Bible Commentaries

2 Kings 25:29 — Evil-merodach gave him garments befitting his rank. To dress a man suitably to his position was the first thought of an Oriental Genesis 41:42; Esther 8:15; Daniel 5:29; Luke 15:22. So again, Oriental kings regarded it as a part of their greatness to feed daily a vast multitude of persons at their courts (see 1 Kings 4:22-23). Of these, as here, a certain number had the special privilege of sitting actually

Psalms 102:9 — For I have eaten ashes like bread - I have seated myself in ashes in my grief (compare Job 2:8; Job 42:6; Isaiah 58:5; Isaiah 61:3; Jonah 3:6; Daniel 9:3; Matthew 11:21); and ashes have become, as it were, my food. The ashes in which he sat had been mingled with his food.And mingled my drink with weeping - Tears have fallen into the cup from which I drank, and have

Psalms 106:24 — of Israel (Leviticus 20:24; Numbers 13:27; Numbers 14:8; Numbers 16:14; Deuteronomy 6:3; Deuteronomy 11:9; et al.;) but this land had to them, at the time here referred to, no attractions, and they rather desired to return again to Egypt; Numbers 11:5.They believed not his word - His assurance in regard to the land to which they were going.

Psalms 114:1 — - a name appropriately used here, since it was the family of Jacob that had gone down into Egypt, and that had increased to these great numbers.From a people of strange language - Speaking a foreign or a barbarian tongue. See the notes at Psalms 81:5.

Psalms 136:12 — - A powerful hand; as by a hand that could grasp and subdue all that opposed.And with a stretched-out arm - As if the arm were stretched out to strike with the utmost force, or to exert its utmost power. See Exodus 6:6; Deuteronomy 4:34; Deuteronomy 5:15; Deuteronomy 7:19; Deuteronomy 26:8; Jeremiah 32:21.For his mercy ... - The exertion of his power in delivering his people was the expression of a mercy, the consequences of which are to endure forever, for the results of that deliverance will never

Psalms 144:4 — Man is like to vanity - See the notes at Psalms 39:5-6; Psalms 62:9. The idea here is, that man can be compared only with that which is utterly vain - which is emptiness - which is nothing.His days are as a shadow that passeth away - See the notes at Psalms 102:11 : “My days are like a shadow that declineth.”

Psalms 145:8 — The Lord is gracious - See Psalms 86:5, note; Psalms 86:15, note.And full of compassion - Kind; compassionate; ready to do good. See the notes at Psalms 103:8.Slow to anger - See Psalms 103:8, where the same expression occurs.And of great mercy - Margin, great in mercy. His greatness is

Psalms 24:9 — Lift up your heads ... - The repetition here is designed to give force and emphasis to what is uttered. The response in Psalms 24:5 is slightly varied from the response in Psalms 24:8; but the same general sentiment is expressed. The design is to announce in a solemn manner that the symbol of the divine presence and majesty was about to be introduced into the place of its permanent

Psalms 28:7 — The Lord is my strength - See the notes at Psalms 18:1.And my shield - See the notes at Psalms 3:3. Compare Psalms 33:20; Psalms 59:11; Psalms 84:9; Psalms 89:18; Genesis 15:1.My heart trusted in him - I trusted or confided in him. See Psalms 13:5.And I am helped - I have found the assistance which I desired.Therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth - I greatly rejoice. I am happy.

Psalms 57:6 — They have prepared a net for my steps - A net for my goings; or, into which I may fall. See the notes at Psalms 9:15.My soul is bowed down - The Septuagint, the Vulgate, and Luther render this in the plural, and in the active form: “They have bowed down my soul;” that is, they have caused my soul to be bowed down. The Hebrew may be correctly rendered, “he pressed

Psalms 72:4 — children of the needy - Those in humble life; those most likely to be oppressed by others; those who have no natural protectors.And shall break in pieces the oppressor - Shall subdue, or destroy, those who live to oppress others. See the notes at Psalms 12:5.

Psalms 83:11 — Make their nobles like Oreb and like Zeeb - These were princes or rulers of the Midianites, slain by Gideon, the one on the rock Oreb, and the other at the wine-press of Zeeb. Judges 7:25. The prayer here is, that the enemies who had conspired against the land of Israel might be utterly destroyed.Yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna - The word here rendered princes means properly anointed, and was given to princes, kings,

Psalms 89:29 — true of him who is the successor of David in his spiritual kingdom, the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. Compare the notes at Isaiah 9:6-7.And his throne as the days of heaven - As long as the heavens endure; that is, to the end of the world. Compare Psalms 72:5, note; Psalms 72:7, note; Psalms 72:17, note.

Psalms 94:5 — They break in pieces thy people - They tread down; they grind; they crush. The Hebrew word is often used as meaning to crush under foot; to trample on; and hence, it means to oppress. Lamentations 3:34; Isaiah 3:15.And afflict - To wit, by oppression and wrong. If this refers to foreigners, it means that they did this by invasion and by the ravages of war.Thine heritage - Thy people, regarded as an inheritance or possession. See Psalms 28:9, note; Psalms 33:12,

Proverbs 26:4-5 — Two sides of a truth. To “answer a fool according to his folly” is in Proverbs 26:4 to bandy words with him, to descend to his level of coarse anger and vile abuse; in Proverbs 26:5 it is to say the right word at the right time, to expose his unwisdom and untruth to others and to himself, not by a teaching beyond his reach, but by words that he is just able to apprehend. The apparent contradiction between the two verses led some

Isaiah 3:14 — ... - With the old men, the counselors.Ye have eaten up the vineyard - Hebrew ‘Ye have burnt up’ - that is, you have oonsumed or destroyed it. By the vineyard is represented the Jewish republic or people; Psalms 80:9-13; compare the notes at Isaiah 5:1-7. The princes and rulers had, by their exactions and oppressions, ruined the people, and destroyed the country.The spoil of the poor - The “plunder” of the poor; or that which you have taken from the poor by exactions and oppressions. The word “spoil”

Isaiah 43:7 — Every one that is called by my name - To be called by the name of anyone, is synonymous with being regarded as his son, since a son bears the name of his father (see Isaiah 44:5; Isaiah 48:1). The expression, therefore, means here, all who were regarded as the children of God; and the promise is, that all such should be re-gathered to their own land.For I have created him - (See the note at Isaiah 43:1).For my glory - In order

Jeremiah 13:27 — And thine abominations - “Even thy abominations.” The prophet sums up the three charges against Judah, namely, spiritual adultery, inordinate eagerness after idolatry (see the note at Jeremiah 5:7 note), and shameless participation in pagan orgies.In the fields - “in the field,” the open, unenclosed country (see Jeremiah 6:25; Jeremiah 12:4).Wilt thou not ... once be? - “Or, how long yet ere thou be made clean!” These words explain the teaching

Jeremiah 7:5-7 — do not the Jews still possess a land thus eternally given them? Because God never bestows anything unconditionally. The land was bestowed upon them by virtue of a covenant Genesis 17:7; the Jews had broken the conditions of this covenant Jeremiah 7:5-6, and the gift reverted to the original donor.

Ezekiel 20:5-9 — The children of Israel in Egypt were warned to abstain from the idolatry of the pagan. This purpose they lost sight of, yet God spared them and brought them into another state of probation.Ezekiel 20:5Lifted up mine hand - i. e., sware, because the hand was lifted up in adjuration.Ezekiel 20:8Idols of Egypt - These incidental notices show the children of Israel in Egypt to have been addicted to idolatry. Compare Joshua 24:14.Ezekiel 20:9I wrought