Bible Commentaries

Genesis 34:8-12 — the consequences of their sins. This chapter stresses that truth: "Shechem was killed, along with his father; Dinah was left broken-hearted and defiled; Jacob was forced to leave a profitable business; and his guilty sons bore his curse (Genesis 49:5-6). Yet God's redemptive plan moved on."Ibid.

Genesis 7:1 — phenomenon, concluding from his extensive studies in this field that the critical fad of finding multiple sources for Genesis, "is not based upon careful examination,"Oswald T. Allis, The Five Books of Moses (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1943), pp. 89-95. of the variations, but upon random choices of only those variations that can be pressed into service to maintain their theories. There is hardly anything that makes less sense than the documentary postulations regarding the alleged sources of Genesis.

Exodus 21:7-11 — slavery upon exactly the same basis that He allowed divorce (Matthew 19:3-9), allowed the monarchy (1 Samuel 8:7-9), allowed a representative priesthood instead of the priesthood of all Israel (Exodus 19:6), allowed the building of the Temple (2 Samuel 7:5-17), and allowed slavery here! "People were going to traffic in slavery anyway, so the laws were established to give some kind of protection to the enslaved."F. B. Huey, Jr., A Study Guide Commentary to Exodus (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House,

Leviticus 19:5-10 — possessions, but were commanded to leave some for the poor, the sojourner and the needy. There was no need then (nor is there now) for men to exhibit the type of stinginess that was forbidden here. "Ye shall offer it that it may be accepted" (Leviticus 19:5). Orlinsky stated that the true rendition of this place is: "Offer it so that it may be accepted."Harry M. Orlinsky, Notes on the New Translation of the Torah (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1969), p. 216. This makes the whole

Leviticus 25:1-7 — together in an inward unity the whole round of laws that Moses received from God upon the mountain, and announced gradually unto the people."C. F. Keil, Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 1 (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company), p. 455. The same words are repeated three other times in Leviticus (Leviticus 7:38; Leviticus 26:46; and Leviticus 27:34). "The seventh year shall be a sabbath of solemn rest" Despite there having been a certain benefit that accrued to the soil through its

Leviticus 9:1-7 — and make atonement for thyself, and for the people; and offer the oblation of the people, and make atonement for them; as Jehovah commanded." "And Moses called… the elders of the people" These are called "all the congregation" in Leviticus 9:5, indicating that "all the congregation of Israel" ordinarily meant merely the assembly of its princes, tribal leaders, and elders. All of the quibbling about its being impossible for the whole 2,000,000 people of Israel to assemble before the tent of

Numbers 10:11-16 — with added instructions had been given, the tribal leaders appointed, and even the silver trumpets made ready. The cloud lifted, the trumpets sounded. "They went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came" (Genesis 12:5). However, it was not to be with this generation of Israel, exactly as it had been with their distinguished ancestor. "According to their journeys" (Numbers 10:12). This means according to the plans and instructions already given them in Numbers 1 and

Numbers 11:31-35 — that the reference to two cubits described the height "at which the birds, exhausted from long flight, flew above the ground."F. C. Cook, op. cit., p. 208. "Ten homers" (Numbers 11:32). The exact size of this measure is not known. Whitelaw gave it as 5 1/2 bushels, Plaut as 10 bushels, and others as "a donkey's load." The meaning is clear that they had more than enough! "Ere it was chewed" (Numbers 11:33). As noted above, this paragraph is of uncertain meaning in places, and since this verse seems

Numbers 18:1-7 — but also would Aaron for not preventing it, "neither they nor ye" (Numbers 18:3). As Whitelaw said, however, this clause is very "difficult"Thomas Whitelaw, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 2, Numbers (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 228. to understand and probably has a more extended meaning than that of merely guarding the sacred area and vessels from pollution. Adam Clarke thought that it also included the responsibility for performing all the prescribed "atonements and

Deuteronomy 14:1-3 — Peake's Commentary on the Bible, Deuteronomy (London: T. C. and E. C. Jack, Ltd., 1924), p. 237. That such cuttings of the body with knives was a standard procedure in pagan worship is also noticeable in Elijah's contest on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:25 ff). Thus, such customs so closely allied to paganism were forbidden to Israel in the same Spirit that commands Christians "to avoid the very appearance of evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:22). Deuteronomy 14:3 introduces a list of clean and unclean creatures

Deuteronomy 17:2-7 — testimony of any man who was not ready to execute judgment with his own hand."John Calvin, as quoted by C. F. Keil, Commentary on the Old Testament, Deuteronomy (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company), p. 381. "Unto thy gates" (Deuteronomy 17:5). "`Gates' here means the open spaces near the gates where the judicial proceedings took place (Nehemiah 8:1; Nehemiah 8:3; Job 29:7)."Ibid., p. 380. Thus, criminals were executed "outside the camp" in the period of the wanderings, and outside the city

Deuteronomy 8:11-16 — in this paragraph is, "that luxury and ease could blunt the edge of Israel's awareness of God.Meredith G. Kline, op. cit., p. 166. "Wealth is likely to engender in the possessor a spirit of self-gratulations and pride."W. L. Alexander, op. cit., p. 153. Concerning wealth which is very much in view here, the Saviour himself called it wicked. "Make unto yourselves friends, using Mammon, wicked as it is, that when you fail, they may receive you into the eternal habitations" (Luke 16:9). Moffatt rendered

Joshua 14:2-5 — adopting Manasseh and Ephraim, two of the sons of Joseph, Jacob made them in every way equal to all of his other sons. That action by Jacob was also accompanied by the disinheritance of Reuben his firstborn, because of his incest with Bilhah (Genesis 35:22). That meant that the double portion which was the usual right of the firstborn went to Joseph instead of Reuben, and that the right of primogeniture descended upon Judah instead of Reuben. The "rulership" of Israel thus rested upon Judah (Genesis

Joshua 17:3-6 — the story of Zelophehad and his daughters) gave effect to it (a law announced by Moses) by the imaginary instance of Zelophehad and his daughters."Samuel Holmes, Peake's Commentary on the Bible, Joshua (London: T. C. and E. C. Jack, Ltd., 1924), p. 254. This kind of blatant infidelity masquerading as `scholarship' is still prevalent and has been widespread throughout the current century. The Samaritan ostraca, uncovered by archeologists, and dated about 770 B.C. "show tax payments in kind carry the

Joshua 22:1-6 — (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House), p. 404. "These many days" (Joshua 22:3). Plummer says that the Hebrew in this passage actually means "a great many days."Alfred Plummer, The Pulpit Commentary, Joshua (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 314. Surely, those Trans-Jordanic troops served long and diligently in the conquest; and it is a remarkable tribute to Joshua's leadership that there is never a hint of any murmuring or dissatisfaction on the part of those soldiers. In fact, Plummer

Judges 21:8-12 — lying with him; and brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan" "There came none… from Jabesh-Gilead" The reason for this failure is not far to seek. "Jabesh-Gilead was related by blood to Gibeah (1 Chronicles 7:12-15))."Beacon Bible Commentary, Vol. 2, p. 462. It was a very costly mistake which they made. "This is the first mention of Jabesh-Gilead in the Bible,"The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 3-C, p. 208. but it is mentioned twice, later. (1)    In

1 Samuel 15:24-31 — and Saul worshipped the Lord." "Saul said, I have sinned" "This was not true and sincere repentance; it was merely lip repentance arising from his fear of losing the kingdom."C. F. Keil, Keil and Delitzsch's Old Testament Commentaries, op. cit., p. 157. "Because I feared the people" Saul was still blaming the people. In his view, `His Majesty' had done nothing wrong, only the people had sinned. Saul's response to God's prophet's confronting him with his sin should be contrasted with that of David

1 Samuel 27:5-7 — sharing of the spoil from such endeavors with Achish, David's overlord. "Ziklag" was an ideal location for David. "Scholars now generally agree that Ziklag is the modern Tel el-Khuweilifeh, about twelve miles north-northeast of Beersheba."Ibid., p. 255. Following the Conquest, Ziklag was assigned to Simeon but later incorporated into the territory of Judah (Joshua 19:5). Although David had suggested this change as a convenience to Achish, that could not possibly have been his real motive. David needed

2 Samuel 3:26-30 — holds a spindle, or who is slain by the sword, or who lacks bread" The five curses here invoked by David upon the head of Joab and upon his father's house were itemized by Willis as: "(1) gonorrhea; (2) leprosy; (3) effeminacy; (4) untimely death; and (5) hunger."John T. Willis, p. 305. David did not content himself with this imprecation against Joab; he also took further action against Joab. "During the intervening years, Joab was deprived of his office, which he regained only by an act of daring bravery

2 Samuel 5:1-5 — began to reign, and he reigned forty years. At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years." "All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron" We learn from 2 Samuel 5:3 that they `all came' in the person of their representatives, i.e., the elders. "David made a covenant with them" We have no way of knowing what this covenant contained and not even what any of the provisions of it were; but it fully satisfied Israel,