstances under which this psalm seems to have been written appear to be those described in 1 Samuel 24:15 ff. Some scholars suggest the times of Absalom's rebellion; but the turning against the psalmist of former friends would seem to fit the situation of his flight before Saul far better. "This prayer for judgment against his foes has no expression

Psalms 37:16-22 — pastures." (1) "The Hebrew word here commonly and properly means `lamb'; but it also may mean the meadow or pasture where lambs feed."Barnes' Notes on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, a 1987 reprint of the 1878 edition), Vol. I, p. 325. This is another instance in which translators deliberately choose the least appropriate meaning in a situation of multiple choices. The fact that the common and ordinary meaning of the word here is `lamb' strongly favors the American Standard Version

Psalms 8:1-2 — retained the latter in the margin. The KJV is the superior rendition, because the glory of the Creator is not merely upon the heavens, it is likewise above them. "Out of the mouth of babes, etc." Jesus Christ himself quoted from this passage in Matthew 21:16, where we find the account of the Pharisees' objection that the children in the temple were chanting Hosannas to Christ, singing of him as "The Son of David." Christ responded, saying, Yea, have ye not read that, "Out of the mouths of babes and

1 Samuel 15:24-31 — meaning of this request seems to be, "Very well, granting that I have sinned, and that this exclusion from the kingdom has been passed upon me, yet at least do me the honor due to the rank which I continue to hold."The Pulpit Commentary, op. cit., p. 268. "So Samuel turned back after Saul" Some have wondered what caused Samuel to go with Saul after his initial refusal to do so. There were several possibilities. (1)    Samuel sincerely desired to help Saul in the presence of the

2 Samuel 12:1-6 — which had been submitted to him."Albert Barnes, Samuel, p, 94. David could have had no suspicion whatever of the prophet's true mission, because all of his previous communications from God through Nathan had been extremely favorable to the king (as in 2 Samuel 7). Many have commented upon the attractiveness and beauty of this little parable. It was skillfully designed to arouse the sympathy of the hearer for the wronged poor man as well as angry contempt for the rich man who robbed him. "David's anger

2 Samuel 15:24-29 — arranged to procure such information via the sons of the two priests mentioned here. "May the Lord show steadfast love and faithfulness to you" This is an unwelcome change from the text as given in ASV, KJV and NIV; and Willis noted, "The last line of 2 Samuel 15:20 should read, `Mercy and truth be with thee,' as in KJV, ASV, and NIV."John T. Willis, p. 372. "And Abiathar came up, and lo, Zadok came also, with all the Levites bearing the ark of the covenant of God" We are pleased indeed that the RSV

2 Samuel 19:24-30 — king has come safely home.'" "And Mephibosheth the son of Saul" Of course, Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan and the grandson of Saul, but the use of the term "son" in the Bible is very flexible: (1) It may mean simply descendant of (Matthew 1:1); (2) grandson as here; (3) Levirate son; (4) adopted son (Luke 3:23); (5) actual son; (6) son by creation (Luke 3:38); (7) a possessor of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14); (8) merely a follower of as in Acts 13:10; or (9) son-in-law (Luke 3:23). "He had neither

2 Samuel 3:26-30 — mistrust and hatred that followed this terribly unjust action of Joab and Abishai. "They brought him (Abner) back from the cistern of Sirah" Josephus tell us that this place was located only, "Twenty furlongs from Hebron,"Flavius Josephus, Antiquities, p. 207. that is, about two miles. Abner was a very evil man and fully deserved to die for his long and bitter opposition to David at a time when he most certainly knew that he was opposing God's will, but that in no way justified the totally unjustifiable