Bible Commentaries

Exodus 15:21 — should be recalled here that Miriam saved Moses' life in the events surrounding his birth. Other women in the Bible called prophetesses are: Deborah, Judges 4:4; Huldah, 2 Kings 22:14; Nodiah, a false prophetess, Nehemiah 6:16; Isaiah's wife, Isaiah 8:3; and Jezebel who called herself a prophetess, Revelation 2:20. These verses actually conclude the mighty event of the Red Sea Passage and Israel's immediate and magnificent celebration of it, and many commentators find a major division in Exodus right

Exodus 3:19-20 — would happen at each step of the long and difficult confrontation with Pharaoh. God left no doubt whatever about the final outcome. "After that he will let you go." Indeed, he did! This verse is actually a partial explanation of God's promise in Exodus 3:12 that he would "be with" Moses. It appeared here that he would perform mighty wonders against the whole land of Egypt, but he did not elaborate concerning what type of wonders would be done. That remained obscure for the moment. "No, not by a mighty

2 Kings 1:3-4 — importance of this event is stressed by the appearance of this Mighty Angel to Elijah. Some identify him with the great Christophanies of the O.T., and Dentan was probably correct in his statement that, "The Angel of the Lord who appears in 2 Kings 1:3; 2 Kings 1:15 is actually the Lord himself."The Layman's Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, p. 71. "Genesis 22:15-16 speaks of the angel of the Lord and the Lord as being the same."Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 340. "Now therefore" "The word therefore

2 Chronicles 8:12-13 — the feast of tabernacles." There are some uncertainties here. There seems to be an implied disapproval of Solomon's actions in offering all these sacrifices, which certainly were offered upon an unauthorized altar; and the word even in 2 Chronicles 8:13 most certainly suggests that what Solomon did here was sinful in usurping ritualistic functions that pertained to the priests. Francisco, however, insists that, "Solomon was directing the activities and was not personally involved."Broadman Bible Commentary,

Nehemiah 11:3-6 — valiant men." The emphasis among the Jews continued to be upon genealogy. In this enumeration of the children of Judah, they were all traced back to Perez, one of the twin sons of Judah by his daughter-in-law Tamar. All of those mentioned in Nehemiah 11:3-9, according to Cundall, "Were the rulers of the people (the chiefs) already living in Jerusalem."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 409. Significantly, the descendants of Judah and of Benjamin are named separately.

Leviticus 7:19-21 — ostracism from the community, or capital punishment, or some other penalty, but Bamberger may have the correct explanation thus: "Several related passages make it clear that it is God who cuts the offender off from his kin (Leviticus 17:10; Leviticus 20:3-6). The term then refers to divine rather than human punishment, most probably premature death."Bernard J. Bamberger, Torah, a Modern Commentary (New York: Union of American Hebrew Congregations, 1979), p. 57.

Isaiah 11 overview — destroyed. True to Isaiah's promise of a revelation from God a little at a time, "line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little" (See Introduction), Isaiah here gives additional information about: (1) the Messiah; (2) kingdom of God; (3) the character of Christians; (4) the punishment of Israel; (5) the destruction of Assyria; (6) the call of the Gentiles; and (7) the triumph of Christianity.

Ezekiel 18 overview — were now trying to lay the blame for their woes on the sins of their fathers. The burden of this chapter is that God judges every man upon the basis of his individual and personal conduct. It ends with a passionate appeal for the wicked to repent (vv. 30-32)."Henry H. Halley's Bible Handbook (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House), p. 301 This is not the only chapter in which Ezekiel deals with this same subject. "He also did so in Ezekiel 3:16-21; Ezekiel 14:12-20; Ezekiel 33:1-20."Charles Lee

Numbers 3:14-20 — families of the Levites according to their fathers' houses." The effect of this very abbreviated genealogy is that of dividing the Levites into three divisions: (1)    the Gershonites (2)    the Kohathites, and (3)    the Merarites A marked difference in the method of numbering occurs here in that all males above the age of one month were included, whereas in the case of the military registration, only those above twenty years old were counted.

Malachi 2 overview — inter-testamental period. Such continued support would continue to be the portion of the returned Israel, no matter what they did; and yet the displeasure of God with their behavior (as a whole) would continue to be evident in the execution of the sentence of Hosea 3:4-5. "Without king, without prince, without sacrifice, without altar, without ephod and teraphim."

James 3:9 — Therewith bless we the Lord and Father; and therewith curse we men, who are made after the likeness of God: Bless we … curse we … Note the use of "we" as in James 3:2; here again the use of it does not indicate any guilt on the part of James in this particular. As Ward said, "The we of pastoral tact shows how far James could go in his desire to win rather than repel." Ronald A. Ward, op. cit., p. 1230. Bless

1 Peter 2:17 — things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's" (Matthew 22:11). Honor all men … This is a difficult commandment, but no more so than Paul's admonition for every man to "count others better than himself' (Philippians 2:3). See comment on this under that reference in my Commentary on Philippians. Every man is entitled to honor because of one trait or another. Love the brotherhood … Paul also commanded the same thing (Galatians 6:10). The Greek term for "brotherhood"

Judges 16:13-14 — (3) WEAVING THE LOCKS OF HIS HAIR IN THE LOOM "And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web. And she

2 Peter 2:6 — this and the preceding verses were (1) by water in the first instance, and (2) by fire in the second, a sequence which we have already observed was pointed out by Jesus himself (Luke 17:25 ff). Barnett noted that: The sequence also prepares for 2 Peter 3:6-7, where the destruction of the world that then existed by water serves to warn that the heavens and the earth that now exist have been stored up for fire. Albert E. Barnett, op. cit., p. 190.

1 John 1:6 — cit., p. 4. And do not the truth … This is changed in the RSV to "do not live according to the truth," but Morris assured us that the ASV is the correct rendition.Leon Morris, op. cit., p. 1261. This very statement is found in John 3:21 and in the Qumran scrolls. "Truth can be a quality of action as well as of speech."Ibid. The false claim in this verse is that of affirming that we walk with God even while we are walking in darkness. "Walk" in this passage,

1 John 2:11 — power. 1 John 2:9 has "is in darkness"; 1 John 2:10 has "abiding in light, and there is no occasion of stumbling"; and 1 John 2:11 has a triple predicate: (1) "is in darkness"; (2) "walketh in darkness"; and (3) "knoweth not whither he goeth."

1 John 2:25 — is not one of the side-effects or fringe benefits of the faith, but the essential heart of it. It cannot be required by people, nor earned; but it is given to all who are "in God and in Christ," and are "found in him" (Philippians 3:9) when the probation of life is over. John himself spelled this out in these epic words: And I heard a voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors;

3 John 1:3 — unto thy truth, even as thou walkest in truth. When brethren came … "The present tense indicates that not on one occasion, but on several, reportCharles C. Ryrie, Wycliffe Bible Commentary, New Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), p. 1036. came." Wilder also agreed that, "The Greek participles here indicate that numerous such reports had come in."Amos N. Wilder, The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. XII (New York: Abingdon Press, 1956), p. 309. Their witness unto thy truth

Revelation 12:2 — must have prayed for God to "take away" their lives (1 Kings 18:22; 1 Kings 19:4). This was a time of "waiting for the consolation of Israel" (Luke 2:25). This dramatic verse brings us near the time of the fulfillment of Genesis 3:15, for the child about to be born was the Seed of Woman, the Incarnate Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Revelation 9:18 — described: (1) It is a bulbous plant of the lily family having spike-like flowers, suggesting the weapons of ancient warfare. (2) It is the name of an ancient gem with a bluish-violet color, the color of smoke, which the word replaces in Revelation 9:17. (3) It is a plant frequently alluded to by the Greek poets, fabled to have born on its petals the words of grief. <footnote Britannica World Language Dictionary Edition of Funk and Wagnalls Standard Dictionary (New York: Funk and Wagnalls Company).