Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 20:22 — nature of annual incursions into the territories of their neighbors, begun in spring and terminating in early autumn. Sustained invasions, lasting over the winter into a second or a third year, are not found until the time of Shalmaneser 2 Kings 17:5; 2 Kings 18:9-10, and do not become common until the Median and Babylonian period.

1 Kings 22:11 — Horns of iron - The horn in Scripture is the favorite symbol of power; and pushing with the horn is a common metaphor for attacking and conquering enemies (see Deuteronomy 33:17; Compare Psalms 44:5; Daniel 8:4). Zedekiah, in employing a symbolic action, was following the example of a former Israelite prophet 1 Kings 11:30.Thus saith the Lord - Or, יהוה yehovâh. Zedekiah lays aside the unmeaningful “Lord” אדני 'ǎdonāy of the general company

1 Kings 8:65 — A feast necessarily accompanied such a sacrifice as Solomon was holding. Compare Leviticus 19:5. On the present occasion there was a double festival - first, the Feast of the Dedication, from the 8th to the 15th of the month Ethanim (or Tisri), and then the Feast of tabernacles, from the 15th to the 22nd 1 Kings 8:2. On the day after this, “the

2 Kings 21:6 — On the meaning of the phrase “passing through the fire,” see 2 Kings 16:3, and Leviticus 20:2-5.To “observe times” was forbidden in the Law (marginal references), and was no doubt among the modes of divination practiced by the Canaanite nations. It has been explained as,(1) Predicting from the state of the clouds and atmosphere;(2) Fascination

2 Kings 5:11 — He will surely come out to me - In the East a code of unwritten laws prescribes exactly how visits are to be paid, and how visitors are to be received, according to the worldly rank of the parties (compare 2 Kings 5:21). No doubt, according to such a code, Elisha should have gone out to meet Naaman at the door of his house.And call on the name of the Lord his God - literally, “of Yahweh his God.” Naaman is aware that Yahweh is the God of Elisha. Compare the occurrence

2 Kings 5:5 — British pounds If the weight was the same as that of the silver shekel (see Exodus 38:24 note), the value would exceed 12,000 British pounds.The ancient practice of including clothes among gifts of honor in the East Genesis 41:42; Esther 6:8; Daniel 5:7 continues to the present day.

1 Chronicles 29:29 — same title as Samuel. Samuel’s title is one, apparently, of higher dignity, applied only to him and to Hanani 2Ch 16:7, 2 Chronicles 16:10. Gad’s is a far commoner title; it is applied to his contemporaries Asaph 2 Chronicles 29:30, Heman 1 Chronicles 25:5, and Jeduthun 2 Chronicles 35:15, to Iddo 2 Chronicles 9:29; 2 Chronicles 12:15, to Jehu, the son of Hanani 2 Chronicles 19:2, and to the prophet Amos Amos 7:12. When “seers” are spoken of in the plural, it is the term almost universally used, only

2 Chronicles 3:9 — huperōon, Septuagint), as having been a lofty building erected over the entrance to the temple; others suggest that the chambers intended are simply the uppermost of the three sets of chambers which on three sides surrounded the temple (see 1 Kings 6:5-10). This would seem to be the simplest and best explanation, though we cannot see any reason for the rich ornamentation of these apartments, or for David’s special directions concerning them.

Ezra 5:1 — Haggai and Zechariah stirred up Zerubbabel and Joshua Ezra 5:2; Haggai 1:14, and warned the people against neglecting the building of the temple, in order to give themselves to the beautifying of their own houses (see Haggai 1:4, Haggai 1:9). Zechariah was the son of Berechiah, and grandson of Iddo (see the marginal

Ezra 6:4 — only in this passage. Some regard it as a “course,” and suppose that after every three courses of stone there followed a course of timber. Others understand three “storeys” of stone, with a fourth “storey” of woodwork on the summit (compare 1 Kings 6:5-6). Others consider that Cyrus intended to limit the thickness of the walls, which were not to exceed a breadth of three rows of stone, with an inner wooden wainscotting.Let the expenses be given out of the king’s house - i. e., “out of the Persian

Nehemiah 1:1 — manner the point at which his own composition commenced. (See the introduction of the Book of Nehemiah.)Chisleu - The ninth month, corresponding to the end of November and beginning of December.In the twentieth year - i. e. of Artaxerxes Longimanus (465-425 B.C.). Compare Nehemiah 2:1.Shushan the palace - Compare Esther 1:2, Esther 1:5, etc.; Daniel 8:2. Shushan, or Susa, was the ordinary residence of the Persian kings. “The palace” or acropolis was a distinct quarter of the city, occupying an artificial

Numbers 13:22 — The progenitor of the Anakim was Arba “the father of Anak” Joshua 15:13, from whom the city of Hebron took its name of Kirjath-Arba. Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai were probably not individual warriors, but names of three tribes of the Anakim. Hence, we find them still in existence half a century later, when Caleb, who

Deuteronomy 2:20-23 — These verses, like Deuteronomy 2:10-12, are in all likelihood an addition made by a later reviser.Deuteronomy 2:20Zamzummims - A giant race usually identified with the Zuzims of Genesis 14:5.Deuteronomy 2:23The Avims which dwelt in Hazerim, even unto Azzah - Read (Gaza, of which Azzah is the Hebrew form. “Hazerim” is not strictly a proper name, but means “villages,” or “enclosures,” probably such as are still common in the East. The Avims

Deuteronomy 3:4 — Deuteronomy 3:14 as Bashan-havoth-jair.All the region of Argob - The Hebrew word here rendered “region,” means literally “rope” or “cable”; and though undoubtedly used elsewhere in a general topographical sense for portion or district (e. g. Joshua 17:5), has a special propriety in reference to Argob (mod. Lejah). The name Argob means “stone-heap,” and is paraphrased by the Targums, Trachonitis Luke 3:1, or “the rough country;” titles designating the more striking features of the district. Its borders

Deuteronomy 4:44-49 — of the address now to be commenced. Deuteronomy 4:44 gives a kind of general title to the whole of the weighty address, including in fact the central part and substance of the book, which now follows in 22 chapters, divided into two groups:(a) Deut. 5–11,(b) Deut. 12–26.The address was delivered when they had already received the first-fruits of those promises Deuteronomy 4:46, the full fruition of which was to be consequent on their fulfillment of that covenant now again about to be rehearsed to

Joshua 22:7-8 — intelligible by itself. (Compare also Joshua 13:14, Joshua 13:33; Joshua 14:3; Joshua 18:7.) It is quite possible, however, that the particulars special to Joshua 22:8, may be due to some other narrative of the whole event than that to which Joshua 22:5 belongs, and may have been interwoven by a later reviser.

2 Timothy 4:1 — Por lo tanto, te cargo ante Dios - Ver las notas en 1 Timoteo 5:21. Quién juzgará a los rápidos y a los muertos - Es decir, el Señor Jesús; porque él será el juez de los hombres; Mateo 25:31; 2 Corintios 5:1. La palabra "rápido" significa "vivir" (Ver la nota Hechos 10:42; Efesios 2:1 nota); y la idea es que

Titus 3:15 — Todo lo que está conmigo, saluda: notas, Romanos 16:3 saludarlos que nos aman en la fe, en la fe del evangelio, o como cristianos. No se mencionan nombres aquí; Comparar 1 Tesalonicenses 5:26; Colosenses 4:15. la gracia esté con todos ustedes - notas, Romanos 1:7 ; Romanos 16:20. La suscripción, "fue escrita en Titus", etc., es, como las otras suscripciones al cierre de las Epístolas, de ninguna autoridad, lo que sea; Vea el cierre

Jude 1:1 — decir, un cristiano, (a) Que esta es una distinción más que desear que, sería una mera relación natural con el Salvador, y en consecuencia. (b) Que es un honor mayor que cualquier distinción derivada del nacimiento o la familia. Compare Mateo 12:46-5. Y hermano de James - Vea la introducción, Sección 1. Para aquellos que son santificados por Dios el Padre - Para aquellos que son "santos" o que son "santos". Compare la nota Romanos 1:7; Filipenses 1:1 nota. Aunque este título es general, difícilmente

1 Samuel 12:3 — His anointed - i. e., king Saul. The title Messiah, Χριστὸς Christos, unctus, or anointed, had been given to the High Priests (Leviticus 4:3 : compare also 1 Samuel 2:10, 1 Samuel 2:35); but this is the earliest instance of an actual king of Israel bearing the title of God’s Christ, and thus typifying the true Messiah or Christ of God.Any bribe - literally, a “ransom,” the fine paid by a criminal in lieu of bonds or death Exodus 21:30,