Bible Commentaries

Job 11:6 — is not very intelligible; and indeed it is difficult, to attach any idea to it. Of the words used in the Hebrew, the sense is not difficult. The word כפלים kı̂playı̂m, “double,” is from כפל kâphal “to fold,”” to double;” and means a doubling Job 41:5; and then two folds, or double folds, and the sense here is, that the wisdom of God is “double-fold;” that is, complicated, inexplicable, or manifold. It is not spread out and plain, but is infolded, so that it requires to be unrolled to be understood.

Job 31:1 — means that he had resolved, in the most solemn manner, that he would not allow his eyes or thoughts to endanger him by improperly contemplating a woman.Why then should I think upon a maid - Upon a virgin - על־בתולה ‛al-bethûlâh; compare Proverbs 6:25, “Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids;” see, also, the fearful and solemn declaration of the Saviour in Matthew 5:28. There is much emphasis in the expression used here by Job. He does not merely say

Psalms 1:2 — voice, as is often done by a person in deep meditation; hence, in the usual sense, to meditate on anything; to think of it. So Joshua 1:8 : “Thou shalt meditate therein (the law) day and night.” Psalms 77:12 : “I meditate on all thy work.” Proverbs 15:28 : “the heart of the righteous meditateth what to answer.” The meaning here is, he thinks of it; he endeavors to understand its meaning; he has pleasure in reflecting on it. It is not a subject which he puts away from him, or in respect to which he

Psalms 1:4 — furnished an illustration of the destiny of the wicked. Compared with the righteous, they were like the worthless chaff driven away by the wind. The image is often found in the Scriptures. See Job 21:18, note; Isaiah 17:13, note. Compare also Psalms 35:5; Isaiah 29:5; Isaiah 41:15; Daniel 2:35; Hosea 13:3. The idea here is, that the wicked are in no respect like the green and fruitful tree referred to in Psalms 1:3. They are not like a tree in any respect. They are not even like a decaying tree, a

Psalms 18:50 — did not reign on his own account, but he reigned for God, and with a view to do his will.And showeth mercy to his anointed - To him who had been set apart to the kingly office by a solemn act of anointing. Compare 1 Samuel 16:13; 2Sa 2:4-7; 2 Samuel 5:3, 2Sa 5:17; 2 Samuel 12:7; compare 2Ki 9:3, 2 Kings 9:6,2 Kings 9:12. It is in allusion to this custom that the Messiah is called the Anointed, or the Christ. See the note at Matthew 1:1.To David, and to his seed - To his descendants, or posterity.

Psalms 36:2 — in his eyes to find his iniquity to hate.” The ancient interpretations throw no light on the passage. The word rendered “flattereth” - חלק châlaq - means to be smooth; then, to be smooth in the sense of being bland or flattering: Hosea 10:2; Psalms 5:9; Proverbs 28:23; Proverbs 2:16; Proverbs 7:5. Here the meaning is, that he commends himself to himself; he overestimates himself; he ascribes to himself qualities which he does not possess - either:(a) by supposing that what he does must be right

Psalms 37:20 — But the wicked shall perish - The general sentiment here is the same as in Psalms 1:1-6, that the righteous shall be prospered and saved, and that the wicked shall perish. See the notes at Psalms 1:4-5. The word “perish” here would be applicable to any form of destruction - death here, or death hereafter - for it is equivalent to the idea that they shall be “destroyed.” Whether the psalmist means here to refer to the fact that they will be cut off

Isaiah 1:17 — Ways of sin; Proverbs 23:19 :Hear thou, my son, and he wise,And guide אשׁר 'asher, “make straight”) thine heart in the way.The oppressed - Him to whom injustice has been done in regard to his character, person, or property; compare the notes at Isaiah 58:6.Judge the fatherless - Do justice to him - vindicate his cause. Take not advantage of his weak and helpless, condition - his ignorance and want of experience. This charge was particularly necessary on account of the facilities which the guardians

Isaiah 2:6 — judgments he traces to the crimes which he enumerates - crimes growing chiefly out of great commercial prosperity, producing pride, luxury, and idolatry.Thou hast forsaken - The address is changed from the exhortation to the house of Jacob Isaiah 2:5 to God, as is frequently the case in the writings of Isaiah. It indicates a state where the mind is full of the subject, and where it expresses itself in a rapid and hurried manner.Hast forsaken - Hast withdrawn thy protection, and given them over to

Isaiah 29:21 — from their view.That reproveth - Or rather, that “contended” or “pleaded;” that is, that had a cause. The word יכח yâkach means often to contend with any one; to strive; to seek to confute; to attempt to defend or justify, as in a court of law Job 13:15; Job 19:5; Job 16:21; Job 22:4. It is also applied to deciding a case in law, or pronouncing a decision Isaiah 11:3-4; Genesis 31:37; Job 9:33. Here it means one who has brought a suit, or who is engaged in a legal cause.In the gate - Gates of cities

Isaiah 44:28 — That saith of Cyrus - This is the first time in which Cyrus is expressly named by Isaiah, though he is often referred to. He is mentioned by him only in one other place expressly by name Isaiah 45:1. He is several times mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament 2 Chronicles 26:22-23; Ezra 1:1-2, Ezra 1:7; Ezra 3:7; Ezra 4:3; Ezra 5:13, Ezra 5:17; Daniel 1:21; Daniel 6:28; Daniel 10:1. He began his reign about 550 b.c., and this prophecy was therefore

Isaiah 5:2 — signification in Arabic, and in one place in the Jewish Talmud. - “Kimchi.” The Vulgate and the Septuagint understands it of making a hedge or fence, probably the first work in preparing a vineyard. And as ‘a hedge’ is expressly mentioned in Isaiah 5:5, it seems most probable that that is its meaning here.And gathered out the stones ... - That it might be easily cultivated. This was, of course, a necessary and proper work.And planted it with the choicest vine - Hebrew, ‘With the sorek.’ This was

Isaiah 64:4 — give the general sense. The idea in the Hebrew is, ‘For him who waits (למחכה limchakēh) for Yahweh,’ that is, who feels his helplessness, and relies on him to interpose and save him. Piety is often represented as an attitude of waiting on God Psalms 25:3, Psalms 25:5, Psalms 25:21; Psalms 27:14; Psalms 37:9; Psalms 130:5. The sense of the whole verse is, that God in his past dealings had given manifestations of his existence, power, and goodness, to those who were his friends, which had been furnished

Ezekiel 25:1-7 — It was a distinct part of scriptural prophecy to address pagan nations. In Isaiah Isa. 13–19, Jeremiah Jer. 46–51, and here Ezek. 25–32, one section is specially devoted to a collection of such prophecies. Every such prediction had the general purpose of exhibiting the conflict ever waging between the servants of God and the powers of the world, the struggle in

Daniel 8:25 — intrigue, and to cunning. This was true in an eminent sense, of Antiochus. See his history in Prideaux, above referred to, and the books of Maccabees. Compare the notes at Daniel 11:21. The same character is given of him by Polybius, “Relig.” lib. xxi. c. 5, tom. iv. p. 501, ed. Schweighauser; Appian, “de reb. Syr.” xlv. t. 1, p. 604, ed. Schweigh. Compare 2 Macc. 5:24-26. He came to the kingdom by deceit (Prideaux, iii. 212), and a great part of his success was owing to craft and policy.And he shall magnify

Amos 4:1 — eastern extremity at Salkah Deuteronomy 3:10; Joshua 13:11, (Sulkhad) is the southern point of Batanea (now Bathaniyyeh); Argob, or Trachonitis , (the Lejah) was its north eastern fence.Westward it reached to Mount Hermon Deuteronomy 3:8; Joshua 12:5; Joshua 13:11; 1 Chronicles 5:23. It included the subsequent divisions, Gaulonitis, Auranitis, Batanea, and Trachonitis. Of these the mountain range on the northwest of Jaulan is still “everywhere clothed with oak-forests.” The Ard-el-Bathanyeh , “the

Obadiah 1:10 — further sins, and endless, fruitless, shame. Edom had laid his plans, had succeeded; the wheel, in God’s Providence, turned around and he was crushed.So Hosea said Hosea 10:6, “they shall be ashamed through their own counsels;” and Jeremiah Jeremiah 3:25, “we lie down in our shame and our confusion covereth us;” and David Psalms 109:29, “let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion as with a mantle.” As one, covered and involved in a cloak, can find

Micah 1:3 — nigh, noiselessly as the nightfall, but unceasingly. “Out of His Place.” Dionysius: “God is hidden from us, except when He sheweth Himself by His Wisdom or Power of Justice or Grace, as Isaiah saith, ‘Verily, Thou art a God who hidest Thyself’ Isaiah 45:15.” He seemeth to be absent, when He doth not visibly work either in the heart within, or in judgments without; to the ungodly and unbelieving He is absent, “far above out of their sight” Psalms 10:5, when He does not avenge their scoffs, their sins,

Micah 1:6 — were chosen for vineyards, it had been a vineyard, before Shemer sold it to Omri 1 Kings 16:24. What it had been, that it was again to be. Its inhabitants cast forth, its houses and gorgeous palaces were to become heaps of stones, gathered out Isaiah 5:2 to make way for cultivation, or to become the fences of the vegetation, which should succeed to man.There is scarce a sadder natural sight than the fragments of human habitation, tokens of man’s labor or his luxury, amid the rich beauty of nature

Romans 12:8 — la iglesia, el primero es evidentemente lo que se pretende. Se consideró un asunto importante entre los primeros cristianos impartir liberalmente su sustancia para apoyar a los pobres y proveer a los necesitados: Hechos 2:44; Hechos 4:34; Hechos 5:1; Gálatas 2:1; Rom 15:26 ; 2 Corintios 8:8; 2Co 9: 2 , 2 Corintios 9:12. Por lo tanto, se hizo necesario nombrar personas sobre estas contribuciones, que deberían estar especialmente encargadas de la gestión de las mismas, y que verían que se distribuyeran