Bible Commentaries

Isaiah 43:2 — were then suffering in Babylon. Fire and water are often used in the Scriptures to denote calamity - the latter because it overwhelms; the former because it consumes; see Psalms 69:1 - ‘The waters are come into my soul;’ also Psalms 73:10; Psalms 124:4-5; Psalms 66:12 - ‘We went through fire and through water.’I will be with thee - (Compare the note at Isaiah 41:10).And through the rivers - Also expressive of calamity and danger - like attempting to ford deep and rapid streams.They shall not overflow

Isaiah 47:8 — directly her crimes, and her doom.That art given to pleasures - Devoted to dissipation, and to the effeminate pleasures which luxury engenders (see the notes at Isaiah 47:1). Curtius, in his History of Babylon as it was in the times of Alexander (v. 5. 36), Herodotus (i. 198), and Strabo Georg. xvi.), have given a description of it, all representing it as corrupt, licentious, and dissipated in the extreme. Curtius, in the passage quoted on Isaiah 47:1, says, among other things, that no city was more

Isaiah 48:1 — view, and would be an assurance that the nation would not be destroyed, nor the power finally depart until He should come.Which swear by the name - Who worship Yahweh, and acknowledge him as the only true God (see the notes at Isaiah 19:18; Isaiah 45:23; compare Isaiah 48:1; Isaiah 65:16).And make mention - That is, in your prayers and praises. You acknowledge him, and profess to worship him.But not in truth - In a hypocritical manner; not in sincerity. Compare Jeremiah 5:2 : ‘And though they say,

Isaiah 48:4 — as a people, obstinate, rebellious, and indisposed to submit to the laws of God - a charge which is often brought against them by the sacred writers, and which is abundantly verified by all their history as a people (compare Exodus 32:9; Exodus 33:3-5; Exodus 34:9; Deuteronomy 9:6-13; Deuteronomy 31:27; 2 Chronicles 30:8; Ezekiel 2:4; Acts 7:51).Thy neck is an iron sinew - The word גיד giyd means properly a cord, thong, or band; then a nerve, sinew, muscle, or tendon. The metaphor is taken from oxen

Isaiah 55:13 — Instead of the thorn - (Compare the notes at Isaiah 11:6-8; Isaiah 35:1-2; Isaiah 41:19; Isaiah 42:20). The word rendered ‘thorn’ (נעצוּץ na‛ătsûts) occurs only here and in Isaiah 7:19. It evidently means a thorn, hedge, or thorny-bush.Shall come up the fir tree - (ברושׁ berôsh; see the notes at Isaiah 14:8; Isaiah

Ezekiel 34:20-31 — and Judah having been done away.My servant David - David was a fit type of the True King because he was a true and faithful servant of Yahweh. That which David was partially and imperfectly, Christ is in full perfection (compare Matthew 12:18; John 5:30; Hebrews 10:7.)Ezekiel 34:26The blessings here foretold are especially those of the old covenant. The wilderness (or, pasture-country) and the woods, the places most exposed to beasts and birds of prey, become places of security. Under the new covenant

Daniel 11:1 — promote the interests of the Hebrew people, and to secure those arrangements which were necessary for their welfare - particularly in the favorable disposition of Darius the Mede toward them.In the first year of Darius the Mede - See the notes at Daniel 5:31. He does not here state the things contemplated or done by Darius in which he had confirmed or strengthened him, but there can be no reasonable doubt that it was the purpose which he had conceived to restore the Jews to their own land, and to give

Daniel 11:34 — word, see the notes at Daniel 11:21. The sense here is not that Judas would flatter them, or would secure their cooperation by flatteries, but that this would be what they would propose to their own minds, and what would influence them. Compare 1 Macc. 5:55-57: “Now what time as Judas and Jonathan were in the land of Galaad, and Simon his brother in Galilee before Ptolemais, Joseph the son of Zacharias, and Azarias, captains of the garrisons, heard of the valiant acts and warlike deeds which they had

Daniel 4:1 — of the world. Such a proclamation would be much in accordance with the Oriental style. Compare the note at Daniel 3:4.Peace be multiplied unto you - This is in accordance with the usual Oriental salutation. Compare Genesis 43:23; Jdg 6:23; 1 Samuel 25:6; Psalms 122:7; Luke 10:5; Ephesians 6:23; 1 Peter 1:2. This is the salutation with which one meets another now in the Oriental world - the same word still being retained, “Shalom,” or “Salam.” The idea seemed to be, that every blessing was found in

Daniel 4:9 — had been appointed when he interpreted the former dream, Daniel 2:48. The word rendered “master” (רב rab) is that which was applied to a teacher, a chief, or a great man among the Jews - from where came the title “rabbi.” Compare Daniel 2:48; Daniel 5:11.Because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee - This he had learned by the skill which he had shown in interpreting his dream on former occasion, Daniel 2:0.And no secret troubleth thee - That is, so troubles you that you cannot explain

Daniel 9:1 — In the first year of Darius - See the notes at Daniel 5:31, and Introuction to Daniel 6:0 Section II. The king here referred to under this name was Cyaxares II, who lived between Astyages and Cyrus, and in whom was the title of king. He was the immediate successor of Belshazzar, and was the predecessor of

Amos 1:12 — But - (And I, in My turn and as a consequence of these sins) will send a fire upon Teman “Teman,” say Eusebius and Jerome , “was a country of the princes of Edom, which had its name from Teman son of Eliphaz, son of Esau Genesis 36:11, Genesis 36:15. But even to this day there is a village, called Teman, about 5 (Eusebius says 15) miles from Petra, where there is also a Roman garrison, from which place was Eliphaz, king of the Themanites.” It is, however, probably the district which is meant, of

Jonah 1:16 — fear; and yet, in the same words as before, he says, “they feared a great fear;” but he adds, “the Lord.” It was the great fear, with which even the disciples of Jesus feared, when they saw the miracles which He did, which made even Peter say, Luke 5:8. “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Events full of wonder had thronged upon them; things beyond nature, and contrary to nature; tidings which betokened His presence, Who had all things in His hands. They had seen “wind and storm fulfilling

Micah 7:2 — against this. But imaginary love of God without love of man, or love of man without the love of God, is mere self-deceit. “Is perished out of the earth,” that is, by an untimely death. The good had either been withdrawn by God from the evil to come Isaiah 57:1, or had Leon cut off by those who laid wait for blood; in which case their death brought a double evil, through the guilt which such sin contracted, and then, through the loss of those who might be an example to others, and whose prayers God would

Zephaniah 2:10 — birth, but ever molesting the children of Abraham, so heretics profess to believe in Christ, to be children of Christ, and yet ever seek to overthrow the faith of Christians. As the Church says, “My mothers children are” “angry with me” Song of Solomon 1:5. They seem to have escaped the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah (pagan sins), and to have found a place of refuge (Zoar); and yet they are in darkness and cannot see the light of faith; and in an unlawful manner they mingle, against all right, the falsehood

Zechariah 1:15 — pride covetousness and with the worst ends. Hence God says by Isaiah, “Woe to Asshur, the rod of Mine anger, and the staff in his hand is Mine indignation. Howbeit he thinketh not so, but his heart is to destroy and cut off nations not a few” Isaiah 10:5, Isaiah 10:7.

Zechariah 6:5 — in one, what former prophets had said separately of the Assyrian, the Babylonian, Egyptian, Persian. “O Assyria, the rod of Mine anger - I will send him against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My wrath I will give him a charge” Isaiah 10:5. “I will send and take all the families of the north, and Nebuchadrezzar, the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land” Jeremiah 25:9. “The Lord shall hiss for the fly, that is in the uttermost part of Egypt, and for the bee

Malachi 1:12 — he saw in his vision of the new temple. Ezekiel 44:16. It is what was before called “the altar;” an altar, in regard to the sacrifices offered to God; a “table,” in regard to the food of the sacrifice therefrom received. Both names, “altar” Matthew 5:23; Hebrews 13:10. and “table” 1 Corinthians 10:21. being received in the New Testament, both were received in the early Church. For each represented one side of the great eucharistic action, as it is a Sacrifice and a sacrament. But the title “altar”

Matthew 3:12 — the fan, as the term is now used, was known to the Orientals as an instrument for cleaning grain. See the notes at Isaiah 30:24.His floor - The threshing-floor was an open space, or area, in the field, usually on an elevated part of the land, Genesis 50:10. It had no covering or walls. It was a space of ground 30 or 40 paces in diameter, and made smooth by rolling it or treading it hard. A high place was selected for the purpose of keeping it dry, and for the convenience of winnowing the grain by

Matthew 4:13 — once-celebrated city of Capernaum.The exact site of this ancient city has been a question of much interest, and is not supposed to be as yet fully settled; perhaps it is not possible that it should be. Dr. Robinson (Biblical Researches, iii. pp. 283, 284, 288-295) supposes that the site of the ancient city is a place now called Khan Minyeh. Dr. Thomson (The Land and the Book, vol. ii. pp. 542-547) supposes that it was at a place now called Tell Hum. This place is a short distance north of Khan Minyeh, or the