Bible Commentaries

Exodus 24:7-8 — we will do" This reaffirmation on the peoples' part that they would indeed obey the word of God followed the reading of the Book of the Covenant in their hearing by Moses himself. "This was Israel's third promise to obey. See Exodus 19:8; Exodus 24:3; and Exodus 23:22.Wilbur Fields, op. cit., p. 536. "And Moses took the blood… and sprinkled it on the people" Note that none was sprinkled on the pillars. This double blood-sprinkling was the establishment of the covenant, the covenant being

Exodus 5:5-7 — in the Hebrew, as follows: (1)    [~sarrey] [~massira], superintendents over major projects, and of high rank, (2)    [~nogeshim], subordinate overseers of various specific projects, and far more numerous, and (3)    [~shoterim] (rendered "officers") each group of slaves, numerous clerks-of-the works, who were recruited from among the Hebrews themselves, being therefore, Hebrews elevated over their own brethren, and thus enjoying special

Psalms 105:26-36 — account of the plagues which God visited upon Egypt as the time drew near for His deliverance of Israel from bondage. There were ten of these visitations, but only eight are mentioned in this psalm. "The sequence followed in the psalm is 9, 1, 2, 4, 3, -, -, 7, 8, and 10."H. C. Leupold, p. 740. Note that 9 (the darkness) is mentioned first, 5 and 6 are omitted; and 4 and 3 change places. The Genesis sequence is as follows: Changing water into blood (Exodus 7:20) The plague of frogs (Exodus 8:6) The

Psalms 49:5-8 — rich men who were righteous, such as Abraham, Job, and many others; but as the Lord himself noted, "Money itself is wicked"; and it is able to corrupt and destroy many of the people who possess it. (For a discussion of "Why Money is Wicked," see Vol. 3 (Luke) of my New Testament series of commentaries, pp. 316,317.) As Rawlinson pointed out, this old problem about the prosperity of the wicked, coupled with the persecutions and sufferings of the righteous, "Is solved in this psalm more distinctly than

Psalms 77 overview — the psalmist is almost overcome with doubt. "Here we have the psalmist's experience of personal perplexity and darkness, caused by the contemplation of Israel's national distress. It may be dated approximately in the time of the exile: (1) Psalms 77:1-3 describe the psalmist's trouble, in which prayer has brought no comfort. (2) Psalms 77:4-9 tell how his remembrance of a brighter past suggests that perhaps God has now cast off his people forever. (3) In Psalms 77:10-20, he turns for comfort to the

Leviticus 26:27-33 — shall be a waste." This is the fifth degree of intensity of the judgments promised for persistent rebellion and disobedience, and in it were included the ultimates of: (1)    military defeat, (2)    cannibalism, (3)    loss of their land, (4)    their scattering among the nations, (5)    the killing of many, (6)    the desolation of their cities, (7)    the utter

Isaiah 40:3-5 — will precede the captives on the way back home from Babylon, and that these words are a call to prepare the Lord's way through the desert. However, as Archer noted: "From Matthew's application of this verse to the ministry of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:3), it is apparent that these geographical features symbolize the arid lifelessness of the unconverted soul. The hills represent the carnal pride of the sinner, the valleys his moods of carnal hopelessness and self-pity."Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary,

Isaiah 57 overview — national character of the Jews in his own day, and down to the time of the captivity."E. Henderson, p. 419. The chapter may be divided thus: (1) the public indifference to the death of the righteous (Isaiah 57:1-2); (2) their mockery of God (Isaiah 57:3-4); (3) the practice of the grossest idolatry (Isaiah 57:5-8); (4) the extent of their seeking self-gratification (Isaiah 57:9-10); (5) Jehovah's warning to them (Isaiah 57:11-12); (6) deliverance promised to the penitent (Isaiah 57:13-18); (7) announcement

Isaiah 63:7-9 — lovingkindnesses, his bearing their sorrows and afflictions, and his constant concern for their well-being. Look at what God supposed would be the result of all this loving care. He said, "Surely, the children of these people will not lie or deal falsely!" (Isaiah 63:8). "There was a condition, however, that if God was to abide among them, Israel would be required to hearken unto God's voice (Deuteronomy 6:3; Jeremiah 7:23; Ezekiel 11:20)); but God was disappointed in them."HI], p. 503. The near-universal extent

Jeremiah 29:21-23 — noted, "This letter includes messages to no less than four different groups: (1)    those already in captivity in Babylon (Jeremiah 29:10-14); (2)    those who would become captives later (Jeremiah 29:15-19); (3)    Ahab, Zedekiah and their fellow false prophets (Jeremiah 29:21-23); and (4)    to Shemaiah (Jeremiah 29:24-32)."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 643. This extensive letter, addressed to different groups,

Jeremiah 4:1-2 — could be neither a return of Israel to their homeland nor the conversion of the nations without a genuine abandonment of their apostasy, which never happened. These verses appear to be God's answer to Israel's response to the invitation of Jeremiah 3:22. "When God called Israel to repent, they immediately answered, Lord, we return; now God takes notice of it in this reply."Matthew Henry's Commentary, p. 324. "If you have it in mind to return to me, return; but come all the way back to me"!Broadman

Hosea 11:8 — Zeboiim? my heart is turned within me, my compassions are kindled together." "Admah… Zeboiim" "The cities of the plain included these, as well as Sodom and Gomorrah; all were overthrown for their wickedness."J. J. Given, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 13, Hosea (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 335. See Deuteronomy 29:23. "How shall I give thee up" In this passage, God is represented as having human emotions about the overthrow of his once "chosen people"; but the reason behind

Deuteronomy 32:48-52 — GOD SUMMONS MOSES TO HIS DEATH (Deuteronomy 32:48-52) "And Jehovah spake unto Moses that self-same day, saying, Get thee up into this mountain of Abarim, into mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of

1 Timothy 2:9-10 — is no virtue in offensive untidiness. What he meant was the kind of apparel that becomes a woman whose first concern is to be a credit to Christ. Paul F. Barakman, The Epistles to Timothy and Titus (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1962), p. 36. "Neither is Paul insisting on drab dress. Even this may be worn with vanity; the very drabness may be made a display."R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 560. Perhaps the best comment on this passage is the writing of the apostle Peter who gave

Hebrews 11:1 — definition of faith has resulted in the rendition before us, which is certainly no improvement on the KJV, and would even seem to be capricious, since the word translated "assurance" is the same word translated "substance" in Hebrews 1:3, and "confidence" in Hebrews 3:14. Milligan is undoubtedly correct in the observation that this is not a formal definition of faith at all, but "rather a plain statement with regard to its nature and province." <footnote R. Milligan,

1 Peter 3:6 — content of what they say to themselves, not in what they might say to others (Genesis 18:12). Whose children ye are … Paul extensively developed the thought of Christians being the children of Abraham, a principle given by Christ himself (John 8:39 ff); and this is a further extension of the same truth. Being sons of Abraham, as all Christians are (Galatians 3:29), they are also children of Sarah, Abraham's wife. If ye do well … This qualifier stands over against all Christian privilege.

1 John 3:24 — and love."John R. W. Stott, op. cit., p. 151. In this connection, it is also appropriate to point out that no one was ever truly "in Christ" who was not baptized "into him," as the New Testament repeatedly affirms (Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:26-27; 1 Corinthians 12:13). And hereby we know that he abideth in us … this is only another way of saying, "hereby we know we are truly Christians." By the Spirit he gave us … In Christians, this refers to "the

1 Samuel 18:26-29 — what is stated here, declaring that, "The killing of two hundred Philistines is an unnecessary and unoriginal exaggeration. David paid the "full number" to Saul. viz., one hundred; and this is borne out by a later reference to the event in 2 Samuel 3:14." This writer must confess that one of the most incredible discoveries of a whole lifetime of Bible study is the unjustifiable and even dishonest allegations of critical scholars against the Word of God. The two passages cited here harmonize perfectly.

1 Samuel 26:13-16 — closely; here David took no such chance but called to Abner from the top of an adjoining mountain. "Who are you that calls to the king?" David was not calling Saul, but Abner; but Abner apparently meant, "Who disturbed the king's repose"?Ibid., p. 423. It is very remarkable that, just a little while previously David's conversation with Abishai had not awakened anyone; and now, the voice of a man far away on the top of a distant mountain is easily heard by Abner. This is proof enough that the sleep

2 Samuel 9:6-8 — heart and moved at once to reassure him. "I will restore to you all the land of your father Saul" Of course, Saul was Mephibosheth's grandfather, not his father. "Here, as in other O.T. texts, the term `father' means `grandfather.'"John T. Willis, p. 347. The Biblical usage of the terminology signifying family relationships is quite elastic. In the genealogy of Jesus (Luke 3), for example, the word 'son' is used for literal son, Levirate son, adopted son, grandson, descendant of, son-in-law, or son