Bible Commentaries

Genesis 16:7 — as a creature, despite the usual meaning of the word "angel." This is one of those O.T. "intimations of personal distinctions with God Himself"Meredith G. Kline, The New Bible Commentary, Revised (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970), p. 96. and is definitely a hint of the "Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit," revealed in the N.T. Those who find here a Christophany, therefore, are not necessarily wrong. The words "refer to the Lord himself."John T. Willis, Genesis (Austin: Sweet

Genesis 45:1-3 — seclude the family of the deceased for those final intimate moments with the body of the beloved dead. "Doth my father yet live" Nit-picking critics question this interrogation on the basis that Joseph had already asked the question back in Genesis 43:7, but the circumstances are radically different here, Joseph's words having the meaning, "Is my father really alive?" Sure, Joseph had already heard that Jacob was alive twice before; but, "His filial heart impelled to make sure of it once more."C. F.

Genesis 6:9 — was a righteous man" This does not refer to the intrinsic righteousness of Noah but to his status in the eyes of God. In Hebrews we learn that "by faith" he obeyed God and became the heir to the righteousness which is according to faith (Hebrews 11:7). (See more on this under The Covenant, below.) "Perfect in his generations" The last clause is limitive, conveying the sense of relativity regarding Noah's perfection. That is, in comparison with the people among whom he lived, his life was perfect

2 Kings 15:27-31 — slew him, and reigned in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah. Now the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel." (See our comments in Isaiah 7:1-9 and in Isaiah 8:1-8 regarding the plot in which Pekah was ambitious to replace Ahaz king of Judah with a puppet who was favorable to Pekah's plans. The prophet Isaiah frustrated his efforts.) The shameful condition of affairs in Israel are highlighted

2 Kings 15:32-38 — of the reign of "King X" or "King Y" actually has little or no importance whatever. Evidently, the purpose of Pekah's campaign against Judah was to put a king in Jerusalem in place of Ahaz who would join Pekah in his alliance with Syria. See Isaiah 7:1-8. Of course, Syria aided Pekah in that vain endeavor. In this chapter the stage was set for the final destruction of Samaria and the deportation of Northern Israel to Assyria; but also, there would be grave danger to Jerusalem and Judah. Only the

Job 13:1-12 — this which Job here heaped upon his friends. He called them physicians of no value (Job 13:4), stated that their silence had more wisdom in it than their words (Job 13:5), indicated that they were speaking unrighteously and deceitfully for God (Job 13:7), noted that God would certainly reprove them (Job 13:10), flatly declared that their proverbs were proverbs of ashes, and that their defenses were defenses of clay (Job 13:12). "Will ye show partiality… contend for God" Job here spoke of their

Leviticus 14 overview — and magical attempts to cure disease. In Israel, a man had to seek help directly from God in prayer, and not rely on the dubious remedies of folk medicine."Gordon J. Wenham, The Book of Leviticus (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979), p. 207. Since it is obvious that this chapter has nothing to do with the healing of disease, what is the significance of it? Allis discerned this as follows: "The fact that leprosy is dealt with so elaborately indicates that this particularly loathsome

Leviticus 26:27-33 — 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 abhorrence of God Himself, and (8)    even the destruction of their sanctuaries (the temple being destroyed twice). "I will destroy your high places" These were the cultic shrines, relics of the

Leviticus 27:30-33 — Pharisees" we cannot please God. The nearest thing in the N.T. to specific commandment that Christians should pay tithes is found in Hebrews: "Here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth" (Hebrews 7:8, KJV). This certainly falls short of a commandment, but declares the acceptability of tithes by Christ in heaven itself. The spirit of Christianity has, in general, accepted the responsibility. It is odd that one could redeem the tithe of his crops

Leviticus 8 overview — execution of the instructions for consecration of the priesthood "did not follow as the natural sequel to the dedication of the Tabernacle."Oswald T. Allis, New Bible Commentary, Revised, Leviticus (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970), p. 148. The logical reason for the Biblical sequence of these various instructions was pointed out by Allis, thus: "Since the chief function of the priests is to offer sacrifice and also because the offering of sacrifice on their behalf formed an

Numbers 23:7-10 — him: Lo, it is a people that dwelleth alone, And shall not be reckoned among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, And let my last end be like his!" "Aram" (Numbers 23:7 b). "This is the ancient name of Mesopotamia."J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 114. "It includes the northern part of Mesopotamia and Syria as far south as the borders of Palestine and the larger

Deuteronomy 12:8-14 — there shalt thou do all that I command thee." Deuteronomy 12:8-12 here are the second pronouncement of what some have called "The law of the one altar." There are three such pronouncements in this chapter: (1)    Deuteronomy 12:2-7 (2)    Deuteronomy 12:8-12 (3)    Deuteronomy 12:13-19 The law of the one altar, however, actually should be read as "one altar at a time," and not that any place, wheresoever, should be honored as "the ONLY altar."

Deuteronomy 27:9-10 — the other tangible attributes of nationhood."Samson Raphael Hirsch, Wellsprings of Torah (New York: The Judaic Press, 1969), p. 413. "The silence commanded in this passage marked the climax of the ceremonies just concluded. Nehemiah 8:11; Zephaniah 1:7; Zechariah 2:13 record examples of the use of silence in such a manner. See also Habakkuk 2:20."Peter E. Cousins, op. cit., p. 304. This silence was also symbolical of a very important fact: "In the covenant relationship, the parties were by no means

Deuteronomy 32:7-11 — THE LOW ESTATE OF ISRAEL AT FIRST (Deuteronomy 32:7-11) "Remember the days of old, Consider the years of many generations: Ask thy father, and he will show thee; Thine elders, and they will tell thee. When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, When he separated the children of men, He

Deuteronomy 4 overview — the structure of Deuteronomy has apparently been solved, and in a way that simultaneously vindicates its unity, and illuminates its purpose."Peter E. Cousins, The New Layman's Bible Commentary, Deuteronomy (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1979), p. 283. Furthermore, we do not hesitate to add that this understanding has also corroborated the Mosaic authorship of Deuteronomy. The key fact is that Deuteronomy follows very closely the covenant (treaty) pattern in vogue during the mid-second

Acts 10 overview — a residual repository of the ancient virtues of honesty, sobriety, integrity and the fear of God. Only this could account for the number and character of the centurions mentioned in the New Testament. For a list of these and other comment, see Luke 7:2 in my Commentary on Luke. The absolutely unique aspect of the event related in this chapter should not be overlooked, there never having been the slightest hint anywhere in the New Testament that what happened at the house of Cornelius was to be considered

Judges 11:1-3 — Gilead is here, of course, the name of an individual. As Keil noted, "We are forced to this conclusion by the fact that the wife of Gilead and his other sons are mentioned in Judges 11:2."C. F. Keil in the Keil-Delitzsch Commentaries, Vol. 2-A, p. 378. "Jephthah" This name means, "God opens the womb,"The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 267. which might have been founded upon the fact of his unexpected birth to a harlot. "Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house" Jephthah was, "a half-Canaanite

Revelation 21:9 — the rest of the prophecy. However, Wilcock demonstrated that the balance of this prophecy is a close-up elaboration of exactly what is included in Revelation 1-8 : Michael Wilcock, I Saw Heaven Opened (Downers Grove, Illinois: Inter-Varsity Press, 1975), p. 199. Revelation 21:2 = Revelation 21:10-12, the revelation of God's city. Revelation 21:3 = Revelation 21:22-27, the revelation of God's dwelling. Revelation 21:4-5 a = Revelation 21:1-5, the revelation of God's world renewed. Revelation 21:5

1 Samuel 10:17-19 — it. "To the Lord at Mizpah" These words indicate that some special presence of God was then manifested at Mizpah. "Possibly the High Priest had been summonsed by Samuel to appear there with the Urim and Thummim."The Pulpit Commentary, op. cit., p. 187. The purpose of this gathering was to confirm in the presence of all Israel the man whom God had selected to be their king. This event simply runs the critical community wild. "Thenius and DeWette declare this account to be `incompatible' with the previous

2 Samuel 10:6-8 — those 33,000 Syrian mercenaries "in the open country." Keil tells us that the cost to the Ammonites of hiring those 33,000 Syrians amounted to "Half a million pounds sterling,"C. F. Keil, Keil and Delitzsch's Old Testament Commentaries, op. cit., p. 375. a sum of many millions of dollars in modern terms. "Maacah… Tob" "Maacah was located southwest of Mount Hermon, and Tob was a place east of the Jordan River some ten miles or more eastward from Ramoth-gilead."John T. Willis, p. 344. "When David