Bible Commentaries

Genesis 36:1-8 — problem completely with the declaration that, "These records represent authentic ancient materials and come from a time before the Edomites were regarded with hostility."Clyde T. Francisco, The Teachers' Bible Commentary, (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1972), p. 43. "Eliphaz" This is a name afterward borne by one of Job's friends (Job 2:11; Job 4:1; and Job 15:1). "Reuel" This was a name afterward borne by Moses' father-in-law (Exodus 2:18). "Born to him in the land of Canaan" This indicates that Esau

Genesis 47:7-10 — attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of Pharaoh." "And Jacob blessed Pharaoh" The word for "blessed," occurring here and in Genesis 47:10, "could be translated `saluted,' but the normal and strongly preferred meaning is blessed."Kyle M. Yates, Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Old Testament, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1962), p. 44. Leupold gave the actual meaning of the word in this passage as,

Exodus 12:4-6 — the zenith of its strength, just as Christ was crucified at about age 33, the very pinnacle of earthly strength and maturity. There were also other qualities of a lamb which provided a suitable prefiguration of Christ. One, revealed later in Isaiah 53:7 (See Acts 8:32 f), was the wonder of a lamb's patient and noiseless submission to death. It appears to have been the genius of the Jewish nation that instinctively preferred the lamb to the kid goat for these sacrifices, despite the acceptability of

Exodus 21 overview — the head of his chapter, [~mishpatiym], does not convey the sense of "ordinances, judgments regulations, and the like."Harry M. Orlinsky, Notes on the New Translation of the Torah (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1969), p. 177. "What is seen here is not the laws or rules of action, but the rights by which the national life was formed."C. F. Keil, Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 1, Exodus II (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company,), p. 129. Thus, we have

Exodus 30:1-10 — unto Jehovah." "The horns" mentioned in Exodus 30:2 were said by Clements to be "superfluous on an altar for burning incense, but have been introduced in imitation of the much larger altar,"Ronald E. Clements, Exodus (Cambridge: University Press, 1972), p. 192. but his comment is contradicted by the fact that on the Day of Atonement the blood of the sin-offering was indeed placed upon this altar; and such applications were always made upon "the horns" of the altar. "Before the veil… before

1 Kings 17 overview — ELIJAH AND THE GREAT DROUGHT IN AHAB'S REIGN; CONCERNING ELIJAH As we may judge from the appearance of Elijah along with Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration with our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 17:4), the great prophet Elijah was the most important character between Moses and the Messiah himself. This chapter and the following two chapters make up what is called the "Elijah Cycle"; but, "that expression has no critical importance."The New Bible

Psalms 144 overview — 144:5-8). There is no doubt whatever of the Davidic authorship as stated in the superscription. We have lost all patience with unreasonable denials of this and with arbitrary dating of the psalm in "post-exilic times."The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. IV, p. 735. The exuberant happiness and prosperity of this psalm absolutely forbid its assignment to times after the captivity. Never one time in those long post-exilic centuries did Israel enjoy the prosperity visible here. We deplore the near-unanimous clamor

Psalms 150 overview — Psalter, as it appears in our version. Other versions of the Bible, notably the Syriac and the Arabic have as many as fourteen other psalms which are added to the 150 psalms here.Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (London: T. Mason and G. Lane, 1837), Vol. III, p. 692. Addis noted that, "Each of the five books has a doxology. This is the doxology that closes Book V and the whole Psalter as well."W. E. Addis, p. 396. Miller agreed that, "It could easily serve as a doxology not only to the last section

Psalms 26 overview — pertained to any mortal being, much less the Jewish King David.' On this account, some respected-writers have rejected the Davidic authorship, claiming that, "The author is unknown,"Anthony L. Ash, Jeremiah and Lamentations (Abilene, Texas: A.C.U. Press, 1987), p. 103. that "The psalmist was a Levite,"Mitchell Dahood in The Anchor Bible, p. 162. "A Davidic king after David,"The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 467. "Some innocent person,"The New Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 611. or some other worshipper. Certain

Leviticus 1:14-17 — messenger; (6)    naturalists tell us that the dove has no gall, anciently understood as a source of bitterness and contention.C. Gordon Brownville, Symbols of the Holy Spirit (Westwood, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1945), p. 19. (7)    In time, the Holy Spirit himself would descend upon the Lord of glory in a dove-like form! In this connection, it should also be remembered that when Joseph and Mary observed the ceremonies of purification in the Jewish Temple

Leviticus 3:12-17 — a goat might have been, and should have been, invited to partake of the peace-offerings presented by his well-to-do friends and neighbors."Oswald T. Allis, New Bible Commentary, Revised, Leviticus (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970), p. 145. The peace offering as typical of Christ appears in this: the flesh of the very victim, the blood of which had been sprinkled upon the altar, then became the very food that sustained the life of the worshipper. Similarly, the flesh and blood

Leviticus 6:8-13 — upon the altar continually; it shall not go out." "The main concern of this paragraph is that the fire on the altar of burnt-offerings should never go out."Gordon J. Wenham, The Book of Leviticus (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979), p. 119. This instruction is repeated three times (Leviticus 6:9; Leviticus 6:12-13). "Marvels were related concerning this. It came forth from God's presence (Leviticus 9:24), and it burned continuously for 116 years; and yet the thin copper sheathing

Leviticus 9:22-24 — Eerdmans Publishing Company), p. 349. Goldberg compared the supernatural events here with those that attended special occasions in the life of Christ.Louis Goldberg, Bible Study Commentary on Leviticus (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1980), p. 57. There was the voice from heaven at his baptism (Matthew 3). And, there were the six Calvary miracles that attended the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ (Matthew 27). It was necessary that all Israel should understand and appreciate the awesome

Jeremiah 6 overview — of Jerusalem and the deportation of the people was to be Babylon; but some of the same clues are mentioned again. It will be a military destruction from the north with tents, military equipment, trumpets, etc. (Jeremiah 6:1; Jeremiah 6:4; Jeremiah 6:17, and Jeremiah 6:22); the result shall be accomplished by a siege, as indicated by the tents and the mound against the city, earmarks of an all-out war (Jeremiah 6:4); the great nation from the north will have skilled bowmen, cruel, merciless horsemen

Deuteronomy 18:1-5 — priests taught the Law (Deuteronomy 31:9-13), but the Levites had actual custody of the book which was kept near the ark of the covenant."R. K. Harrison, The New Bible Commentary, Revised, Deuteronomy (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970), p. 221. "The first of the fleece" (Deuteronomy 18:4). is supplementary to earlier legislation and amounts to an increase in the revenue of the Levites, an increase that was very appropriate in that under the new rules applicable to the occupation

Deuteronomy 24:6-15 — Publishing House), p. 136. This important device was necessary in the daily preparation of meals in the home, and therefore, lenders were not allowed to touch it as a pledge. Exodus 22:25-26 relates to the subject here. The crime in view in Deuteronomy 24:7 is kidnapping, and there is hardly a civilized nation on earth, even today, that does not affix the death penalty for such crimes. Deuteronomy 24:8 and Deuteronomy 24:9 are understood in two different ways. Alexander, and others think the passage is

Deuteronomy 27:15-26 — twelve of these regulations, one for each of the twelve tribes, and strongly suggesting the symbolical nature of the laws here cited. These should not be understood as exclusive, but as symbolical of all of God's laws, as surely indicated by Deuteronomy 27:26. Remember, this was a ceremony, but regardless of specific segments of it, all of God's law is in view throughout. Searching for some kind of a pattern in the list, we find that most of the things mentioned here would have been secret violations

Galatians 3 overview — writings, as in this example: Rest with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8). Furthermore, the necessity of obedience (to the fullest extent of human ability) in order to be saved, does not make man his own Savior; because the Christian, no more effectual than the Jew, is simply not able to give perfect compliance to God's

Joshua 7:2-5 — book of his: "The Bible is what it claims to be, the written Word of God without error in all that it teaches concerning history and the cosmos."Francis Schaeffer, Joshua and the Flow of Biblical History (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1975), Dedication. Nevertheless, out of regard for those who are much concerned about such things, we include here an analysis of the problem and proposed solutions as summarized by Blair.Hugh J. Blair, The New Bible Commentary, Revised, Joshua (Grand Rapids:

Judges 6:28-32 — confidence whatever in Baal as any kind of a deity. When the irate citizens inquired as to who had done it, they quickly learned that it was Gideon. As Cundall said, "A secret known to ten men is no secret."The Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, Vol. 7, p. 107. When the citizens demanded that Gideon be put to death, Joash's answer was the ultimate in common sense: "What nonsense is this? he says. You are contending for a so-called god. If he cannot help himself, how on earth could he be of any help