Bible Commentaries

Genesis 25:19-24 — affirmation that she did so at "an oracle"E. A. Speiser, op. cit.,, p. 194. is preposterous. "To speak of her as resorting to `an oracle' imports heathen notions into the Hebrew text."H. C. Leupold, Exposition of Genesis (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1942), p. 701. "Nothing is more natural than that the Hebrew author intended to intimate that Rebekah inquired of God through Abraham the prophet, her father-in-law, who still survived."J. R. Dummelow, op. cit., p. 32. If the latter opinion by such scholars

Genesis 46 overview — radiates the soul of the humblest believer in Christ. As an apostle said, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged" (1 Corinthians 2:14). What does the "natural man" see in this chapter? He sees a hodge-podge of several elements put together haphazardly without any particular design, such various elements being "analyzed" by Simpson as "E, J, EJ, P, R, Jr, Er, Pr, and Rje …

Exodus 30:22-33 — whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, he shall be cut off from his people." There is some curiosity as to how some 46 1/4 pounds of spices could be pulverized and mixed with about a gallon and a half of olive oil, but the explanation is in Exodus 30:25, where the instructions indicated that all of this was to be done "after the art of the perfumer." According to Jewish tradition, the essences of the spices were first extracted, and then mixed with the oil. The preparation was entrusted to Bezaleel

Exodus 30:34-38 — unto that, to smell thereof, he shall be cut off from his people." 1. Stacte. "There are two kinds of stacte, one of myrrh and one of storax and a fat mixed."International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (Chicago: The Howard Severance Company, 1915), p. 2847. The kind mentioned here is supposed to be myrrh. 2. Onycha. "This is a mollusk which emits a highly aromatic odor when burned. Gathered in the Near East until recently, it is used as an ingredient in perfume, and as a principal component of incense

Exodus 32:25-29 — in this episode, else it could never have been resolved at all. Even if those slain were selected at random and by chance, we must agree with Keil that, "Even the so-called chance would have been under the direction of God."C. F. Keil, op. cit., p. 228. "For a derision among their enemies" As Dummelow said, "The lapse of professedly religious people is not only sinful, but brings religion itself into disrepute."J. R. Dummelow, op. cit., p. 82. "Aaron had let them loose" The KJV has "Aaron had made

Exodus 34:1-4 — that of the first giving of it. God said, "I will write upon the tables the same words which were on the first tables, which thou brakest." This frustrates and denies all of the scholarly "oompah" about two decalogues - (1) an ethical decalogue, and (2) a ritual decalogue. Fields called such interpretations of this chapter, "Nonsense!"Wilbur Fields. Exodus (Joplin: College Press, 1976), p. 753. The first person in human history to propose such a ridiculous understanding of this chapter was the great

Leviticus 14:10-20 — available There is no way for such a view to be mistaken, for the author of Hebrews wrote: "Let us draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10:22). "Log of oil" (Leviticus 14:10; Leviticus 14:12). "This log was a liquid measure, probably less than a pint."Bernard J. Bamberger, op. cit., p. 134. The importance of this ceremony is indicated by the numerous kinds of offerings that were required

Leviticus 14:43-53 — interpretation that sees the loosing of the living bird as a representation of the new liberty and freedom of the cleansed leper must be wrong. "It certainly does not represent any such action that a house may take!"F. Meyrick, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 2, Leviticus (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 328. "This specific legislation comes to an end here. Diseases of the flesh, infected garments, diseased houses - all were intended to make the Israelite aware that he moved in

Leviticus 18:24-30 — Therefore shall ye keep my charge, that ye practice not any of these abominable customs, which were practiced before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am Jehovah your God." Note the recurrence of the word "abominations" in Leviticus 18:26-27 and Leviticus 18:29, also "abominable customs" in Leviticus 18:30. The utter abhorrence of God against such wickedness is inherent in the repeated usage of such terminology. Here is also an excellent place to find the answer as to why God exterminated

Leviticus 26:34-39 — catch in the throat even to consider the terrible consequences of rebellion against God as enacted in the history of Israel. From the time of the entry of Israel into Canaan unto the Babylonian captivity was a period of 863 years, during which time 123 Sabbatical Years should have been observed.F. Meyrick, op. cit., p. 413. The fact that God sent Israel into captivity for only seventy years (instead of 123 years) is supposed by some to indicate that Israel had indeed observed the Sabbatical Years

Ecclesiastes 9 overview — sense at all. What is the explanation of this? Scholars vary in their explanations; but the conclusion must be; (1) that Solomon is rehearsing the allegations of materialistic unbelievers with a view to refuting them in his conclusion (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14), (2) that he was writing of what he saw `under the sun,' and not of what he believed, or (3) that, "Solomon, for the time being, had abandoned his faith in God, altogether,"James Waddey. p. 53. and that his words throughout Ecclesiastes thus

Jeremiah 10 overview — section of this chapter."Broadman Bible Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1971), p. 73. "Most scholars wish to date this passage during the exile and consider it post-Jeremiahic."Anthony L. Ash, Psalms (Abilene, Texas: A.C.U. Press, 1987), p. 112. "Jeremiah 10:1-16 here interrupt the connection between Jeremiah 9:22 and Jeremiah 10:17."WR, p. 481, p. None of these allegations has any foundation whatever. This whole chapter was written shortly before the Babylonian capture of Jerusalem the first

Numbers 36:5-9 — inheritance." "The tribe of the sons of Joseph speaketh right" (Numbers 36:5). This has the meaning of, "The plea is just."Harry M. Orlinsky, Notes on the New Translation of the Torah (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1969), p. 242. Several of the more recent translations follow this change. The justice of this appeal confirms a number of things: (1)    It is proper and righteous for God's people to be concerned about inheritance. (2)    Every

Numbers 9:1-3 — 1968), p. 71. This passage, however, cannot be identified in any manner with the post-exilic period, because any writer in that period would have used the month Nisan as the time of the Passover. The words "in its appointed season" refer back to Exodus 12 and the designation of Abib as the month in which Passover was kept. Furthermore, there was not nor could there even be supposed any motivation whatever in the post-exilic period that could have been served by such an insertion as this into the sacred

Nahum 2 overview — God. "It was not Israel's pride that was at stake, but God's honor; and it was not even the redemption of his people that was primary, but the vindication of their God."George I. Robinson, The Twelve Minor Prophets (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1929), p. 114. Assyria deserved destruction and death; and the Righteous One executed it upon them. However, there is more in Nahum than the destruction of an ancient, wicked city. It relates to a much larger and more extensive drama reaching from Eden

Deuteronomy 15:7-11 — shows that the "release" was not a mere moratorium, but a genuine and complete remission. The admonition not to be "grieved" because of giving to a poor brother is strongly suggestive of Paul's famous quotation from Jesus, "God loveth a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7). It is extremely significant that Deuteronomy 15:7-9 indicate that, "God will regard the cry of the poor as a witness against the hardhearted."Merrill F. Unger, Unger's Commentary on the Old Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1981), p.

Deuteronomy 26 overview — apparently at a loss to account for the peculiar construction of this chapter. Scott referred to "The two beautiful rituals here" in what he called a "hortatory conclusion."D. R. Scott, Abingdon Bible Commentary, Deuteronomy (New York: Abingdon Press, 1929), p. 337. The two confessions commanded here evoked this comment from Blair: "They appear more ancient than the Book of Deuteronomy; they formed part of the ancient confessional liturgy of Israel, perhaps that of the Tabernacle, before the construction

Joshua 11 overview — the fighting that took place in the Conquest of Canaan, but, taking the over-all view, the author of this book bases the conquest upon three, and only three great campaigns: (1)    the fall of Jericho and the destruction of Ai; (2)    the defeat of the coalition under Adonizedek; and (3)    the defeat of the coalition led by Jabin. Afterward, all of the opposition encountered by Israel was of a merely local nature. After the events of this

Revelation 22:13 — beginning and the end. I am the Alpha and the Omega … These are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet used idiomatically to express comprehensive completeness. In this prophecy it is found in Revelation 1:8; Revelation 1:10-11; Revelation 21:5-6; Revelation 22:13. We agree with Barclay that, "There is more than one idea here. There is the idea of completeness, of eternity and of authority. William Barclay, op. cit., p. 225. Actually, all three statements in this verse are parallel

Revelation 22:18-19 — noted that John was conscious of this book's being the last of the sacred canon (see under v. 11); and it should be observed here that John tailored his words to include both his prophecy and the canon. "Prophecy of this book" (Revelation 22:18), means the book of Revelation; "book of this prophecy" (Revelation 22:19) means the entire Bible. There is the additional fact that the prohibition against adding to or taking from, is here identical with the warning in the Old Testament