Bible Commentaries

Nehemiah 2:8 — The king’s forest - Rather, park. The word used פרדס pardês; compare παράδεισος paradeisos, found only here, in Ecclesiastes 2:5, and in Song of Solomon 4:13), is of Persian, or at any rate of Aryan origin. The Persians signified by pariyadeza a walled enclosure, ornamented with trees, either planted or of natural growth, and containing numerous wild animals. The “paradise” here

Job 6:13 — driven from me? - This, also, should be read as an affirmation, “deliverance is driven from me.” The word rendered wisdom (תשׁיה tûshı̂yâh) means properly a setting upright; then help, deliverance; and then purpose, enterprise; see the notes at Job 5:12. Here it means that all hope of deliverance had fled, and that he was sinking in despair.

Psalms 111:1 — down to earth, while the language of my lips ascended to God. See the notes at Psalms 86:12.In the assembly of the upright - With the righteous when they are gathered together for public worship.And in the congregation - See Psalms 22:22, Psalms 22:25; Psalms 66:13; Psalms 89:5.

Psalms 111:8 — fast forever and ever - Margin, “established.” The Hebrew word means “sustained, supported.” They will not fail or fall. Whatever else may be shaken, his law, his word, and the principles of his administration, will not fail. See the notes at Matthew 5:18. Compare Luke 16:17; Matthew 24:35. The great principles of truth and righteousness will stand, and whatever is founded on those principles will endure forever.And are done in truth and uprightness - Are based on truth, or on a just view of things;

Psalms 147:7 — answer, or respond; and the idea would seem to be, that we are to make a suitable response or answer to the manifold layouts which we have received at the hand of God.Sing praise upon the harp unto our God - On the word harp, see the notes at Isaiah 5:12. The harp was an instrument commonly employed in divine worship. See the notes at Psalms 33:2 : “Praise the Lord with harp.” Compare Psalms 43:4; Psalms 49:4; Psalms 57:8; Psalms 71:22.

Psalms 22:23 — and addressing them. He, therefore, calls on them to praise and honor God.All ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him - The descendants of Jacob; that is, all who are true worshippers of God.And fear him - Honour him, worship him. See the notes at Psalms 5:7.All ye the seed of Israel - Another name for Jacob Genesis 32:28, and designed to denote also all who are true worshippers of Yahweh.

Psalms 24:3 — Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? - Mount Zion; called the hill of the Lord, because it was the place designated for His worship, or the place of His abode. See the notes at Psalms 15:1. The idea here is, “Who shall ascend there with a view of abiding there? Who is worthy to dwell there?” The question is equivalent to asking, What constitutes true religion? What is required for the acceptable worship of God? What will prepare a person

Psalms 30:3 — had been brought from the borders of the grave. The word here rendered “grave” is “Sheol” - a word which, properly used, commonly denotes the region of the dead; the underworld which is entered through the grave. Compare Isaiah 14:9, note; Psalms 6:5, note.Thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit - More literally, “thou hast caused me to live from them which go down to the pit;” that is, thou hast distinguished me from them by keeping me alive. The word “pit” here means the

Psalms 78:1 — in the sense that it was a rule to be obeyed; but it is something that is authoritatively said, and should have the force of law.Incline your ears ... - Be attentive. What is to be said is worthy of your particular regard. Compare the notes at Psalms 5:1.

Psalms 92:9 — themselves;” implying eagerness and activity, as if they were in haste to flee away. The allusion is to an army that is discomfited, disorganized, “demoralized,” and scattered; or to chaff that is dispersed by the wind. See Job 21:18; Isaiah 17:13; Isaiah 29:5; Hosea 13:3.

Proverbs 1:7 — The beginning of wisdom is found in the temper of reverence and awe. The fear of the finite in the presence of the Infinite, of the sinful in the presence of the Holy (compare Job 42:5-6), this for the Israelite was the starting-point of all true wisdom. In the Book of Job 28:28 it appears as an oracle accompanied by the noblest poetry. In Psalms 111:10 it comes as the choral close of a temple hymn. Here it is the watchword of a true

Isaiah 22:10 — walls, which would be furnished by pulling down the houses in Jerusalem.To fortify the wall - The houses in Jerusalem were built of stone, and therefore they would furnish appropriate materials for repairing the walls of the city. In 2 Chronicles 32:5, it is said that Hezekiah not only repaired the broken walls of the city on the approach of Sennacherib, but ‘raised up the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance.’

Jeremiah 18:15 — continues the words of, Jeremiah 18:13.Vanity - A word meaning “falsehood,” which signifies that the worship of idols is not merely useless but injurious.They have caused them to stumble - Judah’s prophets and priests were they who made her to err Jeremiah 5:31. The idols were of themselves powerless for good or evil.In their ways ... - Or, “in their ways, the everlasting paths, to walk in byways, in a road not cast up. The paths of eternity” carry back the mind not to the immediate but to the distant past,

Ezekiel 39:11 — The prophet pictures to himself some imaginary valley (compare Zechariah 14:5) at the “east of the sea,” the Dead Sea, a place frightful in its physical character, and admonitory of past judgments. He calls it “the valley of the passengers” (or, passers-by), because they who there lie buried were but as a passing cloud. In Ezekiel

Amos 5:19 — Before and behind, without and within, abroad under the roof of heaven, or under the shelter of his own, everywhere is terror and death. The Syrian bear is said to have been more fierce and savage than the lion. For its fierceness and voracity Daniel 7:5, God made it, in Daniel’s vision, a symbol of the empire of the Medes. From both lion and bear there might be escape by flight. When the man had “leaned his hand” trustfully “on the wall” of his own house, “and the serpent bit him,” there was no escape.

Matthew 18:24 — Ten thousand talents - A talent was a sum of money, or weight of silver or gold amounting to three thousand shekels. A silver shekel was worth, after the captivity, not far from half a dollar of our money. A talent of silver was worth (circa 1880’s) 1,519.23 =342 British pounds, 3 shillings, 9d.; of gold, 243,098.88 =5,475 British pounds. If these were silver talents, as is probable, then the sum owed by the servant was 15,180,000, or about 3,421, 875 British sterling (circa 1880’s), a sum which proves

Matthew 24:1 — courts, porches, and other edifices. See the notes at Matthew 21:12. Mark says that they particularly pointed out the “stones” of the temple, as well as the buildings. “In that temple,” says Josephus, the Jewish historian, “were several stones which were 45 cubits in length, 5 in height, and 6 in breadth;” that is, more than 70 feet long, 10 wide, and 8 high. These stones, of such enormous size, were principally used in building the high wall on the east side, from the base to the top of the mountain.

Matthew 25:32 — Revelation 20:11. The dead in Christ that is, all true Christians - will be raised up from their graves, 1 Thessalonians 4:16. The living will be changed - i. e., will be made like the glorified bodies of those that are raised from the dead, 1 Corinthians 15:52-54; 1 Thessalonians 4:17. All the wicked will rise and come forth to judgment, John 5:28-29; Daniel 12:2; Matthew 13:41-42; Revelation 20:13. Then shall the world be judged, the righteous saved, and the wicked punished.And he shall separate ... -

John 5:41-42 — the fact that you do not believe on me. The reason is, that you have not the love of God in you.” In this passage we see:That we should not seek for human applause. It is of very little value, and it often keeps men from the approbation of God, John 5:44. They who will not believe on Jesus Christ give evidence that they have no love for God. The reason why they do not believe on him is because they have no regard for his character, wishes, or law. Love of God - Love to God.In you - In your hearts.

John 8:42 — him, or were worthy to be called his children.Ye would love me - Jesus was “the brightness of the Father’s glory and the express image of his person,” Hebrews 1:3. “Everyone that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him,” 1 John 5:1. From this we see: 1.That all who truly love God, love his Son Jesus Christ. 2.That men that pretend that they love God, and reject his Son, have no evidence that they are the friends of God. 3.That those who reject the Bible cannot be the friends