Bible Commentaries

Exodus 29:5-6 — tunic. (2)    The girding with the under-girdle. (3)    Putting on the robe of the ephod. (4)    Putting on the ephod. (5)    Girding with the curious girdle of the ephod. (6)    Putting on the breastplate. (7)    Putting the Urim and Thummin into the breastplate. (8)    Putting on the mitre. (9)    Putting the gold plate "Holy to Jehovah" on

1 Kings 12:18-20 — returned, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only." "Adoram" "This was probably the same officer as the Adoniram of 1 Kings 4:6"The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 5a, p. 253. Some believe that he might have been either a son or grandson of David's Adoniram. "Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram" (the slave-driver) Rehoboam was still following the advice of his crazy young advisors, or he

1 Kings 18:3-6 — peradventure we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts. So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself." These verses (1 Kings 18:3-6) are a double parenthesis, first to explain how Elijah happened to meet Obadiah alone; and then verses (1 Kings 18:3 b-4) are a parenthesis within the larger one to explain the loyalty of Obadiah to Jehovah. Although a dozen people in the O.T. are called

Ezra 5:1-2 — the temple was renewed only three weeks after Haggai began preaching, which was Sept. 20, 520 B.C."Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 428. "Zerubbabel is highly honored in Haggai and in Zechariah 4; Jeshua is honored in Zechariah 3 and Zechariah 6."Ibid. "And began to build the house of God" This supports our view that the first laying of the foundation was a very elementary thing. Haggai complained that the house of God "lay in waste" (Haggai 1:4); and that is the same terminology that was used

Ezra 8:21-23 — and as the way was always a dangerous one, he felt a special need of God's protection. Fasting, as a means of seeking God's favor, was a common practice in Israel; and even in the New Testament, Jesus prophesied that his followers would fast (Matthew 6:15; Matthew 8:14). There was a long tradition in Israel that the civil rulers had the authority to proclaim a fast; and one was even called by Jezebel (1 Kings 21:12). "And he was entreated of us" Ezra wrote this after his safe arrival in Jerusalem;

Nehemiah 11:22-24 — of the priesthood, a corruption that merited and received a curse from Almighty God Himself (Malachi 2:2) because of their detestable immorality. The king must have been aware that, if any prayers were to be offered for, "the king and his sons" (Ezra 6:10), the Levites, not the priests, would be the ones who did it.

Psalms 22:6-8 — and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying Commit thyself unto Jehovah; let him deliver him: Let him rescue him, seeing he delighteth in him." "But I am a worm" (Psalms 22:6). Jesus is not speaking here of his own estimate of his own true importance and worth, but of the estimate that his enemies have made concerning him, as proved by the second half of the verse. "He is despised (as men despise a worm) and is not recognized

Psalms 6:1-3 — David's actual sin in this instance might have been. David's terrible illness was threatening his very life, and he had earnestly prayed for God's healing hand to be laid upon him; but that healing had not come. This is evident in the words of Psalms 6:3, "O Jehovah, how long?" "Have mercy upon me, O Jehovah." In Dr. George DeHoff's commentary on this verse, he has this priceless little paragraph: "David did not cry for justice; he cried for mercy. I once participated in a funeral with a splendid

Psalms 71:14-16 — mention at all of "his" righteousness, and that he would speak only of the marvelous righteousness of God. David had already learned the truth, mentioned in later generations by Isaiah, that, "All our righteousnesses are as a polluted garment" (Isaiah 64:6).

Psalms 72:9-12 — 385. All of the places mentioned here, at one time or another, have paid homage to the Lord Jesus Christ. "All kings shall fall down before him" Nothing like this ever happened either to Solomon or to Christ; but it will yet be fulfilled, as in Revelation 6:15-17. "He will deliver the needy… and the poor" Again, this note of special concern for the poor and needy is sounded in this psalm. We do not have much information about how Solomon's kingship conformed to this pattern; but certainly, that

Psalms 83:9-12 — the enemy by this intention were thinking of all the dwellings of the Jews in Israel. The language of this verse should not be understood as the words of Oreb, Zeeb, Zebah and Zalmunna, but as the arrogant boast of the enemies mentioned in Psalms 83:6-8.

Psalms 87:4-6 — course, were among the bitterest enemies of Israel and of Israel's God; and "The thought is that, Those who were once strangers and foreigners shall become fellow-citizens with the saints of God (Ephesians 2:19)."Matthew Henry's Commentary, Vol. III, p. 568. "This one was born there" This is not a reference to merely one, for it becomes, "This one and that one" in Psalms 87:5; and in Psalms 87:6, it is revealed that when God "writes up the peoples of the earth," i.e., when he calculates the number of

Psalms 93:1-2 — this passage. These are: (1) King by right of eternal existence; (2) by right of creation; (3) by right of personal excellence, "majesty and strength;" (4) by divine right; (5) by right of maintenance, "upholding all things by the word of his power"; (6) by right of purchase (This establishes God's right to rule over humanity in that he purchased, or redeemed us, through the blood of His Son); and (7) by right of his present position on the Eternal Throne (God is not a mere pretender; his rulership

Ecclesiastes 4:1-3 — oppressors; and indeed what a contrast there is here with the Christ who had compassion on the multitudes, fed them when they were hungry, healed all their diseases and thundered the message, "Blessed are ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of heaven" (Luke 6:20). "Behold a Greater than Solomon"! (Matthew 12:42); and incredibly pathetic is the blind folly of Israel who rejected Christ because he was not another Solomon!

Isaiah 3:16-17 — all is gone. Purity and worth find their last retreat under the domestic roof; if they be driven thence, they are doomed to die; and with that death any community, church or nation shall soon perish."W. Clarkson, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 10.1, p. 62. "Outstretched necks and wanton eyes" Many translators understand this to mean "shameless and immodest behavior" designed to attract men. Peake rendered "ogling eyes" for "wanton "Arthur S. Peake, A Commentary on the Bible, Isaiah (London: T. C. and

Isaiah 35:3-4 — admonition here for the strong to aid and strengthen the weak and fearful has an application to every age of God's people, whether in the Old Testament or the New Testament. New Testament admonitions on this subject are: 1 Corinthians 3:1; Galatians 6:1; Hebrews 5:12-14; and Romans 15:1. That these verses also had a direct application to the Jews of Isaiah's day is certain; for they apply to every age of God's people. The big thing that is promised in this passage is, "Your God will come…

Jeremiah 30:4-7 — Zephaniah. The great day mentioned here is not the day of the destruction of Jerusalem, nor the day of the destruction of Babylon. "It is the Day of the Lord, a significant eschatological theme."Charles Lee Feinberg in Ezekiel (Chicago: Moody Press), p. 560. Keil agreed with this, pointing out that the passage is an imitation of Joel 2:2. where that prophet, for the first time presents the idea of the great day of Judgment to come on all nations."C. F. Keil, Keil-Delitzsch's Old Testament Commentaries

Jeremiah 8:9-13 — Jeremiah 8:7 and Jeremiah 8:8. The scribes, self-styled "wise men," as they claimed to be, had rejected the Word of God, namely, the Law of Moses, by their false interpretations of it. "Jeremiah 8:10-12 are a repetition of what Jeremiah wrote in Jeremiah 6:12-15."Charles Lee Feinberg in Ezekiel (Chicago: Moody Press), p. 437. See my comment under those verses, above. "No grapes… nor figs" The failure of all crops and agricultural benefits were common metaphors in the Old Testament, used to express

Joshua 21:27-33 — suburbs, and Kartan with its suburbs; three cities. All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their suburbs." "Beeshterah" (Joshua 21:27). This is another of those "variations" from the list in 1 Chronicles 6, which reads "Ashteroth"; "But Beeshterah is only an abbreviated form of Beth-Ashtaroth, meaning the place of Ashtaroth, or the Temple of Ashtaroth."Merrill F. Unger, Unger's Bible Dictionary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1957), p. 131. Thus, we have another

1 Samuel 9:18-21 — insignificance of his father's house have the meaning that, "Saul evidently understood this as a promise of the kingship."The New Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 390. It will be recalled that Gideon also made similar remarks to the Angel of Jehovah (Judges 6:15).