Bible Commentaries

Exodus 34:5-8 — of God Himself. This sacred glimpse of God's loving mercy lies behind the N.T. revelation that "God is love." The O.T. prophets returned to these words again and again. They are quoted in Nehemiah 9:17; Psalms 86:15; Psalms 103:8; Psalms 145:8; Joel 2:15; Jonah 4:2; and also Numbers 14:18. It is an inexcusable error, however, to suppose that God will finally accommodate to human wickedness. He will "by no means clear the guilty"; and despite some efforts to distort the meaning of that promise by

1 Kings 22:45-50 — with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not. And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David; and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead." "The book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah" From 2 Chronicles 20:24, we may conclude that the history of Jehoshaphat's reign was written by Jehu the son of Hanani. "The remnant of the sodomites… he put away out of the land" The divine disapproval of this shameful vice is everywhere apparent in

1 Chronicles 11:26-47 — Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, Eliel and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite." The parallel of these verses (1 Chronicles 11:10-47) is in 2 Samuel 23:8-35; and the variations are of no practical concern whatever. Our comments there will not be repeated here. In the group of men called "The Thirty," there were most certainly casualties from time to time; and as men died, others were named

Ezra 8:15-20 — that, "It is now generally identified with the place IS in Herodotus (i. 179), a small stream flowing into the Euphrates from the east, some eight days' journey from Babylon. This place is mentioned under the slightly variant names of Ava and Ivah in 2 Kings 17:24; 2 Kings 19:13, and in the Septuagint (LXX) under the name Aba… the modern name is Hit.Ibid. This information fully explains why the departure from Ahava was on the twelfth day of the month. Eight days had been required for their

Esther 2 overview — we have consulted regarding this festering Satanic ulcer on the body of the human race, called Shushan the palace. Yes, we know that Solomon did it also, but it was still sinful, a rebellion against God that cried to high heaven for vengeance. Esther 2:16 tells us that Esther became queen in Xerxes' seventh year; and, as the great feast mentioned in the previous chapter was in his third year (Esther 1:3), we must understand a time lapse of some four years in between Esther 1 and Esther 2. During this

Leviticus 23:23-25 — and the Festival of Tabernacles a short time later. Also, this was the Jewish New Year, the ROSH HASHANAH still observed by the Jews. To understand this, one must remember that the Jews had at least two calendars: (1) that of the religious year; and (2) that of the civil year. This month was called Tishri by the Jews, but an older name is given to it in 1 Kings 8:2, where it is called Ethanim. Many scholars have pointed out that the long interval between Pentecost and the feast of Trumpets signaling

Ezekiel 31 overview — features of this allegory is not to be sought in Babylonian mythology, as supposed by May, nor should we believe that "The Garden of God" referred to herein is a reference "to a mythological `Garden of Eden.'"H. G. May in the Interpreter's Bible, pp. 233, 235. The background of the chapter was the historical situation of those times, namely, on June 21,587. B.C.,F. F. Bruce in the New Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 887. which was only a couple of months before the fall of Jerusalem,George Barlow, The

Micah 2:12 — Some of the critical community have had a fit about so gracious a promise as this appearing in the midst of Micah's powerful threats of doom and punishment. Of course, as Clark said, "There is no need to follow those scholars who regard this and Micah 2:13 as a later insertion into the text."Ibid. There is no textual evidence whatever of any such thing as these verses being a gloss or an interpolation; but critical scholars blindly following one of their false rules, reject them anyway. The rule referred

Micah 6:7 — indeed attempted to buy God off with "thousands of rams," and with "ten thousand rivers of oil." Some of Israel's kings, especially, had offered the most outlandish numbers of beasts as sacrifices. Solomon offered 1,000 burnt-offerings (1 Kings 3:4), 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep (1 Kings 8:63; 2 Chronicles 30:24; 2 Chronicles 35:7). Solomon must have supposed that cleared him of the blame for having 700 wives and 300 concubines! "The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul" Having already taken the

Luke 16:1 — spoken "to" the disciples, but "about" the Pharisees, etc. "The rich man represents God";George R. Bliss, An American Commentary on the New Testament (Valley Forge, Pennsylvania: The Judson Press,), Vol. II, Luke, ii, p. 247. and among all classes of people in that ancient world, only the hierarchy of Israel would qualify as stewards of God's house. To them were committed the oracles of God (Romans 3:2); they alone sat "in Moses' seat" (Matthew 23:2); and they

Joshua 9 overview — be a composite of a variety of traditions, patched together so that the seams show in several places."Marten H. Woudstra, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, Joshua (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1981), p. 155. (2)    Critical scholars have been unable to reach any consensus whatever in their vain efforts to identify portions of the chapter with diverse sources. The questions that might be raised remain "unsolved by textual criticism."John

Hebrews 11:24 — Moses should make the great refusal. It is an act of nearly incredible faith that he did it. Profound lessons come from a study of these refusals. Christians too must forbear the world's adoption and must not be fashioned according to the world (Romans 12:2); they must not understand the world as other than evil (1 John 5:19), nor allow themselves to be spotted by it (James 1:27), nor be enamored with its wisdom (1 Corinthians 3:19), nor love it (1 John 2:15), nor become a friend of it (James 4:4), for

Hebrews 13:25 — Grace be with you all. Amen. This was Paul's customary way of concluding a letter except for the omitted signature. See Romans 16:20; 1 Corinthians 16:23; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 6:18; Ephesians 6:24; Philippians 4:23; Colossians 4:18; 1 Thess. 4:28; 2 Thessalonians 3:18; 1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 4:22; Titus 3:15 and Philemon 1:25. In this light, Paul's benediction of grace,

Hebrews 5:13-14 — have their senses exercised to discern good and evil. Peter referred to young Christians as "newborn babes," admonishing them to "long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation" (1 Peter 2:2). Paul used the same metaphor and extended it thus, "I fed you with milk, not with meat; for ye were not able to bear it; nay, not even now are ye able; for ye are yet carnal" (1 Corinthians 3:2-3). The metaphor of children and full-grown

James 1:12 — Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to them that love him. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation … We noted under James 1:2, that "temptation" has a double meaning, that of external trials, and inward tendency to evil; but Lenski did not accept such a distinction. He said, "Both linguistically, and in thought, James 1:12 is to be associated with James 1:2-4."

Judges 8:1-3 — subordinate part."Albert Barnes, Notes on Bible Books, Judges, p. 436. Also, "What was involved was more than glory, a share in the booty was at stake; and that meant a great deal to a people living in a mountainous country."The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 2, p. 747. "Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer" "Here is an excellent illustration of the proverb that, `A soft answer turneth away wrath (Proverbs 15:1).'"The Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, Vol. 7, p.

Jude 1:4 — cit., p. 509. Whatever had been their beginnings, the evil men were at that time "ungodly," a favorite word with Jude. The Greek word [@asebeia] (ungodly) "is found 4 times in Romans , 3 times in Timothy and Titus , 1 time in 1 Peter , 2 times in 2 Peter, and 6 times in Jude."Delbert R. Rose, op. cit., p. 432. "They had corrupted the concept of the grace of God so as to make it a cover for blatant immorality."Ibid. These heretics are here indicted in four charges: (1)

1 Samuel 26:1-5 — the place where Saul lay, with Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army; Saul was lying within the encampment, while the army was encamped around him." Porter stressed some remarkable differences here as contrasted with the event in 1 Samuel 24. "In the first encounter Saul went alone, unarmed and by chance, into a cave where David and his men were; here David and Abishai were reconnoitering in search of Saul, finding him at night where he was sleeping with Abner his commander. The first

2 Samuel 23:13-17 — thirty chief men… These things did the three mighty men" There is a difference of opinion among scholars as to whether or not the "three mighty men" who brought David the water from the well at Bethlehem were the same as "the three" mentioned in 2 Samuel 23:9. The mention of a total of thirty-seven men in 2 Samuel 23:39 favors the view of Smith that, "The number 37 is exact, there being thirty ordinary members; and, since Asahel was deceased, we have a replacement mentioned, giving thirty-one

2 Samuel 3:6-11 — Bible Commentary, p. 406. "Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?" "It was the exclusive right of the successor to the throne to cohabit with the concubines of the deceased king."C. F. Keil, Keil and Delitzsch's Old Testament Commentaries, Vol. 2b, p. 301. Right here is the full explanation of why it is stated in 2 Samuel 2:10 that Ishbosheth reigned only two years. Afterward and until Abner's defection to David the real king and ruler of northern Israel was no one else but Abner. Ishbosheth,