Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 8:12-21 — when he brought them out of the land of Egypt." "Jehovah hath said that he would dwell in thick darkness" "Here the darkness of the windowless inner sanctuary is identified with the dark storm cloud over Mount Horeb at the giving of the Law (Exodus 20:18; Psalms 18:10-11)."Broadman Bible Commentary, Vol. 3, p. 180. "I have surely built thee a house" By this action, "Solomon asserted that he was establishing the Lord as supreme God of all… that the Lord alone is Lord of heaven and earth."The

2 Kings 23:4-7 — the dust thereof upon the graves of the common people. And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were in the house of Jehovah, where the women wove hangings for the Asherah." "And for all the host of heaven" This expression, used again in 2 Kings 23:5, is a reference to the constellations. "The word from which this comes is a Hebrew term used only here in the Bible, and, according to the rabbis, it means the signs of the zodiac and the planets."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 365. "The

2 Kings 24:10-17 — chapter was the plundering and looting of Solomon's temple. "Nebuchadnezzar spoiled Solomon's temple three times: (1) He took some of the treasures away when Jehoiakim was king, placing the golden vessels in the temple of his god in Babylon (Daniel 1:2). These were the vessels profaned by Belshazzar (Daniel 5:2). (2) He continued the destruction by taking many other treasures, breaking and cutting them into pieces when he came up against Jeconiah (as in this chapter). (3) He thoroughly looted and

1 Chronicles 22:6-11 — fight wars; but here shines the eternal truth that bloodshed is inherently evil, no matter how necessary it may be at times. "Behold, a son shall be born unto thee" The words used here show that David was referring to the words of God through Nathan (2 Samuel 7:12-14). Yes, God promised that son, all right, but David failed to understand what God said about WHEN that son would be born. It would not happen during David's lifetime, but when thou shalt sleep with thy fathers (2 Samuel 7:12). Furthermore,

Ezra 9 overview — which came with Zerubbabel; and again, the great men of Israel's history had repeatedly taken foreign wives. Both Abraham and Joseph had married Egyptians; Judah also married a Gentile; Moses married a Cushite; one of David's wives was a foreigner (2 Samuel 3:3); and Solomon's harem was apparently dominated by pagan wives. Under the circumstances, therefore, it is easy to see how this problem developed. Nevertheless, in spite of what some view as the violation of human rights, and the incredible

Psalms 32:1-2 — has been personally experienced by every person who ever obeyed the gospel. There is not a word in these two verses with regard to the basis upon which God forgave David or to anything that David did before God forgave him. "Blessed is he" (Psalms 32:1). "One hesitates to abandon the classical rendition in the word 'blessed,' here"; H. C. Leupold, p. 266. but Yates affirmed that the Hebrew here is, "Literally, O how happy." Wycliffe Bible Commentary of the Old Testament, Old Testament, p. 507. Kidner

Leviticus 12:6-8 — Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord), and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons." (Luke 2:22-24) The very fact that the exact words of this chapter are quoted in the Lukan version of the Nativity proves that the ceremonies here were in some way prophetic of the eventual revelation of Jesus Christ to mankind. For countless generations, women,

Leviticus 22:1-9 — They shall therefore keep my charge, lest they bear sin for it, and die therein, if they profane it: I am Jehovah, who sanctifieth them." The motivation for strict obedience of these commandments is simply the oft-repeated, "I am Jehovah" (Leviticus 22:1-2; Leviticus 22:8-9). The teaching is that even the consecrated priests while suffering uncleanness from: (1) diseases; (2) discharges; (3) contact with dead men or animals, were NOT allowed to eat of the holy food or to perform any of their customary

Hosea 3:5 — David (Matthew 1:1), whose resurrection from the dead and subsequent exaltation at God's right hand in heaven were flatly declared by the apostle Peter to be the fulfillment of the ancient promise of God's raising up one to sit on David's throne (Acts 2:19-31). Butler has a significant comment on this: Every school of the ancient Jews (Talmudic, mystical, Biblical, or grammatical) explained this prophecy of Christ, the Messiah. They even paraphrased it thus: Afterward the children of Israel shall repent,

Amos 2 overview — The prophecies against eight nations reach their climax in this chapter where the judgments are pronounced against Moab (Amos 2:1-3), against Judah (Amos 2:4-5), and against Israel (Amos 1:6-15), in which the principal thrust of Amos' great prophecy reaches its primary object. It will appear in this chapter that Amos' words were directed against the gross social sins of that

Numbers 13:1-3 — of the children of Israel." Here at the outset the question arises as to "Whose idea was it?" that the children of Israel should spy out the land. Here, there is no mention of the people as being behind such a plan; but in Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 1:20-22) it is revealed that the people themselves were behind this proposal. Is this a "contradiction?" Certainly not. Did not God command Balaam to "go with the men," whereas the desire and purpose of his doing so originated not with God at all, but in

Zechariah 10:9 — could. "I will sow" The significance of this is that it recalls the sacred name of the second bride of Israel's God, the people God married (in a figure) after the old wife (fleshly Israel) was divorced. The name of that second bride is given in Hosea 2:22 as Jezreel, literally meaning "to sow" in the sense of scattering seeds.J. D. Given, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 13, Hosea (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 4. (See full comments on this in my commentary on the

Acts 1:5 — regarding the baptism of the Twelve. Chrysostom said, "They were baptized by John"; but even apart from such ancient testimony, the deduction is mandatory from the fact of the apostles having aided in the administration of John's baptism (John 4:2). It is impossible to imagine that they were baptizing others with a baptism to which they themselves had not submitted. A. C. Hervey, Pulpit Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), Vol. 18, Acts, p. 2.

Acts 16:1-2 — And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra; and behold a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess that believed; but his father was a Greek. The same was well reported of by brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. (Acts 16:1-2) REVISITING LYSTRA AND DERBE Paul's being stoned at Lystra on the first tour was not an indication of failure, because out of that tragic experience glorious fruit of the gospel appeared. On his second return to Lystra, Paul was rewarded by the emergence

Romans 3:31 — true either in or out of its context. FAITH CANNOT VOID LAW (1)    It cannot void the law of Moses. The ultimate scheme of redemption as set forth in Christianity is the very system foretold in the law and the prophets (Romans 1:2), witnessed by the law and the prophets (Romans 3:21); and, therefore. it should not be thought for a moment that the gospel and the faith therein enjoined could have the effect of voiding that great Old Testament system. Rather, that system was fulfilled

Philippians 1:3-5 — Philippians; and Barclay has given a beautiful outline of the joy Paul communicated in this loving letter: CHRISTIAN JOY INCLUDES The joy of prayer (Philippians 1:4) The joy that Jesus Christ is preached (Philippians 1:18). The joy of faith (Philippians 1:25). The joy of seeing Christians in fellowship together (Philippians 2:2). The joy of suffering for Christ (Philippians 2:17). The joy of news of a loved one (Philippians 2:28). The joy of Christian hospitality (Philippians 2:29). The joy of the man

Joshua 1:10-11 — within three days ye are to pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which Jehovah your God giveth you to possess it." "Within three days" Here we encounter somewhat of a problem. This is due to the mention of another "three days" in Joshua 3:2 before Joshua gave the order mentioned here. This is rather a complicated problem, and scholars have given conflicting opinions on it for many years. We do not consider it to be of any earth-shaking importance, because of two reasons: (1)    The

Joshua 20 overview — Bible about which there is more misinformation than is the matter of these six cities of refuge. The basic assumption of critical scholars is dogmatically stated by Holmes: "The cities of refuge were not appointed until after the reforms of Josiah in 621 B.C. In earlier times the refuge for the manslayer was the altar at the local sanctuary (Exodus 21:14). Deuteronomy says that Moses commanded the institution of these cities, and a later writer, ignorant of the exact standpoint of the Deuteronomic

Revelation 3:6 — He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. This is identical with the admonition addressed to all seven of these churches. See discussion of it under Revelation 2:7.

2 Samuel 11:2-5 — she should have been. Most of the commentators blame David, pointing out that, "In the East, it was improper for one neighbor to look over the battlements of his house into the inner court of the adjacent building."The Pulpit Commentary, op. cit., p. 265. In this light, David appears in this passage as somewhat of a "Peeping Tom." At any rate, he had no business whatever feasting his lustful eyes upon the feminine charms of his neighbor's wife. "We do know that David would have been saved much sorrow