Bible Commentaries

Genesis 19:35-38 — according to Deuteronomy 2:9; Deuteronomy 2:19, Israel was ordered not to touch the territory of either of these tribes because of the descent from Lot."C. F. Keil, op. cit., p. 238. The names Moab and Ammon are apparently symbolic: "Moab (Genesis 19:37) closely resembles the Hebrew [~me'ab], meaning "from a father"; and Ben-ammi signifies "son of my kinsman."David Payne, The New Layman's Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1979), p. 149. Thus, the degrading circumstances of

Exodus 15:3 — Americans. The sabbath upon which the Jews read it was called the Sabbath of the Song. and a very great deal of the subsequent Scriptures either used it as a theme or made definite and frequent references to the Red Sea triumph. Nehemiah 9:9 ff; Psalms 77:16 ff; Psalms 78:11 ff; Psalms 105; Psalms 106:7 ff; and Habakkuk 3:8 ff are examples. "Jehovah is a man of war" This is profoundly true, and yet there is a partial and limited understanding of it which is profoundly wrong. Israel failed to understand

Exodus 17:8-10 — Amalekites deliberately lifted up their hand against the "throne of God," and sought to thwart His purpose regarding Israel. As to why the Amalekites attacked Israel, the fundamental reason lay in the fact that Amalek did not fear God (Deuteronomy 25:17-18). There was also that old long-standing feud between Jacob and Esau. Then, in addition, it is possible that the Amalekites feared Israel's moving in on pasture lands which they coveted for themselves. "And Moses said unto Joshua" See the chapter

Exodus 18 overview — of the Lord," i.e., Horeb-Sinai, the royal reception accorded him by Moses, and the ensuing advice from Jethro with reference to the judges. Jethro's arrival with Moses' wife and their two sons (Exodus 18:1-6); his conversation with Moses (Exodus 18:7-11); his worship of the true God (Exodus 18:12); his observance of Moses' work (Exodus 18:13-16); his advice to Moses (Exodus 18:17-23); Moses' acceptance of that advice (Exodus 18:18-26 and Deuteronomy 1:9-18); and Jethro's departure (Exodus 18:27)

Exodus 27:20-21 — golden candlestick appears in the definite article "the light," the same being the only light mentioned thus far in the narrative, and the further fact of its location within the sanctuary before the veil that screened off the Holy of Holies (Exodus 27:21). The requirement for "beaten oil" distinguished it from olive oil made by crushing olives in a stone press. The finer oil was made by gently pressing the olives in a mortar.Robert P. Gordon, The New Layman's Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan

Exodus 7:19-25 — five, seven and eight were announced to Pharaoh beforehand. The first three fell upon both Israel and Egypt; the last six fell upon Egyptians only. The plagues were progressively more and more severe, the last three almost destroying the land (Exodus 10:7). Plague X is in a class by itself, not only because it was the culmination of judgment and the basis of Israel's redemption, but also because it was a direct visitation of God, and not a judgment through secondary causes.Philip C. Johnson Wycliffe

Exodus 8:2-7 — referred to natural causes. Also, this judgment followed immediately upon its being threatened and the stretching out of the rod of God. "Let my people go …!" This is the second occurrence in a sequence of these dramatic demands. See under Exodus 7:16. "Frogs" Why frogs? As many of the older commentators discerned, "How easy is it, both to the justice and mercy of God, to destroy or to save by the most despicable and insignificant of instruments."Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Whole Bible, Vol.

Psalms 107 overview — BOOK V (Psalms 107-150) This book has forty-four psalms, a number of which appear to be of late date. Dummelow noted that, "The contents, here and there, give appropriate hints as to the date in some instances."J. R. Dummelow's Commentary, 369. For example, Psalms 107:10-16

Psalms 34 overview — fact of the psalm's being an acrostic is considered sufficient grounds by destructive critics for assigning a date to this psalm long after the times of David and declaring that, "The date of it is post-exilic."The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. III, p. 177. Such a statement is an unsupported error, an illegitimate child of the critic's imaginary dictum that the acrostic form of writing psalms was unknown to David, and developed long afterward. This is not true. As Delitzsch said, "The fact of the Psalm's

Psalms 46 overview — to the occasion when this psalm was probably composed. The radical critic Addis, the conservative Leupold, and the current Dummelow all agree that the occasion was shortly after the destruction of Sennacherib's army before the walls of Jerusalem in 701 B.C. Here is what these scholars wrote: "Psalms 46-48 form a group of three which we may assign with little doubt to the reign of Hezekiah, when Sennacherib's army was suddenly destroyed (2 Kings 19:35). They all three strike the same note of gratitude,

Psalms 73 overview — BOOK III Psalms 73-89 INTRODUCTION FOR BOOK III Psalms 73-89 are entitled Book III. These Psalms are classified as "The Asaph Group," composed of Psalms 73-83, the only other Asaph Psalm being Psalms 50 in Book II. "All of this group are Elohimic."F. Delitzsch, Vol.

Psalms 82 overview — A DENUNCIATION OF ISRAEL'S EVIL JUDGES This psalm is misunderstood by some to be, "A denunciation of the angels whom God had put in charge of the earth,"The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 8-B, p. 177. a position that was advocated by Professor Cheyne, who cited Daniel 10:13-21 and Daniel 12:1 as supporting the notion that angels have charge of earthly affairs. However, in the first reference, Michael the archangel is called, not a ruler, but "a

Leviticus 13 overview — eruptions resembling leprosy, but sometimes disappearing spontaneously; and (4) a number of diseases known and treated today under such names as herpes, ringworm, eczema, and psoriasis.G. A. F. Knight, Leviticus (Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press, 1981), p. 72. The Holy Scriptures were never provided in order to give men scientific information, and the thing that is in view here is the divine instruction to protect the spread of disease, especially that of leprosy. It is not the cure of this malady which

Leviticus 24:5-9 — as follows: The frankincense was burned at the end of each week (instead of the loaves) in order that Aaron's sons might feast on the loaves, as we do memorially of Christ's death and second coming in the Lord's Supper.Merrill F. Unger, op. cit., p. 175. This showbread was referred to in the O.T., not only as the "shewbread," but also as "bread of the Presence," from being laid up before Jehovah (Leviticus 24:8), "bread of the pile" (or "bread of the arrangement") because of the placement of it in

Isaiah 6 overview — times, and the obduracy of the Jews of that age, and to their punishment by the Babylonian captivity; it extends in its full latitude to the age of Messiah, and the blindness of the Jews to the gospel; (See Matthew 13:14-15; John 12:40; Acts 28:26-27; and Romans 11:7-8) to the desolation of their country by the Romans, and to their being rejected by God."Ibid., p. 182. Thus the extremely significant implications of the prophecy in this chapter constitute the only reason needed to explain why a special

Jeremiah 46 overview — century) stated it, "Nineteenth and early twentieth century critical scholars were prepared to reject much of these final chapters of Jeremiah; but such a position is no longer possible." Charles Lee Feinberg in Ezekiel (Chicago: Moody Press), p. 687. Indeed it is not. This writer has encountered no argument whatever against the integrity and authenticity of this final section of Jeremiah that is worthy of any special attention whatever. What went wrong with radical criticism? We do not question

Daniel 4 overview — of Nebuchadnezzar is a curious mixture of polytheistic and monotheistic expressions; but it gives every impression of being true and accurate in every particular. Outline: the doxology (Daniel 4:1-3), Chaldeans cannot interpret the dream (Daniel 4:4-7); the dream was told to Daniel (Daniel 4:8-18), Daniel's interpretation of the dream (Daniel 4:19-26); Daniel's faithful counsel to Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:27); the events foretold indeed occur (Daniel 4:28-33); Nebuchadnezzar restored after his illness

Numbers 13 overview — of Israel. In this chapter, there is: (1)    the cause of sending out spies (Numbers 13:1-2) (2)    the choice of the spies (Numbers 13:2-16) (3)    the commission of the spies (Numbers 13:17-20) (4)    the conduct of the spies (Numbers 13:21-24) (5)    the confirmation of what God had said about Canaan by the spies (Numbers 13:25-27) (6)    the contradiction of God's Word by the

1 Peter 5:2 — does not belong to the elders, but to God. The word here is exactly the same "that Jesus used when he admonished Peter to tend his sheep (John 21:16)." Raymond C. Kelcy, The Letters of Peter and Jude (Austin, Texas: R. B. Sweet Company, 1972), p. 98. Exercising the oversight … See under preceding verse. As Dummelow, and many others, stressed, "Elders were not then distinguished from bishops as they soon afterward were." J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New

Revelation 7:14 — … The undeniable reference in this is to the conversion of the saints at the time of their residence upon the earth. Thompson stated that, "The understanding of this passage derives from such Scriptures as Acts 22:16; Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:27; and Titus 3:5, W. S. Thompson, Comments on Revelation (Memphis, Tennessee: Southern Church Publications, 1957), p. 85. all of which refer to primary obedience to the gospel, the unique manner by which anyone since Pentecost was ever able, in any sense,