Bible Commentaries

2 Kings 16:9 — the field, was defeated, and slain. An attack upon Pekah followed. Now probably it was that the entire trans-Jordanic region was overrun: and that the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, were carried into captivity 1 Chronicles 5:26. Megiddo and Dor appear also to have been occupied, and the Arabs of the south chastised. Tiglathpileser then returned to Damascus, where a son of Rezin had assumed the crown; he besieged and took the city, and punished Rezin’s son with death. Tiglath-pileser

2 Kings 25:1 — In the ninth year ... - As the final catastrophe approaches, the historian becomes more close and exact in his dates, marking not only the year, but the month and the day, on which the siege began, no less than those on which it closed 2 Kings 25:3. From Ezekiel 24:1 we find that on the very day when the host of Nebuchadnezzar made its appearance before Jerusalem the fact was revealed to Ezekiel in Babylonia, and the fate of the city announced to him Ezekiel 24:6-14. The army seems to have at

Job 21:17 — How oft is the candle of the wicked put out? - Margin, “lamp.” A light, or a lamp, was an image of prosperity. There is, probably, an allusion here to what had been maintained by Bildad, Job 18:5-6, that the light of the wicked would be extinguished, and their dwellings made dark; see the notes at those verses. Job replies to this by asking how often it occurred. He inquires whether it was a frequent thing. By this, he implies that it was not

Job 27:7 — similar expression occurs in Daniel 4:19, “My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies;” that is, calamities are coming upon thee indicated by the dream, such as you would desire on your foes; so in Judges 5:31. After the mother of Sisera had anxiously looked for the return of her son from the battle, though he was then slain, the sacred writer adds, “So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord.” Thus, when a traitor is executed it is common for the executioner

Job 7:4 — bed of pain.And the night be gone - Margin, evening be measured. Herder renders this, “the night is irksome to me.” The word rendered night (ערב ‛ereb) properly means the early part of the night, until it is succeeded by the dawn. Thus, in Genesis 1:5,” And the evening (ערב ‛ereb) and the morning were the first day.” Here it means the portion of the night which is before the dawning of the aurora - the night. The word rendered “be gone” and in the margin “be measured” ( מדּד mı̂ddad), has been variously

Psalms 104:17 — in the lofty cedars in places which God had made for them. The word rendered “birds” here is the word which in Psalms 84:3 is translated “sparrow,” and which is commonly used to denote “small birds.” Compare Leviticus 14:4 (margin), and Leviticus 14:5-7, Leviticus 14:49-53. It is used, however, to denote birds of any kind. See Genesis 7:14; Psalms 8:8; Psalms 11:1; Psalms 148:10.As for the stork - See the notes at Job 39:13.The fir trees are her house - Her retreat; her abode. The stork here is used

Psalms 105:17 — Joseph’s brethren were so wicked, God made use of these things to accomplish his own benevolent purposes, and to carry out his great designs. So he makes use of the passions of wicked people at all times to execute his plans (compare the notes at Isaiah 10:5-7; see also Psalms 76:10; and Genesis 50:20); and so he will do to the end of time. People are free in their wickedness; but God is equally free in frustrating their schemes, and overruling their designs for the accomplishment of his own purposes.Who

Psalms 119:165 — peace to their minds. God’s government is a government of law, and therefore it is loved.And nothing shall offend them - Margin, “They shall have no stumbling-block.” “Hebrew, “And to them no stumbling,” or stumbling-block. See the notes at Matthew 5:29-30; notes at Matthew 18:6; notes at Matthew 16:23; notes at 1 Peter 2:8; notes at James 2:10. The meaning here is, that they would not fall into sin; they would be kept safe; they would be preserved from the power of temptation. The meaning is not,

Psalms 32:7 — Thou art my hiding-place - See Psalms 9:9, note; Psalms 27:5, note. The idea is that he would be safe under the protection of God. The general allusion is to concealment from an enemy, but the immediate reference is to sin, and the consequences of sin. By fleeing to God he would be secure against all the evils

Psalms 68:12 — meaning may be, that the victors would bring the plunder home, and lay it at the feet of their wives and daughters to be divided among the women themselves. The dividing of the spoils of battle after a victory was always an important act. Compare Judges 5:30; Jos 7:21; 1 Chronicles 26:27; Hebrews 7:4.

Psalms 69:3 — alone; of exercising dependence on him; of seeking his aid. This is indeed connnected with the ordinary idea of abiding his will, but it is also an “active” state of mind - a state expressive of intense interest and desire. See the notes at Psalms 62:5.

Psalms 75:3 — The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved - The word rendered “dissolved” means properly to melt, to flow down; then, to melt away, to pine away, to perish. Isaiah 64:7; Job 30:22; Nahum 1:5; Psalms 107:26. Here it means that there was, as it were, a general breaking up of things; or that none of the institutions of the land seemed to have any stability. There seemed to be no government, but universal anarchy and confusion.I bear up the

Psalms 81:15 — represented as those who hate him - hatred being always in fact or in form connected with an unwillingness to submit to God. It is hatred of his law; hatred of his government; hatred of his plans; hatred of his character. See Romans 1:30; John 7:7, John 15:18, John 15:23-25. Compare Exodus 20:5.Should have submitted themselves unto him - Margin, yielded retained obedience. Hebrew, lied. See the phrase explained in the notes at Psalms 18:44. The meaning is, that they would have been so subdued as to acknowledge

Psalms 96:13 — Messiah, and that the psalmist in this language may have looked forward to that future kingdom of righteousness and peace.For he cometh to judge the earth ... - See this language explained in the notes at Psalms 72:2-4; and the notes at Isaiah 11:2-5. What is here stated occurs now, wherever the gospel reigns in the hearts of people; it will be fully accomplished when the Lord Jesus shall come again and judge the world.

Leviticus 23:5-8 — In these verses, the Passover, or Paschal Supper, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, are plainly spoken of as distinct feasts. See Exodus 12:6, Exodus 12:15, Exodus 12:17; Numbers 28:16-17.Leviticus 23:5See Exodus 12:6. According to the Hebrew mode of reckoning, the 15th day of the month began on the evening of the 14th. The day of holy convocation with which the Feast of Unleavened Bread commenced Leviticus

1 Peter 1:13 — la manera en que los orientales estaban acostumbrados a vestirse. Llevan túnicas sueltas y sueltas, de modo que, cuando desean correr, pelear o aplicarse a cualquier negocio, están obligados a atar sus prendas a su alrededor. Vea las notas en Mateo 5:38. El significado aquí es que debían tener sus mentes en constante preparación para cumplir con los deberes, o para soportar las pruebas de la vida, como aquellos que estaban preparados para el trabajo, una raza o un conflicto. Sea sobrio - Vea la

Judges 9:8-20 — This fable and that noted in the marginal reference are the only two of the kind found in Scripture. Somewhat different are the parables of the Old Testament, 2 Samuel 12:1-4; 2 Samuel 14:5-11; 1 Kings 20:39-40.Judges 9:9Honour God and man - Alluding to the constant use of oil in the meat-offerings Leviticus 2:1-16, and in the holy ointment Exodus 30:24-25. In like manner, the allusion in Judges 9:13 is to the drink-offerings of wine.

1 John overview — second century; it is quoted by Papias, and also by Irenaeus. Origen says, “John, beside the Gospel and Revelation, has left us an epistle of a few lines. Grant also a second, and a third; for all do not allow these to be genuine.” See Lardner, vi. 275, and Lueke, Einlei. i. Dionysius of Alexandria admitted the genuineness of John’s First Epistle; so also did Cyprian. All the three Epistles were received by Athanasius, by Cyril of Jerusalem, and by Epiphanius. Eusebius says, “Beside his Gospel, his

1 John 3:24 — Señor Jesús. Cuando existen estos efectos, podemos estar seguros de que el Espíritu de Dios está con nosotros; porque estos son los "frutos" de ese Espíritu, o estos son los efectos que produce en la vida de los hombres. Compare las notas en Gálatas 5:22. Sobre la evidencia de piedad aquí mencionada, vea las notas en Romanos 8:9, Romanos 8:14, Romanos 8:16. Ningún hombre puede ser un verdadero cristiano en quien ese Espíritu no mora constantemente, o a quien no se le "da". Y sin embargo, nadie

1 Samuel 1:3 — It is likely that during the unsettled times of the Judges Judges 21:25 the attendance of Israelites at the three Festivals Exodus 34:23; Deuteronomy 16:16 fell into desuetude or great irregularity, and this one feast (see the marginal reference), which may have coincided with the Feast of Pentecost or tabernacles, may